Your skin absorbs what you put on it. Research shows that a portion of what you apply on your skin gets into your bloodstream, and during pregnancy, some of what’s in your bloodstream reaches your baby. That means the ingredients in your moisturiser, face wash and serum matter more than most people realise.

What pregnancy does to your skin

Hormonal shifts during pregnancy can trigger acne, melasma (patches of darkened skin on the face and neck), stretch marks, dryness and heightened sensitivity. For many women, pregnancy is when they feel like they need a good skincare routine more than at any other point in their lives.

The issue is that some of the most widely used and effective skincare ingredients fall into a ‘not safe during pregnancy’ category and they’re hiding in products you’d never think to question. We’re talking about everyday face creams, anti-ageing serums, acne treatments and even sunscreens.

The skincare industry is also largely self-regulated. Products aren’t required to be tested for safety before reaching shelves. The word ‘fragrance’ on a label can legally represent thousands of undisclosed chemicals, many of which interfere with your hormones. There’s also no requirement to flag products as unsafe for pregnancy, so the job of knowing what’s in what you’re using falls to you. That’s what this guide is for.

What to use

For most of the ingredients worth avoiding during pregnancy, there are well-researched alternatives that do the same job. In several cases, the safer option is genuinely the better one.

Bakuchiol for anti-ageing

Bakuchiol is a plant-based compound that has been used in traditional medicine for centuries. Clinical studies have shown it firms and plumps skin, softens fine lines and evens out skin tone as well as retinol, without the side effects or the safety concerns that come with retinoids during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Unlike retinol, bakuchiol doesn’t make your skin more sensitive to sunlight. That matters during pregnancy, when skin is already more reactive to UV light. Edible Beauty’s Beauty Reset Drops uses Bakuchiol as a key ingredient, making it a strong choice if you want to keep working on fine lines and skin tone throughout your pregnancy.

Mineral zinc oxide for sun protection

Sun protection is particularly important during pregnancy. Rising oestrogen levels make skin significantly more prone to melasma and sun-triggered pigmentation, so a daily SPF is less optional than usual. The question is which kind.

Mineral sunscreens that use zinc oxide as the active ingredient sit on top of the skin rather than being absorbed into it. They provide strong, broad spectrum protection with a long safety record. Edible Beauty’s Basking Beauty Natural Sunscreen SPF50 uses zinc oxide and none of the chemical filters discussed below, making it one of the few sunscreens you can use with confidence during pregnancy.

Niacinamide and vitamin C for pigmentation

Melasma and uneven skin tone can flare during pregnancy, often at the same time that many of the usual treatments for them are off limits. Niacinamide and vitamin C are both well researched, effective options for evening out skin tone and managing pigmentation. Both are safe during pregnancy, and both tend to suit sensitive skin well.

Edible Beauty's Exotic Goddess Ageless Serum is my go-to for natural Vitamin C, along with Hyaluronic Acid and White Tea, this serum leaves my skin looking and feeling plumper, brighter and more hydrated.

Plant-based hydrators

Hyaluronic acid, ceramides, shea butter, rosehip oil and plant-based squalane are all great choices throughout pregnancy. They keep the skin barrier intact and don’t carry the concerns that come with some synthetic alternatives. Edible Beauty’s No.4 Vanilla Silk Hydrating Lotion is built around these kinds of plant-derived ingredients and works well as a daily moisturiser from the first trimester through to the end.

A complete routine

Edible Beauty’s Core Four covers the full routine in a naturopath reviewed, pregnancy safe set: the No.1 Belle Frais Cleansing Milk, No.2 Citrus Rhapsody Toner Mist, No.3 Exotic Goddess Ageless Serum and No.4 Vanilla Silk Hydrating Lotion. Add the Basking Beauty Sunscreen and you have a complete daily routine without having to decode a label. Their pregnancy skincare collection brings it all together in one place.

What to skip

These are the main ingredients worth avoiding during pregnancy, along with the reasoning behind each. For all of them, the alternatives from the section above do the same job.

Retinoids

Retinoids include retinol, tretinoin, isotretinoin, retinaldehyde, alitretinoin and retinyl palmitate. They appear in many anti-ageing and acne products. High dose oral retinoids are known to cause birth defects. Topical retinoids are absorbed at much lower levels, but there’s been enough concern in the research that most healthcare providers recommend avoiding all forms during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Retinoids also make skin more sensitive to sunlight, which adds to the sun sensitivity that pregnancy hormones already cause.

