From the moment you find out that you’re pregnant, your whole world changes. Unless you’re one of the incredibly lucky few who experience the mythical “pregnancy glow”, your skin is in for some big changes too.
Thanks to raging hormones, soon to be mummies may experience extra-sensitive skin that erupts without cause, breakouts, dryness, changes in texture, pigmentation, and even dark circles and broken veins under the eyes. Again, thanks a bunch, hormones.
Pregnant women have enough on their plate and shouldn’t have to worry about what skincare products are safe to use to keep their skin looking happy and healthy. We’ve compiled the most common pregnancy skin concerns and how to effectively treat them while keeping mum and baby safe.
Adult Acne:
Many women take a trip down teenage memory lane and experience acne during pregnancy, most commonly in their first and second trimesters. An influx of hormones and androgens cause the glands within the skin to grow and produce more sebum. This oily, waxy substance is great for clogging pores and creates the perfect storm for breakouts and inflammation.
Here’s what you need:
- Clear – A truly revolutionary serum with the power to regulate sebum and lighten acne marks without irritating. Powerful prebiotics soothes inflammation and reduces redness within two weeks. This product can be used as an ‘on the spot’ treatment or as an all-over treatment serum.
- Mask – The Mask Exfoliator is very gentle yet extremely effective at exfoliating the skin while also providing intense hydration to the deeper layers of the skin. Fruit enzymes remove the build-up of dead skin cells that cause congestion and lead to breakouts and nourishing active ingredients promote a healthier, more radiant complexion.
Heightened Sensitivity:
When hormones are sent into overdrive and as your baby begins to grow, your skin begins to stretch causing increased sensitivity leaving you red, swollen, itchy and sore. Even if you’ve never had sensitive skin before, you may be in with a chance of experiencing it while pregnant.
Here’s what you need:
- Hydra – A lightweight, silky and fast-absorbing serum containing hyaluronic acid which increases the water content in the skin which visibly plumps and rehydrates. When the skin is properly hydrated, it is much better at protecting itself from bacteria that irritate and much faster at healing wounds.
- Day Cream SPF 50 – Protecting skin from the sun should be a priority, pregnant or not. But with increased sensitivity, you may find your skin burns more easily. The Day Cream SPF 50 provides the highest level of protection against harmful UVA/B rays. With a satin and non-greasy finish, our Day Cream also acts as a perfect pre-makeup primer.
Hyperpigmentation:
The “mask of pregnancy” or in more technical terms, melasma. This is caused by a sharp uptake in estrogen and progesterone levels that then stimulates excessive melanin production, also known as hyperpigmentation. This is incredibly common and presents itself as dark, blotchy brown patches across the forehead, upper lip, nose and cheeks.
Here’s what you need:
- Vit C – To lighten hyperpigmentation as well as brighten the skin’s overall complexion, our Vit C is a powerful antioxidant serum packed with a stable oil-soluble vitamin C. Vitamin C is essential for lightening hyperpigmentation whilst also preventing melanin product by inhibiting the enzyme, tyrosinase. Skin is nourished and natural radiance is enhanced for a brighter, even skin tone.
Under Eyes:
While you may feel dead on your feet, your restless nights may not be the only underlying factor that is contributing to your dark circles. Once again, we’re pointing the finger at the major fluctuations in hormones. These changes can affect the blood vessels, causing them to dilate to accommodate more blood. As the skin is much thinner and more delicate under the eye, the dilated blood vessels give a darker undertone – hello dark circles.
Here’s what you need:
- Eye Cream – Our revitalising Eye Cream enlists the help of Panthenol to keep the skin moist and supple whilst also inhibiting any redness and irritation. With a powerful cocktail of amino acids and carbohydrates, the skin is reloaded with a new lease of energy for brighter eyes no matter how tired you feel.
Stretch Marks:
Stretch marks are incredibly common during pregnancy and are absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. As your baby grows, so do you. So naturally, your skin is going to grow and stretch. Hormonal changes can also soften the skin’s fibres, making you more prone to developing stretch marks. If stretch marks are something that is a concern to you .
Here’s what you need:
- Oil & Milk Cleanser – While Oil & Milk is a wonderful cleanser it can also double up as your defence against stretch marks. The beautifully rich oil can be left on the body as a dry oil; perfect for applying to your bump, chest or anywhere that may be of concern. Blended Bakuchiol encourages cell renewal and natural plant oils provide nourishment to the skin to keep the lipid barrier moisturised and intact.
- Vit C – Collagen plays a huge role in maintaining strength and elasticity within the skin, which means it can also play an important role in preventing stretch marks. Vitamin C is essential for the production of collagen, though our bodies do not produce it naturally. With the Vit C serum, you can apply vitamin C topically to the bump, breast, hips, and lower back to induce collagen production while the skin is growing and expanding.
Good to know…
The only product within the Skin Formulas range that is unsafe for pregnant and breastfeeding women is our Vit A Serum. This is because our formula contains retinol. If you are someone who is a big lover of the anti-ageing benefits of retinol products, don’t panic. We have a great selection of alternatives that deliver the same highly effective, visible results as retinol without posing any risk.
- Oil & Milk & Daily Foaming – Both products use a botanical retinol alternative that functions in the same way as retinol, delivering great anti-ageing benefits, hydration, exfoliation and healthy nutrients to the skin without any of the side effects.
- Clear – For those who love retinol as their go-to against signs of ageing, you can swap your retinol serum for our Clear Treatment serum. Clear is packed full of prebiotics which delivers fantastic anti-ageing results and collagen production for plumper, smoother skin.
