10 Skin Tips for Pregnant Women

You may be one of the lucky ones, flaunting that coveted pregnancy glow, or you could be faced with a complexion as pimply as your high school boyfriend’s. While you can’t do much about the hormonal rollercoaster ride, you can ensure you’re cleansing your skin really well every day to maintain clear pores and to remove dirt and makeup which only adds to the problem.

A less than ideal side effect of pregnancy is your sensitivity to the sun. You can burn much more easily while pregnant and yet want to avoid chemical sunscreens. The best advice is to stay out of the sun by finding shade and wear a broad-brimmed hat. Get yourself a pregnancy-friendly sunscreen that contains zinc oxide — it’ll be a bit more laborious to apply but totally worth it.

See more: 10 things every pregnant woman actually needs.

While it’s common knowledge to avoid eating raw fish and deli meats while pregnant, knowing what to skip when it comes to skincare is less obvious. There are over 10 chemical ingredients you should steer clear of while pregnant including parabens, phthalates, formaldehyde, toluene, chemical sunscreens, dihydroxyacetone (DHA) and aluminum chloride.

See more ingredients you should be avoiding with the worst mistakes you're making in your anti-acne routine.

Stretch marks are mostly hereditary — if you’re going to get them, you’re going to get them. However, you can assist your stretching skin and minimize the fierceness of potential stretch marks by investing in a really good natural body oil, like sweet almond oil. Use it daily, focusing on your belly, breasts and hips.

For many women, getting off the couch and walking to the freezer for a tub of ice cream is exercise enough while pregnant. If it can be tolerated, gentle exercise at least once a day increases circulation, bringing nutrients to your skin. That burst of endorphins will also make you feel happier and help your already interrupted sleep.

If there’s one beauty rule everyone knows, it’s to drink lots of water and being pregnant makes this rule extra important. Your body does an amazing job of making sure your baby is getting what it needs: nutrients and hydration are delivered to baby first, leaving the dregs for mom (welcome to the rest of your life!). Drink lots and lots of water to keep you hydrated and flush your system, which will in turn keep your complexion clear and plump. Even if you’re desperately nauseated, keep a constant flow of water going throughout the day with little sips and add a squeeze of lemon to make it taste better.

Keep your makeup routine simple and try using chemical-free products where possible. There are an awful lot of ingredients in our favourite lipsticks and foundations and a bunch of those are likely to be less-than-good-for-you chemicals. Try the ‘less is more’ approach to your pregnancy face and invest in a pregnancy-friendly foundation or tinted moisturiser. Visit your local health food store to try out a natural foundation alternative. Also, your skin may go from oily to dry in a matter of weeks or the other way round: adjust your skincare and makeup to suit your changing skin’s needs.

Your skin is way more sensitive now that you’re creating a human. Be gentle when you cleanse, exfoliate and moisturise. Your delicate skin can scar way more easily than pre-pregnancy, so fight the urge to pop and pick too.

It sounds obvious but relaxation is just as important for your skin as the best skincare out there. Easier said than done, we know, but booking in a prenatal massage or facial can do wonders for your stress levels, therefore helping keep your complexion looking clear and healthy.