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Editor’s Pick: Our Favorite Skin Care Brands for Expecting Moms and Baby

Christina Heiser
Writer and expert6 years ago
View Christina Heiser's profile

mom-baby-2 I Dermstore Blog

Considering the seasoned beauty junkie you are (or were), things might have changed when you found out you were pregnant. This marks a time when even the most devoted beauty addict has to slow down and take stock of what she puts on her skin, because what’s okay for mom might not be best for baby. The careful consideration that goes into choosing a product doesn’t end with childbirth. A newborn’s delicate skin requires the gentlest of products and ingredients.

During a sensitive time like pregnancy, it pays to scrutinize your favorite brand’s ingredients or change your staples altogether. Dr. Fayne Frey, MD, FAAD, board-certified dermatologist and founder of FryFace, advises that products containing “vitamin A derivatives, like tretinoin (a prescription product) and its relatives, like retinol and retinaldehyde (found in over-the-counter products) should be avoided as they are known teratogens” (implicated in birth defects).

“Avoiding self-tanners while pregnant is also advised as DHA (dihydroxyacetone), the ingredient used in these products is usually aerosolized and may find its way into the maternal bloodstream by being inhaled,” Dr. Frey adds.

And don’t hastily rely on the tricks of old practices. For instance, talcum powder was used to keep baby bottoms dry for generations, but has been revealed to be unsafe. “There have been some studies (that show that) talc powder can be breathed in through the lungs,” says New Jersey-based ob-gyn Dr. Fares Diarbakerli MD, FACOG.

If you're looking for an easy strategy for building out your new regimen, natural is always best, advises Dr. Diarbakerli, especially those containing coconut oil or cocoa butter. “Mother nature made lots of natural goodies to wash and moisturize with,” she says.

Need more ideas for safe baby and mom skin care products? Count on these reliable brands for the needs of both mom and your little one.

    Christina Heiser
    Writer and expert
    View Christina Heiser's profile
    By day, Christina Heiser is a senior editor for L’Oréal Paris. By night, she’s a freelance beauty, health, and wellness writer for a variety of online publications like NBC News Better and What’s Good by The Vitamin Shoppe. Outside of the office, you can find Christina hitting up boutique spin and yoga classes in NYC, cheering on her college basketball team (go Red Storm!), and watching as many Broadway plays as she can possibly fit into her schedule. Her biggest beauty obsession: Hot pink lipstick. Follow her on Twitter.
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