Struggling to navigate skincare in pregnancy? Four women share their routines that worked
image via @larafisher/INSTAGRAM
Words by Sarah Payton
High performing, nurturing and nourishing products for a very special time.
From the moment you learn you’re pregnant, your world turns upside down. What once felt urgent or important quickly dwindles to feel trivial, and almost everything in your life is now subject to immediate change, be it what you eat, how you move, what you type into Google or what you apply to your skin.
That last one was a surprise for me. I’d expected pregnancy to upend my diet, Pilates schedule and wardrobe, but I hadn’t anticipated that my skincare routine would be open slather. Quickly, I learnt, I had to cull many of the products I’d been religiously applying for years.
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Pregnancy is a beautiful time but not without its challenges. With so much of your body, lifestyle and entire world changing around you, the little things (like your skincare routine) can be a real anchor to feeling like yourself. Many talk about the pregnancy ‘glow’ but there are many other changes to your skin that can emerge. I’ve been subject to a fair amount of pigmentation, known as the ‘mask‘ of pregnancy.
A close friend of mine had to battle through pretty horrendous hormonal acne. Others in my circle have experienced dramatic hair loss. Everyone’s experience is different but the one constant is a pregnant woman’s skin does not stay the same. So how do you tackle this?
I fear I’ve spent hours urgently Googling whether a beloved product is pregnancy-safe, only to turn up no real answers and opaque interpretations of ingredient lists. Instead, I’ve found the best product recommendations have come from word of mouth, spurring me to ask a few friends across the industry (both pre- and post-partum) for their own pregnancy skincare routines.
Olivia Cummings, jeweller and founder of Cleopatra’s Bling
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How did your skin change while you were pregnant?
I actually loved my pregnancy skin. It felt plump and lush, and I remember looking at myself and feeling so nourished from within. My only real concern came during the first trimester when I developed a strange rash all over my back that turned into little boils for a few weeks. I was told it was hormonal and that it would pass, which it did. Apart from that, I didn’t have many issues. My focus was on keeping my skin calm, hydrated and supported. I also loved wearing almost no makeup during that time.
What beloved products did you have to say goodbye to?
The only product I stopped using was retinol, which I’ve since reintroduced.
What products did you turn to?
My routine became much simpler and more nurturing. I alternated between Properly Clean by Go-To and MelaQuest Facial Cleanser by Demaquest. Both are gentle yet effective, and my skin always felt fresh without feeling stripped. Aspect Illuminating Polish was a favourite exfoliant, it gave me that healthy glow without any harshness. For serums, I loved De-Stress by Synergie Skin when my skin felt tight or reactive, and sometimes used Much Plumper Skin by Go-To for that extra hydration and bounce.
For an oil, The Clarifying Face Hero by Go-To was a go-to for me. It smells beautiful and gives such a comforting, dewy finish. I also used the Very Luxe Face Cream by Go-To, which lived up to its name. It’s rich without being heavy, and I always woke up feeling hydrated.
Finally, I used a very simple European clay mask that I buy in Turkey from traditional herb shops. It’s an old-fashioned powder that I mix with water until it forms a smooth paste. It draws out any impurities and makes my skin feel balanced. The Now Foods European Clay Powder from iHerb is a great alternative. I also loved Korean sheet masks from W Cosmetics, which I kept in the fridge. During pregnancy I often felt overheated, so using a cold sheet mask was a little ritual of relief and rest.
Did your routine change much throughout your pregnancy?
Not dramatically but I did start to integrate gua sha into my mornings. I’d apply a few drops of argan oil after cleansing and follow a gua sha tutorial. It helped with circulation and moved energy around the face, which felt refreshing. I found it woke me up in a gentle way and it became something I still love doing.
Emma Cutri, designer and co-founder of Sister Studios
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How did your skincare routine change while awaiting your baby?
During my pregnancy, I did alter my skin routine. I dropped my harsher products like retinol at night and switched to more oils and natural products. I lathered myself every single day in Pure Mama Belly Oil and I’m still using it postnatally on my belly. I also started taking prenatal vitamins (which I’m still taking) that made my skin glow (I swear), not to mention the litres of water!
