The Very Best Pregnancy-Safe Makeup and Beauty Products

You can never go wrong with Cerave — it’s a dermatologist favorite and recommendation of Dr. Wu’s, for a classic cleanse that won’t irritate sensitive pregnancy skin. Its hydrating properties can be attributed to skin-quenching hyaluronic acid and ceramides that nourish and soften the skin’s protective barrier.

This cleanser works up to a nice creamy lather, and won't clog pores. (Many What to Expect community members noted that it made a difference in combatting pregnancy-related breakouts.) And all of its ingredients are pregnancy-safe, so you don’t have to worry.

After cleansing, your pores need to soak in some hydrating goodness, especially if your skin is on the dry side. You might also have dark spots or scarring you want to treat — but during pregnancy, you can’t do that with a serum containing retinol or retinoids (a vitamin A-derived skincare active that helps with cell turnover, treating breakouts, fine lines and more).

The Derma E Vitamin C Serum does not contain retinol, and has everything you could look for in a serum with all pregnancy-safe ingredients: moisturizing hyaluronic acid and vitamin E, soothing aloe and skin-brightening vitamin C.

A vitamin C spot treatment serum will be a skin-saver if you’re experiencing melasma or any form of hyperpigmentation on your face during pregnancy (which, by the way, is totally normal – pregnancy hormones estrogen and progesterone are major triggers of dark spots in your skin).

Vitamin C acts as a brightening agent to even your skin tone, whether it’s from acne or hyperpigmentation. This serum skips the addition of hydroquinone (another skin-brightening ingredient that’s not safe during pregnancy) and one of its sneaky derivatives, arbutin. The best part? The serum smells like fresh guava, and is actually made by using upcycled guava seeds for a more sustainable production process. Moms appreciate how glowy it makes their skin feel, plus how fast it seems to work.

If you've been blessed with pregnancy acne, you’ll want to steer clear of heavy creams or ointments that could clog your pores, Dr. Zubritsky says. This face cream hits the sweet spot of not too thick but thick enough to hydrate dry or sensitive skin with glycerin and avocado oil (and without fragrances or parabens). It quite literally suits any skin type. One What to Expect community member said they use it on their kids too — it’s that gentle.

Haven’t been using an eye cream? Well, now is the perfect opportunity to start (you’re about to pull more than a few all-nighters as a parent, so there’s no time like the present to take care of your undereye area). “During pregnancy, sleep disruptions are common, and this can be observed in tired-looking eyes,” Dr. Zubritsky says.

Look for something ultra-hydrating when it comes to the thin, delicate skins underneath your eyes. “I love this eye cream because it’s lightweight and really adds a boost of moisture and hydration to tired looking eyes,” adds Dr. Zubritsky. “The hyaluronic acid in this product attracts water, which instantly hydrates and plumps up undereye skin.” What to Expect community parents also highlighted the fact that it was affordable enough to find in your local drugstore, easy to apply, that their skin easily absorbed the jelly formula and that it seemed to work quickly to hydrate and brighten their undereye area.

Finding a pregnancy-safe acne product, especially for those hormonal flare-ups, can be a bit limiting: Classic acne-fighters salicylic acid and retinol are out, so you need to shop for an alternative. Niacinamide, a derivative of vitamin B3, works to calm the inflammation that characterizes acne. It’s a favorite product of our What to Expect community of parents since it helps purge the skin of blemishes, without drying out your skin like other acne-taming ingredients might.

You’ll definitely want to follow this product up with a moisturizer to prevent dryness, though. Pro tip: If you’re using a vitamin C product to treat increases in pigmentation, don’t use it at the same time as this niacinamide serum, since there can be interactions between the two — instead, alternate one in the morning and another at night.

Sunscreen is an absolute essential during pregnancy. You’ll want to protect your skin from not only sunburn, but to prevent dark spots from sun exposure, exacerbating melasma. Chemical sunscreens, formulated with ingredients like oxybenzone, avobenzone and octinoxate, are not generally recommended for pregnancy, so you’ll want to go with a mineral sunscreen.

Supergoop’s SPF 30 mineral formula is made with zinc oxide, with a twist: It applies white but blends in with your skin evenly, unlike many zinc oxide sunscreens that tend to leave behind a white cast, particularly on deeper skin tones. Some of our community members even mentioned that the glimmery finish enhanced their pregnancy glow.

Even if you don’t wear foundation on an everyday basis, you may want a full-coverage formula for big occasions like your baby shower and any other special days. The Maybelline Fit Me Matte and Poreless Foundation is built for normal to oily skin and made with clay, so it’ll give you that matte finish without clogging your pores. Plus, it comes in 40 different shades to match most skin tones.

