Skincare for Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
One of the things that’s often not considered when it comes to pregnancy and breastfeeding safety is personal care and skincare products. Our care providers talk to us about what we can eat, what physical exercises we can do and what medications are safe, but most care providers don’t discuss with mamas what ingredients are safe to put on the body. In some cases this is because they aren’t fully aware of what’s safe and what’s not or simply because this category is so low down on their priority list that they don’t get to to it or even think about it. There’s also a lot of contradictory information out there and so even those mamas who do their own research still aren’t sure what’s best.
Our skin is our largest organ. It covers every inch of our bodies, roughly 20 square feet. It protects us from the elements and numerous microbes. As an external organ, it is not protected the way other organs like the heart and brain are, so it’s also the most vulnerable. It is exposed, can be easily damaged and absorbs everything it comes in contact with. So, it’s really important that we nourish it properly, protect it and in the case of pregnancy and nursing, that we ensure what’s being absorbed through it is safe for our babies! It might even be more important to consider what we put on our bodies rather than in them during these particularly vulnerable times in our lives.
One of the ingredients that poses the biggest danger is retinol. This is found is a majority of skincare products because of its effective anti-aging effects. But, we also need to be on the look out for dangerous preservatives, synthetic fragrances and even toxins absorbed through packaging. These toxins are not in a “gray space”. They are bad for us, our babies and should be avoided at all costs. Nearly all skincare and personal care product brands use toxic ingredients. It’s actually quite difficult to find brands that aren’t greenwashing in their marketing and shelving high quality, safe products.
The best brand currently on the market and revolutionizing the personal care product space is Beautycounter. Every single product is produced with safety in mind first - particularly for women. They have a rigorous third party testing system, an array of certifications and a ban on over 1800 ingredients (more than any brand worldwide). And, even with that, I still find myself regularly discussing the safety of these products for pregnancy and breastfeeding because of the overwhelming misinformation in this space. Two of the ingredients usually in question are salicylic acid and bakuchiol.
Here are the facts:
Salicylic acid is safe for pregnant and nursing mothers when used topically in quantities less than 2%. Be sure to confirm the amount of this ingredient in products if you are pregnant or nursing. And if you’re not, still consider it. Salicylic acid often does more harm that good when overly used and isn’t necessary for managing blemish prone skin.
Preservatives are a necessary component in your personal care products because they prevent the growth of mold and bacteria, while also extending their shelf life. Salicylic acid is a great alternative to dangerous preservatives like phthalates.
Bakuchiol is described as being similar to retinol in its effectiveness but this does not mean they are the same. Bakuchiol is non-irritating and in a natural form, whereas retinol is harsh and synthetic. But the big difference is their degree of toxicity. Retinol rates high on the toxicity scale (level 9) for reproductive and developmental hazards, whereas bakuchiol is ranked at a level 1 by the Environmental Working Group (the foremost resource for measuring toxicity in consumer products) meaning its safe for everyday use including that of pregnant and nursing mothers.
Beautycounter products contain less than 1% salicylic acid and use it more as a preservative than a “treatment” ingredient. Bakuchiol is used only in anti-aging Countertime line and is an effective and safe alternative to retinol.
The bottom line? Be a smart, savvy consumer. Read the labels. Learn what those ingredients mean. Thoroughly research the brands you shop with. And rely on actual facts and evidence when choosing what to put on your skin - that includes your hair, nails and mouth!
Need a resource for reference? Check out the EWG App, Leaping Bunny certifications and B-Corp lists! Or contact me with questions or to chat about your clean beauty needs.