5 Toxic Skincare Ingredients that are Unsafe During Pregnancy
This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase a product through a link in this article, I may be compensated at absolutely no extra cost to you. All the information in this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The opinions in this article are those of the author. Please see my full disclosure policy here.
Here are 5 toxic skincare ingredients you should avoid during pregnancy and pregnancy-safe alternatives you can use instead:
1. Retinoids
- Found in acne treatments like Accutane and Retin-A, and many anti-aging products
- Causes major mental and physical birth defects, specifically malformations of the nervous system, arms and legs, eyes, face and skull
- Labels may say:
– Retinoic acid
– Retinyl palmitate
– Retinaldehyde
– Adapalene
– Tretinoin
– Tazarotene
– Isotretinoin
Pregnancy-Safe Alternative:
- Adjust your diet to eliminate inflammatory and triggering foods (ex. sugar, dairy, gluten) to help with acne flare-ups.
- Use a sunhat and a mineral sunscreen to protect your skin from the aging effects of sun exposure.
2. Chemical Sunscreens
- Specifically harmful are the ingredients Oxybenzone, Avobenzone and Octinoxate
- Strongly linked to the birth defect Hirschsprung’s disease, which affects the baby’s large intestine
- This defect occurs within the first 6 weeks after conception, before women may know they’re pregnant. It’s best for all women of reproductive age to avoid chemical sunscreens, whether they’re trying to get pregnant or not
Pregnancy-Safe Alternatives:
- Opt for mineral sunscreens. Mineral sunscreens sit on top of the skin instead of being absorbed by the skin, offering a safe layer of sun protection without the nasty chemicals entering your bloodstream.
- Active ingredients that are safe in mineral sunscreens are Titanium Dioxide or Zinc Oxide.
3. Phthalates
- Found in products with synthetic fragrances, and in nail polish too
- These endocrine disrupters are absorbed through the skin and are linked to liver, kidney, lung and reproductive issues
- Especially harmful are Diethyl Phthalate and Dibutyl Phthalate
- Best to avoid any ingredient that ends in -phthalate
Pregnancy-Safe Alternatives
- Trade in your phthalate-containing products for phthalate free options:
Drunk Elephant C-Firma Day Serum
CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser
RMS Beauty Oil
Earth Mama Belly Butter
4. Fragrance
- Found in just about everything, and should be avoided (if your hypersensitive, pregnant sense of smell doesn’t detest them already😅)
- Usually made up of other harmful chemicals (ex: parabens, benzine derivatives, aldehydes) which are linked to cancer, nervous system issues and endocrine disruption
- Labels may say: parfum, perfume, cinnamal, citronellol, eugenol, linalool, lemonene, geraniol
Pregnancy-Safe Alternatives
- Go for fragrance-free products, which are usually labeled as such:
Attitude Extra Gentle Natural Body Lotion
5. Hydroxy Acids
- Found in acne cleansers, toners, exfoliants and peels
- Oral salicylic acid increases the risk of brain bleeding in the fetus and can causes pregnancy complications
- They say topical salicylic acid isn’t absorbed enough through the skin to cause actual harm, but I wouldn’t risk it knowing how dangerous the same chemical is when taken orally
- Other common hydroxy acids to limit/avoid:
– Alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) & Beta hydroxy acid (BHA)
– Benzoyl peroxide
– Beta hydroxybutanoic acid
– Betaine salicylate
– Dicarbonous acid
– Hydroacetic acid
– Hydroxyacetic acid
– Hydroxycaproic acid
– Hydroxyethanoic acid
– Salicylic acid
– Trethocanic acid
– Tropic acid
Pregnancy-Safe Alternatives
- Replace acidic chemical exfoliants with manual exfoliation. Use a sugar scrub or a muslin cloth to gently exfoliate your face to remove dead skin cells for brighter, more vibrant skin.
- Hyalauronic acid is considered safe during pregnancy and is a very effective hydrating and anti-aging ingredient.
- Activated charcoal is a powerful, natural alternative to toxic acne cleansers.
Conclusion
Pregnant women need to be extra careful about which skincare products they use. Harmful ingredients are hidden in just about every cleanser, moisturizer, exfoliator and toner, so it is extremely important to read the labels before you accidentally smear toxins onto your face. Save this article to refer back to whenever you’re shopping for new skincare products!