For those days when you want to go without a full face of foundation, go with this tinted moisturizer (you shouldn’t leave the house without sunscreen either, so this product solves two issues thanks to its SPF 30 coverage). It’s made with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide instead of oxybenzone, and is perfect underneath makeup or on its own for sheer coverage. The ceramides, niacinamide and hyaluronic acid serve to prevent skin irritation and seal in moisture.

It’s available in one tinted shade and is designed to blend seamlessly into any skin tone (and has tons of positive reviews from What to Expect community members and online), but a couple reviews note that people with very light or very deep skin tones might have difficulty blending it in.

This concealer got rave reviews from our community of parents, particularly for being a 12-hour crease-proof, non-oily, under-eye saver. The large slanted tip glides across your skin quickly and easily, so you can manage a quick concealer application even if you have a toddler on your hip. Not to mention, it comes in 35 shades that blend in with a variety of different skin tones.

One What to Expect community parent applauded it for being a no-budge product: “It keeps my makeup on when I’m hormonal and crying.” Another parent in our community said, “It really covered up the dark eye circles that got really intense during pregnancy.”

Burt’s Bees is known for more than just its lip balm. The brand makes a winning blush too. You may not have thought about what exactly goes into your blush in the past, but during pregnancy, you have to read labels before you rouge.

This light mineral powder is formulated without potentially harmful chemicals like phthalates, parabens or formaldehyde. You can swipe it on in shy pink, bare peach or toasted cinnamon, depending on what degree of glow you’re going for.

Your pregnancy-safe mascara shouldn’t have phthalates or parabens, but should also stick with your lashes for the long haul. Luckily this mascara checks both of those boxes. What to Expect community members can confirm that it won’t smudge when you sweat or cry (which is major when pregnancy hormones surge) yet still washes off seamlessly at the end of the day. The mascara also comes in brown or deep blue, if you want to accentuate blue or brown eyes even more.

It’s no surprise that this classic lip balm is a winner. Many of our community members described themselves as Burt’s Bees “fans for life” for the lip smoothing (sans waxy buildup that might come with other beeswax lip balms).

You can count on Burt’s Bees to be made from responsibly sourced beeswax (no phthalates or parabens in sight) and with soothing vitamin E and peppermint oil for that extra little tingle of hydration.

Looking for a lipstick with lasting softness and pregnancy-safe ingredients? This one is formulated with chocolate, and pigmented with fruit like blueberries and cherries. It’s vegan and made from natural ingredients.

Reviewers insist that it doesn’t smudge or feel sticky like some glosses might — and if you happen to lick your lips, you’re basically just swallowing fruit and other natural ingredients instead of synthetic chemicals.

The Brow Wiz was made to give you those natural, fluffy looking brows without having to worry about a product that contains phthalates or parabens (and it’s vegan too). If your mom-to-be makeup routine allows for nothing else, this is a one-and-done product that you can use if you like to shape your brows. First, you’ll outline and fill in your brows using the pencil side of the tool, which comes in 12 different shades for various kinds of brows, and then brush your existing brow hairs and blend the pencil with the spoolie brush side of the tool.

Everyone’s makeup bag should include a staple nude eyeshadow palette. During pregnancy, you’ll need one like this, that’s free from additives like triclosan, formaldehydes and parabens.

The buttery formula is made with moisturizing vitamin E that makes it extra blendable. Our community insisted that the shadows had solid color payoff and were long-lasting on the lid, too. Bonus: You can recycle the packaging when you inevitably finish the palette.

Your shampoo and conditioner should be up for any changes in your hair during pregnancy, and this one from Olaplex definitely is. It works for all hair types, from straight to coily, and specifically targets broken bonds in hair to restore them.

When it comes to pregnancy-safe shampoos and conditioners, this one is versatile. Parents in the What to Expect community, with all different hair types, noted that it makes their hair soft and silky. It’s also free of essential oils (it’s important to watch for essential oils as an ingredient too, says Dr. Zubritsky — they’re not regulated by the FDA and certain essential oils could pose a risk to your baby in the early developmental stages).

For natural curls, extra-moisturizing hair care products will be necessary to keep your coils hydrated. Enter Carol’s Daughter Wash Day Shampoo, a vegan and paraben-free liquid formula designed to apply directly to your scalp with the squeeze bottle. It then lathers into a light foam you can work through your hair and scalp for just the right cleanse.

Couple that with the Wash Day Rose Water Conditioner, which suits 3A to 4C curls. It’s a super thick jelly that becomes a creamy texture when the water hits it. The main ingredient is glycerin to lock in moisture and provide enough slip to tackle any stubborn tangles.

After you wash curly hair, you’ll want to follow it up with a leave-in product to nourish your coils. This winner came highly recommended by Dr. Clay as a go-to pregnancy-safe natural hair care product that doesn’t contain chemicals like parabens. Run it through damp hair for maximum softness, which can be attributed to olive oil, shea butter and marshmallow root.

