18 Best Pregnancy-Safe Skin Care Products in 2024, According to Experts

Among the myriad of ways pregnancy affects your body and everyday life, its impact on your skin care regimen is often overlooked. Not only can your skin concerns change when pregnant — oily skin can suddenly become dry and low-maintenance skin becomes newly sensitive — but the type of ingredients you can safely apply on your face and body also change. In certain concentrations, our experts say oral retinol and salicylic acid both carry risks of possible birth defects, so you’ll want to discuss the topical use of these ingredients with your doctor.

To help you navigate shifting skin concerns during pregnancy and identify the best pregnancy-safe products to treat them, including moisturizers and acne treatments, I spoke to dermatologists about ingredients to avoid and what to know when shopping.

SKIP AHEAD The best pregnancy-safe skin care products in 2024 | How to shop for pregnancy-safe skin care | Why trust NBC Select?

I asked board-certified dermatologists about common pregnancy skin concerns like dryness and sensitivity and for their recommendations on pregnancy-safe formulas. During pregnancy, they recommend checking product labels for unsafe ingredients, which I explain in detail below, and switching to gentle formulas. Here’s what to keep in mind, according to experts:

When you’re pregnant, it may feel like you have to abandon your skin care routine and start new, but experts say that is not always the case. Reading labels, discussing the risks with your doctor and adjusting your routine accordingly can go a long way. Below, I compiled the best dermatologist-vetted cleansers, serums, moisturizers and more to address all your pregnancy-related skin concerns safely.

Shah recommends switching to a mineral sunscreen during pregnancy. In addition to concerns about the effects of oxybenzone on fetal development, mineral formulas can be less irritating for sensitive pregnancy skin, she says. Experts I spoke to like La Roche-Posay’s Anthelios sunscreen for its sheer texture and blendability. This zinc oxide-based formula has an SPF of 50, and it’s also oil-free.

For a full-body option, experts like Coola’s mineral sunscreen. The fragrance-free formula has broad-spectrum protection, which means it keeps your skin safe from both UVA and UVB rays. Plus, it has a sheer finish and is water-resistant for up to 80 minutes, according to the brand.

This is our top pick for best sunscreen, and an NBC Select staff favorite for sensitive skin. NBC Select updates editor Mili Godio, who deals with dry skin and rosacea, says this is the only sunscreen that doesn’t irritate her skin. It’s formulated with niacinamide to help soothe inflammation, according to the brand. It’s also non-comedogenic, and oil- and fragrance-free, according to EltaMD.

For a thicker, extra-hydrating face moisturizer, experts recommend La Roche-Posay’s Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer. It has three types of hydrators — niacinamide, glycerin, and ceramides — in it to help draw moisture into the skin and strengthen the skin barrier.

For a pregnancy-safe moisturizer you can use from head-to-toe, Ilyas likes CeraVe’s Daily Moisturizing lotion, which you can use on the face and body, because it doesn’t feel “slimy and uncomfortable,” she says. Formulated with three types of ceramides, it is particularly helpful in strengthening the skin barrier as it stretches during pregnancy, according to the brand.

For pregnant patients on the oilier side, experts recommend Neutrogena’s Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid Water Gel. Water-based gels like this hydrate your skin without adding oil that can potentially clog pores.. It also has a key hydrator in hyaluronic acid: “Hyaluronic acid is something found naturally in our skin, it’s safe during pregnancy, and it’s well-tolerated by everyone, including those in the hyper-sensitive state of pregnancy,” says Nazarian.

For pregnant patients, Ilyas recommends hyaluronic-acid based serums, which can add an additional layer of hydration to skin before you apply moisturizer. With it, you’re giving yourself a little boost of hydration to help minimize fine lines and wrinkles, without an active ingredient that can harm the baby in any way, says Ilyas.

“Niacinamide is a real powerhouse ingredient, just like vitamin C,” says Shah. It can address fine lines and also has anti-inflammatory benefits. It can also help brighten the skin, which can be particularly useful during pregnancy when hormones stimulate the production of pigment in the skin, says Shah. You can use this 10% niacinamide serum twice a day before applying moisturizer, according to the brand.

This serum will target the hyperpigmentation many people battle during pregnancy, says Shah. Squalane helps lock in moisture, rose petal extract calms the skin and vitamin C helps tackle pregnancy-related pigmentation issues like melasma. “It’s going to help hydrate, protect, and brighten the skin, which is all stuff the skin needs during pregnancy,” she says.

Another pregnancy-safe serum experts recommend for addressing pigmentation issues is Skinbetter Science’s Even Tone Correction Serum. The formula is free of hydroquinone, an ingredient experts recommend avoiding during pregnancy and instead brightens the skin with pregnancy-safe kakadu plum extract (a form of vitamin C) as its active ingredient.

