I hesitated to write this post after my first pregnancy, because I had only one experience and hadn’t quite figured out, tried, tested and proved some of my skincare routine. However, this second time around I am a LOT more confident on my tried and true pregnancy skincare tips and I am eager to share them here with you all!
My Tried and True Pregnancy Skincare Tips
What makes me an expert on pregnancy skincare? Nothing really other than having two pregnancies and methodically testing different products and routines out. Of course every body is different, so what I provide here are tips and certain products that worked for me and that I would repeat should I have a third pregnancy. I will cover the topics that plague me typically, which are increased hormonal acne, dry tight skin, stretch marks, enlarged pores, and dull skin. I do have melasma as well but there is nothing I can do for that except for clinical procedures post pregnancy, so I’ll hold off on that for now. Do I have perfect, glowing, model skin? No. I have lots of freckles, tired eyes, fine lines and general redness which are not going away anytime soon. But, with my routine, I have CLEAR, fresh, and EVEN skin, which allows me to go makeup free most days and really glow when I decide to actually wear makeup.
{My completely un-retouched, no makeup 24 week pregnant face. Not too bad?}
One of the toughest parts about pregnancy skincare is making sure our routine is as clean as possible, but still effective. All of the products I use are non-toxic and clean, and I will give their certifications and ‘clean’ ratings where possible.
Let’s dive in!
Tip #1 Simplify Your Routine
My biggest tip is to simplify that dang routine. Last pregnancy I was in a phase of life and blogging where I was testing out different products, trying new clean serums and face washes and my acne was CRAZY. Like, all over my back and scalp crazy. I kept trying new serums, cleansers, scrubs, and masks to get rid of all of this clearly hormonal acne, but it just got worse. It wasn’t until about a year ago that I decided to stick to certain products for the long haul, where I saw a difference. And lo and behold, even throughout this pregnancy, my skin has been much less reactive.
When I say streamline, I mean it in 2 ways. First, less is more. Pick your favorite serum + moisturizer , your favorite cleanser and your favorite exfoliator and keep it at that. I have used the OSea Ocean Cleanser for over a year (I even have a mini one for travel) and use it morning and night. Sometimes I even skip the morning cleanse and just use warm water on my face.
Second, give it time. Hormonal skin will react and keep reacting if you keep changing products all the time. I don’t mean just a month, I mean 6. This is not the time to experiment with skincare! Everything is changing in your body, so resist the urge to try whatever new ‘solution’ is out there and just stick. with. it. If all else fails for cystic acne I swear by soaking that thing with scalding hot water for 5-10 minutes 2-3x a day. It will go away faster than with any product I swear!
Tip #2 Religiously clean those pores
I use Kiehls’ Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Mask 3-4x a week religiously and it is my absolute best friend for preventing acne and tightening the look of my pores. I have genetically large pores and it’s gross but they visibly fill with blackheads and gunk almost every day, which leads to bad looking skin and acne if left alone. I use this in the morning sometime after cuddling with Marina in bed and making her breakfast, and leave it on my nose and chin for about 15 minutes before washing off. I have used it for over 2 years and tried all sorts of other clay and charcoal masks out there… but I keep coming back to this one again and again. It gets a rating of 2 on the EWG Skin Deep scorecard, for low levels of toxicity, allergens and cancer causing ingredients.
Tip #3 Oil and SPF
After cleansing or using my clay mask (often I don’t cleanse and then do a mask like they say… keep it simple you know?) I put on one of True Botanicals (the entire line is Made Safe certified) oils. I often use the Pure Radiance Oil from their Clear line, to further prevent acne and and get some moisture back in my face. If I’m working from home I will leave it there, but if I head out for the day I will use this Stem Cellular CC cream from Juice Beauty for SPF and minimal coverage.
Tip #4 Vitamin C at Night
Pregnant skin can often look dull and flat, and if you’re like me you might lack some serious sleep already, which means sallow, blah skin. A vitamin C serum is fabulous for this. Again I use True Botanicals Cell Renewal Serum and mix in their Vitamin C Booster and that’s it for nighttime! I have been using these products for 18 months and although they are more on the expensive side, I love the quality, trust the brand and know that it WORKS.
Tip #5 THICH RICH CREAM for stretch marks
Here’s where things get sticky. Literally. My absolute favorite favorite favorite cream is for severely dry skin, which is how I discovered it (for my elbows etc.). Eucerin’s Advanced Repair Cream is surprisingly hard to find in stores, but is LEGIT. It’s so thick that I’m not going to lie, it’s basically a workout just to rub it in, BUT it will easily keep your skin moisturized for 48 hours so I only apply it when I shower (which, spoiler alert, is not every day). I have stretch marks from puberty on my inner and outer thighs and butt, but NONE from pregnancy and I used this cream last time. Sure, my body could be different now or whatever, but I’m certainly not taking the chance of NOT using it, you know what I mean? This product also receives a 2 EWG score, and this tub will last you probably more than a year so it’s a seriously good deal!
