Want to hear something exciting? My skin has been kind of awesome this pregnancy. Which I totally didn’t anticipate, because it was kind of terrible last time.
What this total departure from any semblance of consistency has taught me: your skin is guaranteed to be nothing if not unpredictable when you’re expecting. It might be better than usual, it might be worse than usual…but it will almost certainly be different than usual.
How to handle the upheaval: keep your skincare routine as streamlined and simple as possible.
Even if your skin isn’t typically “sensitive,” you’re almost certain to experience some degree of sensitivity with a baby on board. I still play around with various products because it’s part of my job and something I enjoy, but for my day-to-day routine I’ve been leaning towards a skincare regimen that incorporates the bare minimum of additives (fragrances, chemicals, et cetera).
What this does:
1) Decreases the chances that any one ingredient will react badly with my extra-sensitive skin;
2) Makes me feel secure in the knowledge that I’m not unwittingly loading on products that might not be pregnancy-friendly. I’ve noticed that a lot of products don’t specify on the packaging whether they’re safe for pregnant women or not, and I’d honestly rather just choose products that I know are safe to begin with than start Googling long (long, long) lists of ingredients I’ve never heard of.
Five Can’t-Live-Without-Them Pregnancy Skincare Products:
– Simple Skincare Protecting Light Moisturizer SPF 15. This product is light and lovely generally, but especially good for pregnancy, because using SPF daily reduces the chances that you’ll develop the as-unfun-as-it-sounds Mask Of Pregnancy (if you’ve never heard of this, let me assure you: unfun).
– Simple Skincare Radiance Cleansing Wipes. Great for midday freshening up, especially in the summer heat (I use them on my neck and chest as well, and am bringing them along in my hospital bag).
– Organic Lip Balm. This trio hydrates with natural oils and contains no synthetic ingredients or flavors.
– Simple Skincare Moisturizing Facial Wash. This is the only cleansing product I brought to California (besides the travel wipes); it’s gentle enough for everyday morning-and-night use, and has Vitamin E to help prevent dryness.
– African Marula Oil. A great moisture-boosting product (I’m using a ton on my nailbeds, chest, and the skin on my stomach these days).
When your life gets crazy – as it tends to do when you’re expecting – anything that you can keep simple, you do.
