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Pregnancy-Safe Skincare Routine

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There are so many do’s and don’ts’s to being pregnant and skincare routines are often one of those things that changes to accommodate. To be honest, I didn’t have a ton of adjustments to make in this category, simply because I already followed a nontoxic skincare routine.

Keep reading for my exact pregnancy skincare routine, what I cut from my regimen, and how I tried to keep that pregnancy glow nine months and beyond. Bonus, it is breastfeeding safe too!

White High Neck Sports Bra | Align Shorts 6” | Primally Pure Soothing Mask

Let me start with the fact that all skin is different. Just because something works for me, does not mean it will work for you. I do think what I’m sharing is a good starting place, but I would not recommend changing a bunch of things at once. Try one, maybe two different items at a time so you can see how your skin reacts. Personally I always test on my neck and forearm, wait a day or two, then start testing on my face.

That being said, my skin is probably what you would call “normal”, but if it had to lean dry or oily, it would be oily. I never really had an issue with acne until I got off of hormonal birth control. I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis and had a hormone imbalance that I was still working through up until I got pregnant. I actually think that getting pregnant helped my skin; however, we’ll see what occurs postpartum. I have a lot of acne resources on my blog, but this post on how to deal with adult acne is probably my most recent.

Before I get into my actual routine, let’s look at what I stopped using / doing:

Be sure to check with your doctor and see what is right for you!

  • Chemical Peels. I was getting light chemical peels every 6-8 weeks to help with acne and scarring. If you’re curious, I wrote all about peels here. Because of the chemicals and acids in these, I stopped getting them, though I did continue with regular facials.

  • Salicylic Acid. This isn’t completely off limits per my doctor; however, the items I used that had it were over the limit she was comfortable with. She said that I could use products that had 1% or less, but I just cut it out completely, as none of my products fit the bill. Different acids, but I was still able to use items with glycolic and lactic acid, which is better than nothing!

  • Current. I love my NuDerma Wand and really wanted to try and review the NuFace for you, but have had to put that on hold due to the electric current. It is not pregnancy-safe, so I haven’t picked it up in almost a year.

  • CBD. I stopped taking it orally, but on top of that, I stopped using my CBD skincare products. I had a serum and a mask I really liked, but my doctor told me to stay away from all of it.

AM ROUTINE:

  1. Primally Pure Clarifying Bar. I wash my face with this bar! I wet my face and wet the bar and go from there. Makes sense, but it’s been a very long time since I’ve used an actual bar of soap, so thought I’d mention it. I have this soap dish and really like it. For travel purposes, I still like my foaming cleanser which is a lot easier to bring places.

  2. Facial Dry Brush. It is so easy and I love how it makes me feel. I wrote all about it here. But seriously, it takes 2 minutes and is a good investment in your skin. Grab one for 10% off with discount code ELLEMULENOS.

  3. Vitamin C Serum. I started using this mid-spring and like it so far. For a cheaper option, I like this one. I wrote a review of the latter here, but haven’t made my mind up which one I like better. Both are pregnancy-safe.

  4. Primally Pure Baby Balm. I use this as a daily moisturizer. This is such a moisturizing and gentle formula! It’s made for babies, but I use this for my face! Get 10% off with discount code ELLEMULENOS.

  5. Sunscreen. I don’t use this if I’m just sitting in my house; however, if I have plans to go outside, it goes on! Hats help too but should not be supplemented instead of sunscreen.


PM Routine:

  1. One Love Organics Vitamin B Oil Cleanser. I only do this if I wore makeup or sunscreen that day, otherwise, I just use the bar alone vs double cleansing. I also really like the Primally Pure cleansing oil as an option too. Try it for 10% off with discount code ELLEMULENOS.

  2. Primally Pure Clarifying Bar. Same as AM!

  3. Corrective Skincare LA 5% Benzoyl Peroxide. It is an acne medication that helps with resurfacing. I use this every other night because I don’t want to dry my skin out too much. My OBGYN approved this and I was able to continue using this during pregnancy.

    ***AND / OR***

  4. Primally Pure Baby Balm. On evenings where I use the benzyl peroxide, I just put this under my eyes and on my nose. On off nights, I use this all over my face as a nightly moisturizer. I did a whole review of it here.

  5. Gua Sha. On the nights where I don’t use the benzoyl peroxide and do use my moisturizer all over my face, I do some soothing gua sha. I’ve used several stones and this one is my favorite. Try it for 10% off with discount code ELLEMULENOS.


OTHERS:

  • Facials. I continued to get regular facials throughout my pregnancy. This was important to me as my previous acne was mainly really inflamed clogged pores. Facials are great at clearing these before they get angry, thanks to extractions. I tried to get one every 6-8 weeks.

  • Collagen. This was new for me this year or at least consistently taking it was. I got it approved by my doctor and noticed a big difference in my skin when I stopped taking it for a month due to out of control morning sickness. There are actually lots of benefits to taking collagen throughout and after your pregnancy re: hair loss on and things like that. I wrote a review of the one I take here.

  • Face Masks. I try to do two face masks a week. I use the Juice Beauty Green Apple Peel Pregnancy Safe, but love the regular Green Apple Peel Full Strength when I’m not pregnant. It comes in sensitive version too. The other face mask I typically do during the week is by Primally Pure. They have 3 different ones that I alternate between and/or use all at once. You can learn more about their plumping, soothing, and clarifying masks here. I mentioned it on my maternity belly oil post, but I liked using the soothing mask on the front of my belly towards the end of pregnancy ;) If you prefer sheet masks, I like this vitamin c one, this anti-aging one, and this greek yogurt one.

  • Tools. I mentioned my Gua Sha and Facial Dry Brush above, but wanted to call them out again, as they are really easy to use and facial tools that are actually okay for pregnancy. Sure I miss some of my other gadgets, but these are great and really helpful for swelling and exfoliation.

While you’re caring for your face, don’t forget about your growing stomach! Check out my favorite belly balms and butters here.

Have a favorite product or something skincare product that got you through your pregnancy? Let me know! I’m always looking to try new products and add new favorites into my lineup. Pregnancy can bring up a lot of weird rashes and such. Most of mine were on my chest and belly, but don’t forget to contact your dermatologist if anything is really crazy. For most things I prefer my medical aesthetician; however, a yearly trip to your dermatologist is important, especially during this time. Hope you’re feeling good and pampered after this read, and if not, go do a face mask! :)

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