Pregnancy is one of the most exciting and joyful times in a woman’s life, but it’s also fraught with worry. Expectant moms re-examine everything in their lives in terms of how it might affect their unborn child, from what they put into their bodies to how much they’re exercising.

The list of do’s and don’ts while pregnant is enough to make anyone’s head spin.

We’ve done the research for you and approved specific routines for you.

Best Clean, Pregnancy Safe Skincare Brands. Summary.

Best Overall

BEST Carrot & Stick

The Full List

Drunk Elephant

Mad Hippie

Tata Harper

True Botanicals

Tula Skincare

Best Clean, Pregnancy Safe Skincare Brands. Detailed.

BEST OVERALL

Carrot & Stick
Whether your pregnant or breastfeeding, we recommend Carrot & Stick. 

While Carrot & Stick products all rely on naturally sourced ingredients, what is equally important is what doesn’t go inside the formulas. The brand skips harmful chemicals commonly found in skincare products. The company is also environmentally conscious, and is committed to eliminating known irritants and pollutants that can compromise skin health and contaminate the environment.

It is also important to highlight what customers won’t find in Carrot & Stick products. The company calls it the “Nix List,” and these unwanted ingredients includes sulfates, parabens, formaldehydes, phthalates, mineral oil, retinyl palmitate, oxybenzone, coal tar, hydroquinone, triclosan, triclocarban and synthetic fragrances.

We recommend The Day & Night Routine. We approve all products in this routine for use during pregnancy and white breastfeeding.

The entire range except for 3 products have been approved safe by The Dermatology Review.

We recommend avoiding The Retinoid Oil as it contains vitamin a The Brightening Pads as well as The Exfoliating Peel due to AHA’s

FULL LIST

Drunk Elephant
Cruelty-free brand Drunk Elephant has several top-rated products. With its clean formulations and Instagram-worthy packaging, Drunk Elephant is beloved by shoppers, influencers, and beauty editors. The brand has received plenty of editorial coverage in publications such as Allure, New Beauty, Vogue, and Refinery29 and has scooped up plenty of industry awards as well.

Drunk Elephant combines tried-and-true skincare ingredients (i.e., vitamin C, retinol, and peptides) with unique extracts (i.e., marula oil, mongongo oil, and more) to create products that truly stand out from the crowd. Plus, the brand leaves out harmful ingredients — aka the “Suspicious 6” — that they believe are at the root of almost every skin issue.

All drunk elephant products are safe to use except: Passioni and A-Gloei (due to their retinol) and Babyfacial. 

Mad Hippie
Mad Hippie is a clean beauty brand built on the notion that natural skincare can be very effective as traditional. The brand uses organic natural ingredients and safe synthetic ingredients to formulate its skincare and makeup products while leaving out toxic ingredients and unnecessary additives. 

The brand does an excellent job of incorporating a wide variety of beneficial ingredients into its product formulations. Mad Hippie uses many unique botanical extracts and oils, such as konjac root, cloudberry fruit extract, blackcurrant seed oil, acai extract, reishi mushroom extract, and chlorella extract just to name a few. Additionally, you’ll find many tried-and-true anti-aging ingredients in its formulas, such as vitamins A, C, and E, and peptides.

All products are safe to use but we recommend skipping Super A Serum as it contains vitamin a.

Tata Harper
Tata Harper founded her eponymous skincare brand in 2010 when the “farm to face” concept was still new. Today the Tata Harper brand is one of the best-known natural skincare brands with fans including Gwyneth Paltrow and Emma Watson. Harper herself is one of many females leading a beauty company, including Charlotte Tilbury, Glossier’s Emily Weiss, and Jamie Kern Lima of IT Cosmetics.

Tata Harper makes natural skincare products made in small batches in Vermont led by an all-female lab. Ingredients not grown in Vermont are sourced from around the world. Tata Harper products use 43 “high performance” ingredients. The company states that “We pack the most ingredients at the highest levels of concentration to deliver maximum results—without a single drop of artificial chemicals.” Each product has its batch number etched on the bottle so that customers can track how (and when) their item was made. Tata Harper products are free from GMOs, toxins, fillers, artificial fragrances, artificial colors, and synthetic chemicals.

True Botanicals
True Botanicals founder Hillary Peterson learned this hard truth after being diagnosed with thyroid cancer. She describes that moment as a “wake up call” and took a serious look at how she could better support her health in every way possible. True Botanics lists which products are safe on its website.