Our community members mention using it for pregnancy and beyond. And why wouldn’t you? It’s a detangling, moisturizing option for both parents and babies with curls.

Dandruff is one of those sneaky pregnancy hormone side effects you may not have been aware of. “Seborrheic dermatitis [aka dandruff] is a common condition that can flare when pregnant,” Dr. Zubritsky says. The solution? Ingredients like selenium sulfide and zinc pyrithione to calm itching and flaking — those are safe and effective during pregnancy, according to Dr. Zubritsky.

It just so happens that some of those dandruff-fighting ingredients can be found in Head and Shoulders Classic Clean. If you give this one a good lather in your scalp, it can help prevent further oiliness and flakiness. Some community members note that it’s a shampoo they can use on their kids too.

If you’re experiencing any kind of dryness, whether it’s from cold weather or pregnancy dandruff flares, it’s time to mask up. Our community of parents raved about its ability to transform hair from dry to buttery softness. That’s probably due to the cocktail of oils and rich ingredients in the mask: mafura oil coconut oil, baobab seed oil, avocado oil, shea butter and Manuka honey.

It works for all hair types, but might work magic particularly on frizz-prone, curly hair. And it’s a win for busy parents: You only need to let it sit in wet hair for 5 minutes.

Throughout pregnancy, you’ll want to suds up with something that feels creamy and soothing that’s also safe for your skin. That’s why Dr. Clay (and our community of parents) love Dove Irritation Care Body Wash: It’s a moisturizing, fragrance-free shower product that’s especially great for anyone with eczema or sensitive skin, and is totally safe to use during pregnancy. It even has the National Eczema Association Seal of approval, and you can’t beat the $7 price tag either.

For that full-body pregnancy eczema (or just dry, flaky skin), we found the best-of-the-best moisturizer for you. It’s a favorite of Dr. Clay’s and our community’s because it’s free from fragrances and also contains three types of ceramides, which help strengthen the skin’s barrier and deliver plenty of moisture.

The cream, which contains hyaluronic acid, is thick enough for soothing your dry, sensitive skin, but also non-comedogenic so it won’t clog pores or cause that dreadful body acne that oilier formulas might. And, it’s gentle enough to use on the face or body, Dr. Clay points out.

Don’t forget about the belly (or maybe you’re in that stage where you literally can’t). Once you get into your second and third trimesters especially, you’re more prone to dry, itchy stretch marks that may need a little extra TLC.

The Burt’s Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter is, of course, designed for your pregnant belly, with a gentle smell (which one reviewer remarks is perfect if the slightest scents are making you nauseous), but it can also be used after pregnancy to relieve stretched skin with shea and jojoba butters.

Tons of moms-to-be swear by Palmer’s Cocoa Butter for Stretch Marks. This soothing lotion contains just about every moisturizing ingredient you could think of, from cocoa butter to shea butter and lanolin. And the collagen and elastin in the formula helps fortify your skin as it stretches naturally. While there’s no definitive research that proves things like cocoa butter or olive oil can prevent stretch marks, it certainly can’t hurt to give your belly some extra moisture.

This nipple butter will be even more essential after giving birth, particularly if you decide to try breastfeeding. You need a gentle, unscented hydrating balm that’ll be safe for your baby if you breastfeed. The organic blend of olive oil, cocoa butter, shea butter and beeswax contains no harsh chemicals that baby shouldn’t swallow, like parabens.

It’s a must-pack hospital bag item and can be used preventatively to avoid sore nipples, but our community remarked that it’s a great product to use on other areas besides the breasts — think: elbows, heels, cuticles, lips, cheeks or even directly to your breast pump’s flanges for more comfortable pumping.

There’s a chance your nails are thriving and even stronger during pregnancy due to hormonal changes, but you may not have put as much thought into what’s going on top of your nails. You should read the labels of your regular polishes, and stay away from nail lacquers containing non-pregnancy-safe ingredients like formaldehyde, parabens, phthalates and toluene, Dr. Wu says.

If you typically get acrylic manicures, you’ll want to avoid them and find a safer nail color alternative like Ella + Mila. This pregnancy-safe nail collection with fun pastel colors is free from harmful chemicals, and is also fast-drying for parents who only have time for a quick mani while baby naps.

Many common perfumes contain non-pregnancy-safe chemicals like phthalates, which can make it hard to find your signature scent during pregnancy. Because some of life’s occasions call for spraying on something special, you can safely spritz Skylar Fragrance, a clean formula that doesn’t contain anything you shouldn’t use during pregnancy: phthalates, parabens, artificial dyes and more.

Your options range from smells like tropical-scented Coconut Cove, fresh citrusy Capri Summer and cozy, cinnamony Fall Cashmere. Choose from a 1.7-ounce spray bottle or a 10 milliliter roll-on, perfect to stash in your purse (or hey, even your diaper bag).