Bakuchiol does the same job with none of these concerns.

Chemical sunscreen filters

The most common chemical sunscreen filters are oxybenzone, octinoxate, octisalate, avobenzone and homosalate. They work by soaking up UV rays and turning them into heat inside the skin. Oxybenzone is a known hormone disruptor. A 2020 study published in JAMA found it reached levels in the blood more than 180 times the safety threshold set by the FDA after just one application. That’s not something you want during a pregnancy where your hormones are doing important work.

Zinc oxide mineral sunscreen gives you the same protection without being absorbed.

Hydroquinone

Hydroquinone is a skin lightening agent used to treat melasma and uneven skin tone, both of which can get worse during pregnancy. It’s absorbed at high rates through the skin, and its safety during pregnancy hasn’t been established. Niacinamide and vitamin C are both well researched alternatives you can use safely instead.

Formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasing preservatives

Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen found in some hair treatments, nail polishes and skincare preservatives. A number of common preservatives, including DMDM hydantoin, imidazolidinyl urea, diazolidinyl urea and quaternium-15, break down slowly and release formaldehyde into the product over time. The most reliable way to avoid these is to choose brands with independent third party certification rather than self-declared ‘clean’ or ‘natural’ labelling. Edible Beauty is certified by Australian Certified Toxin Free, which means the checking is done by an outside organisation, not by the company itself.

Synthetic fragrance

When a product lists ‘fragrance’ or ‘parfum’ as an ingredient, that single word can legally cover thousands of undisclosed chemicals, including parabens, phthalates and synthetic musks. Phthalates in particular can act like hormones in the body and have been linked to developmental concerns. Look for products labelled fragrance free (genuinely different from ‘unscented’) or ones that list every ingredient clearly.

If you’re using products with natural essential oils, some carry their own cautions during pregnancy. Clary sage, rosemary, cinnamon, clove, juniper, thyme and pennyroyal can stimulate contractions or affect hormone levels if used at high doses. Check with your midwife, doctor or naturopath if you’re unsure.

The rest of your routine

It’s worth reviewing your whole kit, not just your skincare. More than 60% of conventional lipsticks have been found to contain lead. Nail polishes frequently contain formaldehyde, toluene and phthalates. Conventional antiperspirants/deodorants often contain aluminium compounds. None of this gets much attention in conversations about pregnancy safety, but it’s the perfect time to switch to cleaner options where you can.

Summary

Pregnancy doesn’t mean giving up on good skincare. It means being deliberate about what you’re using. The ingredients worth reaching for, bakuchiol, zinc oxide, niacinamide, vitamin C, hyaluronic acid and ceramides, aren’t second-best options. They do the same job as the conventional alternatives, often just as well.

The ones worth setting aside, retinoids, chemical UV filters, hydroquinone, synthetic fragrance and formaldehyde releasing preservatives, have documented safety concerns that aren’t worth the risk during pregnancy.

What you put on your skin during this time matters. Knowing what to look for makes the choices straightforward. See Low Toxin Rabbit for more on low toxin living during pregnancy, post-partum and for your family.

 

Author Bio:

Sarah is a former health advisor, mum, and the founder of Low Toxin Rabbit. After healing her own Graves disease through low toxin dietary and lifestyle changes, she started the platform to help other families understand what's in the products they use every day.

References

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2. Matta MK et al. Effect of sunscreen application under maximal use conditions on plasma concentration of sunscreen active ingredients. JAMA (2020). jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2733085

3. Matta MK et al. Effect of sunscreen application on plasma concentration of sunscreen active ingredients: a randomised clinical trial. JAMA (2020). jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2759002

4. American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. Skin conditions during pregnancy. acog.org

5. Draelos ZD. The safety of skin care products during pregnancy. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology (2011). pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29947134

6. Koutroulis I et al. Safety of skin care products during pregnancy. researchgate.net/publication/51219233

7. Nohynek GJ et al. Dermal absorption and systemic exposure to cosmetic ingredients during pregnancy. ScienceDirect (2024). sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844024166078