While pregnant, my morning routine consisted of The Ordinary’s Hyaluronic Acid, Skinceuticals‘ Vitamin C, DMK’s Pigment Serum and Mist, Tatcha’s Water Cream Moisturiser and an invisible zinc tinted sunscreen. I was sad to say goodbye to my Sunday Riley Retinol but I picked up a beautiful natural retinol from Little Company called Elementals Bio Retinol that I used at night and ended up preferring.
Hannah Furst, writer and beauty podcaster
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What have been your biggest skin concerns while pregnant?
Hormonal acne all around my neck was something I’d never dealt with before. I also wanted to find an alternative to Botox once it wore off.
I was very sick in the first trimester (still having flashbacks), so literally didn’t apply anything but Jurlique Moisture Replenishing Day Cream for months. Everything and anything was too hard to manage, including a skincare routine. Once I entered the second trimester, I restarted my morning and evening routine.
What products have you said goodbye to, and what are you using now?
I personally chose to avoid salicylic acid serums and any form of Vitamin A, including my retinol serum (it was hard to say goodbye!).
I’ve kept using my ASAP Gentle Cleansing Gel. For serums, I use Skinceuticals CE Ferulic every morning and ASAP’s N20 Peptide Complex morning and night. It contains Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, which is often called a “Botox-like” peptide. It doesn’t work as powerfully as Botox injections (since it only works on the skin’s surface), but it can soften expression lines over time. It does this by interfering with the release of neurotransmitters that normally tell your muscles to contract, meaning the muscles under your skin contract less forcefully.
I exfoliate with Alpha-H Liquid Gold, which worked wonders for my hormonal neck acne and gave me a glow.
As a moisturiser, I love Jurlique Moisture Replenishing Day Cream as a rich night cream and Tatcha The Dewy Skin Cream in the morning for extra glow under makeup. I also use Ultra Violette’s Future Fluid for a lightweight mineral sunscreen.
I’ve occasionally used Aspect’s Intense Hydration Sheet Mask and Dermal Therapy Eczema and Dermatitis Cream. The latter worked wonders on my first-trimester pregnancy rash, which was so itchy and uncomfortable.
Any advice for pregnant women trying to navigate skincare?
Don’t let TikTok or Google scare you. It’s overwhelming and often inaccurate. There’s so much unnecessary fear-mongering out there, and the mum-shaming in the TikTok comments is eye-opening. Stick to evidence-based sources (I used this MotherSafe source) and check with your doctor if you’re unsure.
Lara Fisher, founder of Poly Designs
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How did your skincare needs change while pregnant?
As someone who has struggled with breakouts since puberty, being pregnant was one of the first times I can remember having clear skin. It was a completely unexpected pregnancy symptom that was so welcome. I experienced morning sickness, heartburn and lightning crotch (look it up), but glowing skin almost made up for it all.
What did your pregnancy routine look like?
I’ve always had to spend so much energy trying to manage my skin and for once, I could just slap on a moisturiser and leave the house. It was actually a joy to get rid of the entire routine and just go back to basics. That said, I did keep up my treatments at my beloved skin clinic, Clinica Lase, who know all the pregnancy-safe treatments. Laser genesis and needling were still on the cards.
In terms of products, I used Kate Sommerville’s Goat Milk Cleanser and Moisturiser, The Ordinary’s Rosehip Oil, and Ren’s Ready Steady Glow as an exfoliant. I also used so much belly oil. I loved this part of my routine. It made me feel really connected to bub.
I did a lot of gua sha for my puffy, tired face (sleeping when pregnant is not easy), took lots of baths and practised daily oiling of the belly. it was a time of really nice self-care, upon reflection.
What advice do you have for anyone currently pregnant?
As someone who has had lots of bad skin days, if you’re breaking out, go speak to a professional and get a plan. There’s so much information online that it can be an overload. Getting advice from one person you trust always makes it feel easier.
Also, before I had my baby, a seasoned mother gave me the advice to make sure, no matter how the night was, to “get up, shower and do your skincare, before you start your day.” I definitely did that every day postpartum. My partner made sure it was a priority so I could start the day feeling my best.
For more on pregnancy skincare, head here.
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