Beauty & The Bump
The pregnancy-friendly beauty products I swore by
Choosing beauty products while pregnant is nothing short of a minefield – what is safe to use and what isn’t? Before you know it, your wrinkle-banishing retinol is off-limits and you’re on page 5 of Google trying to establish whether nail polish can harm your unborn child (it probably doesn’t but with so many nasty-free ranges available, why risk take the risk?).
The good news is that while there are lots of grey areas (no company is going to test on pregnant women and no woman is going to volunteer, so anything deemed an “unknown” is usually on the “not to use” list) there are also a host of products that you can enjoy completely worry free.
As a beauty editor, I made it my mission while pregnant last year to find the brands that offered me this peace of mind but didn’t compromise on efficacy. After 40 weeks, the following products were emptied and have since been reordered. Many still feature in my beauty regimen today.
The Body Saviours
Balance Me Super Moisturising Body Oil
With large doses of coconut oil, antioxidants and essential fatty acids, this oil became part of my two-pronged approach to preventing stretch marks (for the second, see below). This silky formula instantly soothed the taut, slightly itchy feeling you can get as your bump grows, and quickly became my crutch morning, noon, and night.
Elemental Herbology Tree of Life Balm
The second part of my stretch mark preventing program, this balm is part oil, part body butter. I layered this combination of Shea, macadamia and sweet almond oil on top of the Balanceme twice (and by the end, often three) times a day. It’s also a wonderful multi-purpose fix for the random areas of dry skin that you invariably seem to get during pregnancy.
Bastien Gonzalez Foot Baume
Frequently dubbed ‘the best pedicurist in the world,’ this is the next best thing if you can’t see the man himself (although do try). Massaged into weary soles right before bed, this cooling and soothing baume ensured my feet stayed baby soft, despite having my ever-growing bump to contend with.
Mama Mio Lucky Legs Cooling Leg Gel
Mama Mio offers this mint-infused moisturizing gel that instantly perks up weary legs. The cooling salve is particularly essential if, like me, you are having a summer baby. Pro tip: on aggressively warm days, apply this straight from the fridge for extra oomph.
Kure Bazaar Polish
The embodiment of baby-friendly nail polish, Kure products are made from ingredients like potatoes (yes, really), wood pulp, and corn. Not that you can tell the difference when it comes to application or their staying power.
The Face Warriors
Emma Hardie Cleanser
This cleanser is the closest thing I’ve found to a facial in a jar. Applied in small circular motions over the entire face using warm water, this wash works with the double-sided cloth to remove all traces of make-up while lightly exfoliating. The result is skin that feels pleasingly clean without any tightness once it dries.
Grown Alchemist Balancing Toner
With rose, chamomile, and ginseng, this toner manages to calm, smooth and soothe without any harsh AHAs. Add this perfect step to rebalance skin between cleansing and applying an oil or moisturizer.
Alexandra Soveraal Midnight Face Oil
Alexandra is renowned for her facial massage technique, so naturally this oil comes complete with an application guide. At first, this might sound fiddly, but you soon get the hang of it and the result is a welcome excuse to stimulate your lymphatic system and boost circulation to ward-off the slightly puffy and dreaded “pregnancy face.”
Sodashi Brightening Marine Mineral Mask
This Australian skincare line has amassed a loyal, cult following and it’s easy to see why: products feel handmade in a luxurious, natural way and they really do deliver what they promise on the tin. Thanks to Australian white and red clay, the Marine Mask manages to draw out impurities, while its Shea, seaweed and macadamia help to moisturize skin, leaving it refined and dewy.
Sensai Cellular Performace Lip Treatment
So much more than just a balm (although it’s unbelievable at preventing or curing chapped lips) this treatment is actually designed to simultaneously prevent aging around the mouth, the most mobile and used area of our entire face. While moisturizing, the formula increases natural collagen production, tackles fine lines, and boosts natural lip color.
A native Londoner, Amy discovered her love for health & beauty while working at Harper’s Bazaar in New York before returning home to work for Conde Nast, Shortlist Media and Net-a-Porter. Eight years later, the mission remains the same: to discover the products and treatments that really work.
As a beauty editor, I made it my mission while pregnant last year to find the brands that offered me this peace of mind but didn’t compromise on efficacy.
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