Beauty Ingredients Pregnant Women Should Be Wary Of—And What Are The Alternatives
When there’s another life at stake, your beauty routine should be extra conscious and responsible
We are lucky that we now live in a world of surplus and choices. Fancy some fast food? Want an extra shot caffeine? Want eat-all-you-can sushi? Everything is available for us—both the good and the bad.
As individuals, it’s easy enough to cheat our bodies of the good stuff. We make excuses to fill up on fast food and junk food, and to keep one eye shut on ingredients and materials that have been scientifically proven to increase risks not just for us, but the environment as well. But when we’re pregnant, when what we do does not just affect us but another living, breathing human being, then things change fast.
It’s easy enough to find primers on what to eat and what not to do when you’re pregnant. Your doctor will also most probably prep you on things you should stay away from like caffeine or raw fish. But did you know that there are beauty ingredients in your body and skincare that you should also be wary of when you’re pregnant?
Byrdie and Vogue turned to obstetrician-gynecologists and dermatologists to review what are some of the beauty ingredients you should avoid when you’re pregnant, and we will present you with some alternatives to help keep your skin happy and healthy even during pregnancy. While some these ingredients are not outright toxic for you and your baby, it’s always best to err on the safe side.
ATTN: Pregnant Women
ATTN: Pregnant Women
Stay away from: Fragrance
A lot of non-pregnant women are also steering clear of artificial fragrances because it can cause irritation and redness on the skin. When you’re pregnant, you might want to avoid these ingredients labeled as parfum, perfume, linalool, limonene, eugenol, citronellol, geraniol, or cinnamal, because these are all fragrances. And when it comes to fragrances, most skincare, body care, and makeup companies get away with fragrances chockful of chemicals and low-risk ingredients that are sometimes linked to cancer and nervous system issues.
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Alternative: Human Nature Fragrance-Free Cleansing Bar
Human Nature is one of the most accessible local brands that feature 100% natural products, and this fragrance-free cleansing bar is their purest soap that’s free from fragrances, free from colorants, free from synthetic fillers, and non-irritating for sensitive skin. It’s powered with the goodness of coconut oil, so you can wash your body while leaving it feeling moisturized and fresh.
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Stay away from: Hydroquinone
Hydroquinone is a powerful skin lightener that addresses dark spots and melasma. However, studies found that it comes with a host of warning labels. The fact that 45% of this medication is absorbed into the skin after application, meaning there will be lots of it in your bloodstream, makes it unsafe for your fetus. While it’s tempting to use hydroquinone especially since pregnancy usually brings dark spots and pigmentation, it’s better to turn to safer ingredients that address the same thing like arbutin.
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Alternative: Honest Formula Alpha Arbutin 5% Serum
Arbutin is an organic compound derived from berries like blueberry, bearberry, and cranberry, and has been approved by many dermatologists as a safer alternative to hydroquinone. For pure arbutin, you can check out Honest Formula’s Alpha Arbutin 5% Serum. Honest Formula is a local brand based in Cavite that believes in product transparency so you can be conscious of the ingredients that you use. Their Alpha Arbutin 5% Serum is a gentle yet powerful serum that brightens the skin, and contains the barest of ingredients: aqua, alpha arbutin, glycerin, butylene glycol, phenoxyethanol and ethylhexylglycerin.
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Stay away from: Formaldehyde
While formaldehyde has not been classified under FDA’s toxic categories, this chemical has been linked to cancer and nervous system issues like chest pain and respiratory irritations. Some of the most common beauty products that we use that contain formaldehyde are nail polishes, so maybe think twice about getting your nails done.
Alternative: Luxx STYX Nail Wraps
Who says you have to suffer from unsightly nails during your pregnancy? For a safer option, choose Luxx’s STYX Nail Wraps, which are durable and easy-to-use self-adhesive nail polish wraps for beautiful nails with no mess. Each pack comes with 16 Self-Adhesive nail polish wraps in 8 different sizes, a mini nail file, and a cuticle pusher stick so you can apply each nail wrap easily. Luxx has been famous for their magnetic lashes, but their nail wraps have also become fast cult favorites. They have summer styles available now for a discounted price so don’t miss it!
