Before I got pregnant with my first, I’d heard tons of women rave about how great their skin looked while they were pregnant. It glowed! It shone like the dawn on a summer’s morn! Shenanigans! Once I was pregnant, I was breaking out like a 13-year-old. When my belly started growing, the skin was dry and itchy. In fact, all of my skin was dry and itchy.And don’t even get me started on the veins and weird brown patches popping out. My skin was a mess, and I had to find remedies fast. I eventually found my own go-tos (more on that in a minute). But it got me to thinking, what do other moms swear by?
Dark spots on the breasts, nipplesor inner thighs Melasma—brown patches on the face around the cheeks, noseand forehead Linea nigra—a dark line that runs from the navel to the pubic hair Stretch marks Acne Spider veins Varicose veins
So, I had the team ask. We reached out to our network of moms to find out what skincare products got them through pregnancy. I got advice on products thatcare for everything…and I mean everything. Aurore, for example wrote back: “Coconut oil to prevent stretch marks, organic shower gel not to irritate the .” Here is some of the other little gems I got:
Going Organic
While experts consider mostskincare products safe for pregnant women, there are a few things they recommend you stay away from. Those include retinoids, hydroxy acid and acne products. Still, many women prefer to go completely organic, just in case. Lucie wrote: “With my first pregnancy, I ditched all—really all—my creams, shampoos, makeup, etc. Why? I started reading content and was not willing to use them anymore. For my belly I used shea butter.” Libby went"100% natural and organic, or as close to it as possible" She found her products athealth food stores." She particularly lovedCredo Beauty andFollain and Knockout Beauty. Warning: Avoid products with soy in them. They can actually make melasma and dark spots worse!
Treat Yourself
Those 40 weeks of pregnancy are the perfect time—and the perfect excuse—to pamper yourself…and plenty of women did! Aurore recommended,“lots of pampering and rest always helps!!”
Rachel confessed: “I splurged on facials and I am not ashamed to admit it.” Amanda wrote: “I love the Spoiled Mama products. I used Belli before and it was okay, but Spoiled Mama works much better for me."
What’s Skincare?
And, of course, lots of moms just didn’t have the time. Lucie: “For my second pregnancy, I did not have time. So I did not use anything. No stretch marks (on belly not, but legs yes since puberty). So I guess it is genetics.” (We should all be so lucky!) Christine: “What’s skincare?Lol." Joy: “I’m lucky if I wash my face before I fall asleep. But I use Bio Oil on my tummy to help with stretch marks.”
Anything Else?
We covered the belly, the face and even our lady bits. Did we leave anything out? Yes! Breasts! Your breasts can get pretty sore and sensitive, especially post-pregnancy—whether you’re breastfeeding or not. And thenthere’s the dreaded sagging. We got one great recommendation for the ladies from Olga: “Mama Mio Pregnancy Boob Tube Bust Cream. I loved this.”
What About Me?
So what did I end up using during my two pregnancies? My go-to for my belly was L’Occitane Almond Supple Skin Oil. For the acne, I just washed my face really well with a mild soap and water. For my extra-dry skin, Trader Joe’s A Midsummer Night’s Cream. For a more in-depth look at the skin changes that happen during pregnancy, check out Skin Changes During Pregnancy.
