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Jun 07, 2023

Pregnancy

by Karen Johnson Medically reviewed by Kristy Goodman Affiliate links included. Opinions are our own. Your purchase may earn us a commission, supporting free content. Visit our Chick Picks Shop for

by Karen Johnson

Medically reviewed by Kristy Goodman

Affiliate links included. Opinions are our own. Your purchase may earn us a commission, supporting free content. Visit our Chick Picks Shop for more recommended products we love! ❤️

Pregnant women know the list: No unpasteurized cheese or alcohol. Many moms-to-be switch to decaf or at least cut down on caffeine. We are told to be careful with fish and deli meats and wash our fruits and veggies well. But what about the chemicals in our beauty products? Are these products that we’ve always used pregnancy-safe makeup? Is it safe to keep using the same mascara, foundation, and bronzer now that a little one is a-brewing in our tummy?

Many women say it’s not worth the risk and to commit to using clean, nontoxic, pregnancy-safe makeup and beauty products. So, we’ve compiled a list of 23 pregnancy-safe makeup and beauty products that we think you’ll love as much as us.

Pregnancy can take its toll on a woman’s body. Expecting moms should invest in makeup and beauty products that accentuate their natural beauty and make them feel good. And that doesn’t necessarily mean pregnant women must spend a small fortune on what’s deemed “pregnancy-safe makeup” and “pregnancy-safe beauty products.” However, regardless of price, there are a few ingredients a mom with a growing bump should try to avoid, as they could be harmful to the fetus.

For example, high doses of retinoids have been linked to birth irregularities, so pregnant women should avoid them altogether. Also, salicylic acid — often used to treat acne — is considered unsafe for pregnancy if administered in high doses. In addition, make sure that your makeup and beauty products are free of chemicals like phthalates, talc, and formaldehyde and that your sunscreen doesn’t have oxybenzone. All these ingredients are known to pose potential risks to Mama and her baby and should be avoided.1

There are some alternative ingredients pregnant women can look for as they choose pregnancy-safe makeup and skin care products — including topical antioxidants like green tea and resveratrol. And vitamin C is always good as it boosts our skin’s health in the same way it boosts our immune system.1

Also, many companies on our list have EWG-verified products, which means they meet strict scientific standards for transparency and health and are given a two-part score for hazard and data availability. Finding EWG-verified pregnancy-safe skin care is a great way to ensure that whatever you put on your skin is safe. However, we know you’re tired and overwhelmed, so we did the homework for you!

Here are 23 pregnancy-safe makeup and skin care products we love.

This gentle cleanser by Biossance is free of parabens and synthetic fragrances. It is made with ingredients like squalene (which is derived from sugarcane), organic aloe vera leaf juice, and moringa extract. With the Squalene + Amino Aloe Gentle Cleanser, your pores will be clean of dirt and environmental pollutants, but your skin won’t be damaged, and you won’t have any yucky chemicals seeping into your skin.2

Thrive Causemetics is a super transparent beauty company that openly shares every ingredient in its products — including the Filtered Effects Blurring Primer. It’s 100% vegan and cruelty-free, and this pregnancy-safe primer is “powered with good-for-you ingredients like celery seed extract and MCT oil,” their website explains. And even better, the Filtered Effects Blurring Primer uses special color grip technology, which helps it adhere to makeup and control oil.

A good, tinted moisturizer is a staple in any woman’s makeup bag (pregnant or not) as it’s three products in one. It hydrates, helps even skin tone, and provides SPF sun protection. For a pregnancy-safe tinted moisturizer option, we love the Dew Skin Tinted Moisturizer from Beautycounter because it’s made with natural ingredients like non-nano zinc oxide that helps block out harmful sun exposure, black currant seed oil, peony root extract, and vitamin C.

Women committed to a pregnancy-safe foundation rave about the FlowerColor Foundation from Ecco Bella, and it’s easy to see why. “FlowerColor Natural Liquid Foundation gives you healthier skin with organic aloe vera and saccharide isomerate, a natural sugar that binds water to the skin, acting as a reservoir for continuous moisture,” Ecco Bella explains, and honestly, why wouldn’t you want a product like that on your skin?

Loose powders can be riddled with toxic chemicals, which is why products like the Loose Setting Powder from Mineral Fusion are so valuable. Like all the pregnancy-safe products on our list, this pregnancy-safe setting powder is free of parabens and artificial fragrances. Instead, it is made with natural ingredients like rice bran extract and rosemary leaf extract.

An effective pregnancy-safe concealer can be a woman’s best friend, so adding one to this list was an absolute must. The Vanish Airbrush Concealer from HourGlass comes in 22 shades. And don’t worry — this one is formulated without alcohol, talc, or synthetic dyes, so it’s safe for moms-to-be.

A bronzer stick can highlight your cheekbones and give you a sun-kissed glow (without exposing your skin to the sun). Well People’s creamy, hydrating Supernatural Stick Bronzer includes ingredients we love, like jojoba oil, sunflower seed oil, and green tea, which means it’s jam-packed with vitamins and antioxidants and is, of course, free of yucky, harmful chemicals. For a pregnancy-safe bronzer, the Supernatural Stick Bronzer is our top choice.

Miracle Balm by Jones Road lives up to its name and can perform that miracle of making your face look bright and refreshed after not sleeping all night and having to pee 11 times. If you prefer a natural, no-makeup finish, try this all-natural balm made from plant oil. Jones Road even helps you pick the right shade.