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Stay away from: Phthalates
Phthalates are usually found in makeup and skincare because it helps stabilize the formula of beauty products. However, according to a study published in the Frontiers in Public Health, prenatal exposure to phthalates disrupts the levels of thyroid and 25-hydroxyvitamin D in pregnant women, which can result to pregnancy problems like preterm birth maternal glucose disorders, and even growth restriction in infants. There is increasing evidence concerning phthalate exposure, so pregnant women are recommended to look for products that are phthalates-free.
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Alternative: Burt’s Bees Beeswax Lip Balm
Pregnant women may sometimes suffer from dryer and more chapped lips. A phthalate-free alternative to usual cosmetic lip balms is Burt’s Bees Beeswax Lip Balm, which is a 100% natural beauty product free of parabens, phthalates, petrolatum, and SLS. This balm is one of the best-rated lip balms that’s easily available locally, and is infused with beeswax and vitamin E to richly moisturize and soften the lips, without the potentially harmful chemicals associated with non-natural skincare products.
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Stay away from: Parabens
Parabens are synthetic compounds that are common in health, beauty, and personal care products as preservatives. According to non-profit Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, parabens have been found to disrupt hormone function, which can be linked to increased risk of breast cancer and reproductive toxicity. In fact, a 2004 British study found that 19 out of 20 women with breast tumors had detected traces of five parabens. While the link does not mean causality, it’s still worth noting. Again, err on the safe side.
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Alternative: Issy & Co. Active Skin Tint
Issy & Co. is an inclusive and conscious local makeup brand that delivers dermatologically tested vegan, cruelty-free, gluten-free, and paraben-free products. Their tagline, beauty made easy, shows in their thoughtful development of beauty and skincare products friendly to different skin types, skin tones, and skin needs. One of their newest releases is the Issy & Co. Active Skin Tint, which comes in a wide range of skin tones and safe for vegans, those with gluten sensitivity, and pregnant women.
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Stay away from: Retinol
Retinol is one of the gold standard ingredients when it comes to anti-aging products, but it’s classified by the FDA as Category C which means “animal reproduction studies have shown an adverse effect on the fetus, but there are no adequate and well-controlled studies in humans.” Some retinoids have also been linked to increased risk of birth defects for developing babies, so it’s definitely something to take off your skincare routine when you’re pregnant.
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Altnernative: Wildleaf Vitamin C Serum
When it comes to protecting your skin from free radicals and addressing dark spots, Vitamin C is a safe alternative to retinol. And if you’re looking for a hardworking vitamin C serum, Wildleaf’s Vitamin C Serum is probably one of the most popular and best-selling vitamin C serums in the country. Their formula is gentler than other vitamin C serums and is safe for pregnant women.
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Stay away from: Chemical Sunscreens
Sunscreens are one of the non-negotiables of skincare, and pregnant women should definitely not skip on this UV protection. However, there has been evidence linked to chemical sunscreens that contain oxybenzone, which can be absorbed into the bloodstream and can impact the fetus. To be on the safe side, stick with mineral sunscreens using ingredients like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, which are excellent and safer physical UV blockers.
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Alternative: V&M Naturals Keep Safe Tinted Sunscreen
V&M Naturals is an all-natural local brand featuring gentle but hardworking products that are safe for pregnant and breastfeeding women. Their Keep Safe Tinted Sunscreen does not only protect your skin from the harsh UV rays with its 35 SPF protection; it also helps even out the skin tone and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and can keep your face glowing with its Argan Oil, Jojoba Seed Oil, and Emu Oil. Definitely an all-around preggy woman must-have.
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Stay away from: BPA
BPA or chemical bisphenol A has been the subject of controversy recently, because even though it has been believed to be safe for human exposure at lower levels, the fact that it’s added to so many commercial items that we use everyday is increasing our exposure to the chemical at an alarming rate. Currently, BPA has been linked to disruptions in the endocrine system, which may lead to cancers, infertility, heart disease, and diabetes. Some fetuses also exposed to BPA have been linked to developmental issues and behavioral problems.
Photo Credit: Mathilde Langevin/Unsplash
Alternative: Bloom & Topiary 4-Step Nightly Assist
In skincare, BPA is usually present in plastic packaging, which can seep out into the product and then absorbed into the skin and bloodstream. To minimize your BPA exposure, opt for skincare in glass packaging like this 4-Step Nightly Assist skincare set from Bloom & Topiary. This local brand uses glass for all of their products to avoid BPA contaminants and reduce plastic use, so preggy moms can check out their streamlined lineup of skincare for various face and body care needs.
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