Formulated to reduce the appearance of fine lines, this serum, which has a 4.4-star average rating from 515 reviews on Amazon, uses bakuchiol to achieve the effects of retinol without the potentially harmful effects to your pregnancy. Derived from plants, bakuchiol firms skin and smooths texture, and works in tandem with the polyhydroxy acids (PHAs) and blueberry stem cells in this serum to fight dullness and improve your skin’s overall radiance and texture, according to the brand.

Most of the experts I spoke to say it’s best to err on the side of caution and eliminate retinol from your skin care routine during pregnancy. As a replacement, Shah recommends Tatcha’s silk serum. “It uses a combination of cranberry extract and sea fennel to help support collagen [production],” she says. Like a traditional retinol, it also helps to plump skin, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, according to the brand.

When it comes to cleansers, experts say the simpler the better. One of Nazarian’s all-time favorites is Dove’s Sensitive Skin Beauty Bar since it cleanses without being irritating. “It’s just a good solid basic,” she says. There’s also no added synthetic fragrances, according to the brand.

Particularly during pregnancy, “you want to keep that skin barrier super healthy and super moisturized,” says Nazarian. “The last thing you want to do is dry it out and make it irritated.” If you find your skin falling into the irritated, dry or sensitive categories, Shah recommends La Roche-Posay’s Toleriane Dermo Milky Cleanser. It has glycerin, which is a humectant that helps draw water into the skin to keep you hydrated, according to La Roche-Posay.

Like other options on this list, this CeraVe’s Foaming Facial Cleanser has hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and ceramides in it to hydrate your skin. “It’s not as irritating to the skin as some cleansers can be and it doesn’t have any active [ingredients] that are aggravating or irritating your skin further,” says Ilyas. There’s also no added fragrance, according to the brand.

Addressing pregnancy-related acne can be challenging if you’re avoiding salicylic acid — a staple in many acne-fighting formulas. This spot treatment, which has niacinamide in it to help reduce inflammation, is a pregnancy-safe alternative. “It’s a sulfur-based treatment, which is a safe ingredient for acne in pregnancy,” says Shah. A little goes a long way: dispense a drop of product the size of a grain of rice onto the back of your hand and then use your finger to dab onto your blemish before massaging it in, according to the brand.

Azelaic acid is another dermatologist-recommended alternative to salicylic acid during pregnancy. It not only effectively addresses acne, but most azelaic acid formulas are nonirritating to sensitive pregnancy skin, says Ilyas. Azelaic acid is also an expert-favorite brightening ingredient to help address pregnancy-related pigmentation conditions like melasma.

This medicated mask is designed to help clear acne while exfoliating the skin, according to the brand. It’s formulated with sulfur, which is an anti-inflammatory ingredient that soothes breakouts, redness, and skin irritation. The mask, which has a 4.4-star average rating from more than 1,200 reviews on Sephora, also uses kaolin and bentonite clay to absorb excess oil clogging your pores, in order to prevent future breakouts, according to the brand.

When shopping for pregnancy-safe skin care, experts say the best approach involves assessing your skin’s changing needs and talking with your doctor about what ingredients you feel comfortable using. Below, I highlight where to begin when evaluating the best products for pregnancy.

Your skin care needs may completely change during pregnancy. Shifting hormones, increased blood flow and blood volume, and the physical stretching of the skin that occurs during pregnancy can trigger acne, dryness, sensitivity and hyperpigmentation. Most skin changes during pregnancy are nothing to worry about, but if you have a rash, especially if it is itchy, you should consult a doctor. “There are some skin diseases that are very specific to pregnancy and we often do like to check those out,” says Shah. Below are some of the most common skin changes to expect during pregnancy.

When approaching skin care ingredients to avoid during pregnancy, our experts say that context is important. Using a topical retinoid on your face a few times a week is very different from taking an oral retinoid like isotretinoin, using a prescription cream with a high concentration of the active ingredient or even using a retinol body cream that you apply to large surface area of skin, says Nazarian. The risk of impacting fetal development with the former practice is present, but very low, she says. “Most people are fine, even if they’re not being super, super, super cautious about what they’re [using].”

That said, our experts all agree it’s best to be cautious when using retinoids and other ingredients, especially when there are so many great alternative ingredients that are safe to use in pregnancy. “I tend to tell my patients it’s probably safer to avoid ingredients that we know are not safe at higher concentrations because we don’t know how much they’re going to absorb at an individual level,” says Ilyas.

Below are the most common skin care ingredients to remove from your routine during pregnancy (or at least discuss with your doctor).

At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.

I am a journalist and former Glamour editor who has been covering beauty and wellness treatments for over a decade.

For this article, I spoke to three dermatologists about the best perinatal skincare products, including ingredients to avoid during pregnancy.

Catch up on NBC Select’s in-depth coverage of personal finance, tech and tools, wellness and more, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok to stay up to date.

Macaela MacKenzie is a journalist covering women’s equality, wellness, and the gender gap and is the author of “Money, Power, Respect”.