Your list of pregnancy-safe makeup products isn’t complete without a pregnancy-safe blush. Han Skincare’s Pressed Blush is talc-free and is made with rice powder and vegetable pigments to give you a safe, natural tint on your cheeks. Choose between five lovely shades, including Coral Candy, Bloom, and Glory, and take comfort in knowing your blush packaging is made from recycled paper — help the planet AND look gorgeous? Yes, please.

Is there anything that screams “MOM” more than an eye cream made with caffeine from coffee and green tea? With additional ingredients like rosehip oil, oregano, and thyme, this pregnancy-safe eye cream will make the area around your eyes look youthful and bright without toxic substances.

One thing’s for sure — you need an excellent pregnancy-safe mascara. Luv + Co is another company that creates nontoxic beauty products that are also paraben-free. So, what does their Natural Lift Mascara include? Ingredients like chamomile, coffee, and beeswax. And, honestly, you might as well add the Brow, Liner, & Lash Pro Brush Set to your cart while you’re at it.

For a pregnancy-safe eyeliner, you can’t go wrong with the Clean Line Gel Eyeliner from Ilia or Ilia’s Clean Line Liquid Eyeliner, which is just as amazing. What makes this eyeliner the best choice for your pregnancy-safe makeup collection? The dark color derives from charcoal, a clean alternative to the carbon black — a carcinogen used in the past.

Choose between warm nude hues or cool nude colors (or get both) and discover why Ilia’s Necessary Eyeshadow Palette is so popular. Ilia’s pregnancy-safe eyeshadow is, of course, talc-free and is made with natural, safe ingredients like honeysuckle flower extract.

You know you’re not ready for the day (or night!) until you’ve applied your fave color to those gorgeous lips. So, we recommend the Mineralist Hydra-Smoothing Lipstick from bareMinerals for pregnancy-safe lipstick. Made without parabens, silicones, and sulfates SLS and SLES, this lipstick comes in many beautiful colors ranging from nude pink (Grace) to black raspberry (Perception) and all the shades in between.

Nontoxic sunscreen should 100% be a part of your daily beauty routine if it isn’t already, especially while pregnant. Supergoop’s oil-free Unseen Sunscreen tops our list of pregnancy-safe skin protectants due to its natural ingredients like red algae and frankincense. As a bonus, Unseen Sunscreen doubles as a makeup primer. This one’s a must-have!

Pregnancy, as many know all too well, can do a number on our skin. We might have a natural healthy glow on our cheeks, but our bellies and boobs itch like never before. That’s why a product like the Body Duo from Dime is an excellent choice for your beauty product collection. Dime says its “Boosting Body Serum is a multi-ceramide cocktail that delivers beneficial nutrients to the deep layers of the skin.” At the same time, the Glaze Hydrating Body Oil combats dry patches, irritation, and redness using “antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and rejuvenating properties.”

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Whether you actually get any sleep at night is always a question during pregnancy. Regardless, applying a night serum like the Sleep Tight Bakuchiol Serum from Covey is never a bad idea. This serum uses bakuchiol, a safe alternative to retinol, to firm and smooth your skin.3

Love perfume but don’t want to put toxic, synthetic fragrances and chemicals on your skin during pregnancy? Try Earth Tu Face’s Jasmine Perfume, made with the scent of real plants. Plus, look how pretty its seashell case is!

Juice Beauty has created an exfoliating and skin-brightening peel specifically for pregnant women. Made from ingredients like organic apple juice, aloe leaf juice, and lemon juice, this peel “delivers spa-grade exfoliation to visibly correct the appearance of dark spots and discoloration, zap blemishes, and reveal a visibly brighter complexion,” Juice Beauty says.

Some women are proud of their “tiger stripes,” and others can’t stand the sight of them. If you’re in camp No. 2, try Amareta’s Say No to Stretchmarks Soothing Belly Oil for supple hydration and restore elasticity that your skin will love. This bundle also comes with an organic, fragrance-free soothing breast oil to help ease the chapped skin that breastfeeding can bring.

Here’s another pregnancy-safe product any mama-to-be would love. Dermaclara’s reusable SiliconeFusion body and face patches treat and prevent cellulite, stretch marks, fine lines, and wrinkles and are specifically designed for the boob (and underboob area), thighs, chest, and face. And they can be reused up to 30 times.

If you want to treat a pregnant mama (including yourself!), this Bump Love Bundle by Honest is a thoughtful gift and pregnancy-safe skin care product. You’ll get body butter and body oil made with plant-based products for soothing moisture that lasts.

There’s no better way to pamper an expecting mom than with the Mom’s At-Home Spa Ritual by Matrescence. This home spa kit includes the Stretch Mark Relief Refining Scrub and the Stretch Mark Relief Restorative Butter. You know you’re getting high-quality, pregnancy-safe products that nourish your skin with all-natural ingredients like cane sugar, macadamia seed oil, and Siberian ginseng extract.

Practicing meaningful self-care throughout pregnancy and postpartum is crucial to the baby’s well-being and yours. That’s why it’s not just food intake you should consider — it’s also super important to use nontoxic, pregnancy-safe makeup and beauty products. Choose anything from this list, and you can feel secure that while you’re pampering yourself a bit or even just doing your daily makeup and getting ready for the day, you aren’t exposing your skin to harmful, toxic chemicals that could put your health or your baby’s health at risk. Instead, you’re looking gorgeous and fabulous with ingredients like aloe and sunflower oil and helping the planet be healthier too.

1. https://www.healthline.com/hpss23

2. https://biossance.com/

3. https://coveyskin.com/

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