Ingredients to Avoid

Here’s a look at some products and ingredients to avoid during pregnancy, and what to choose instead. Remember to always consult with your doctor or midwife first, and keep in mind that products to be avoided during pregnancy should generally be skipped when breastfeeding.

• Retinoids: Retinoids, a derivative of vitamin A, are found in anti-aging creams as well as treatments for acne and dark spots. But doctors recommend that pregnant women take a break from products containing retinol, as high doses of vitamin A during pregnancy can be harmful to an unborn child. Steer clear of oral retinoids such as isotretinoin as they are known to cause birth defects. Topical application is not thought to cause harm but doctors avoid it out of an abundance of caution. The bottom line? Skip the retinol while pregnant and choose moisturizers or serums containing vitamin C, hyalaruonic acid and peptides which are generally considered safe for use during pregnancy.
• Sunscreens: There’s nothing wrong with enjoying the last beach getaway before the baby comes but don’t forget the sunscreen. And even if you’re not heading on vacation, it’s important to use a daily sunscreen for skin health as well as prevention of dark spots and wrinkles. Some pregnant women don’t want to use a chemical sunscreen (some studies show evidence of sunscreen risk)- so why take a chance when there are other options? Choose a mineral based sunscreen instead. Ingredients such as titanium dioxide and zinc oxide create a physical block against the sun and don’t penetrate the skin.
• Acne products: Plenty of pregnant women experience breakouts, due to changing hormone levels, and the acne will most likely calm down after giving birth. But be careful before self-treating it while pregnant. Stay away from any acne products containing retinol and salicylic acid (often listed as willow bark). Opinion is divided on whether benzoyl peroxide is safe during pregnancy. Some doctors think it’s safe in low doses, while others suggest avoiding it all-together, so be sure to ask your obstetrician or midwife what can be used to tackle acne.
• Hydroquinone: Some pregnant women have the “mask of pregnancy,” or hyperpigmentation, on their face during this time. It occurs most often on the forehead and cheeks, and is often genetic. It’s not harmful and usually goes away after giving birth. You may feel tempted to reach for a whitening or lightening product but read the label carefully. Many lightening products contain hydroquinone, but it has not been tested for safety during pregnancy, and is best avoided. Instead, look for a brightening product that contains vitamin C or azelaic acid to help battle hyperpigmentation as well as acne and hyperpigmentation.
• Hydroxy Acids: Hydroxy acids are found in cleaners, toners and exfoliants. They work by sloughing off a layer of skin to reveal a fresher, smoother looking complexion. Most doctors advise to skip anything containing salicylic acid, but the consensus is that small amounts of glycolic acid and lactic acid are considered safe in low dosages. Check with your doctor. Look for a sheet mask or daily cleanser containing alpha hydroxy acids to help leave skin feeling bright and glowing.
• Phthalates/formaldehyde/toluene: These chemicals are found in cosmetics such as perfume and nail polish, and some researchers are looking into the link between them and possible birth defects. As always, pregnant women will want to err on the side of caution but this doesn’t mean you have to skip your weekly manicure or give up a soothing pedicure. Choose a nail polish brands such as Nailberry, Zoya or Butter London which are labeled as 3-free or 5-free, and do not contain formaldehyde.
• Spray Tans: Although you may be tempted to spray tan to help camouflage those new pregnancy related spider veins, it might be best to skip it. The active ingredient in self-tanning products as well as professional spray tans is dihydroxyacetone (DHA), which is derived from sugar. Its effects on unborn babies have not been tested. Anyone getting a spray tan in a booth can also end up inhaling some of the ingredients, so it’s best avoided while pregnant, especially since it is used over such a large part of the body. Embrace your natural skin color when pregnant.
• Thioglycolic Acid: Although shaving your legs (and peering down at them) gets more difficult later in pregnancy, stick with shaving as your hair removal method of choice. Thioglycolic acid is the main ingredient used in hair-removal creams. There have been no studies on its effects on fetuses, so put this in the category of skip it for now. Leave the hair removal creams at the drugstore, and check out a women’s shaving club such as Billie for a fresh supply of ergonomically designed razors.

Best Pregnancy Skincare Brands: The Bottom Line

 Our top clean skincare picks is Carrot & Stick.

We recommend The Day & Night Routine. We approve all products in this routine for use during pregnancy and white breastfeeding.