The Best Skin Care Products for Pregnancy, According to Dermatologists

Whether you’re an avid skin care fan or you’re just looking to keep your skin healthy throughout your pregnancy, there’s a lot to learn about the dos and don’ts of pregnancy-safe skin care. 

While many products are totally safe to use when you’re pregnant, you may find that your pre-pregnancy go-tos won’t cut it anymore. Experts recommend that certain skin care ingredients should be avoided during pregnancy, and being pregnant may even cause some changes in your skin.

Maybe your once dry skin now has a constant oily sheen ever since you took that pregnancy test, or maybe your skin has gotten so sensitive that only the gentlest cleansers will do. Even if you’re experiencing pregnancy-related acne, dark spots or dullness (all of which are totally normal and fairly common), there are products out there that won’t irritate your face or expose your growing baby to harmful ingredients.

To help you curate your new pregnancy skin care routine, we asked two dermatologists, Dr. Lisa Zhang, dermatologist at Kelsey Seybold West University Clinic, and Dr. Sarah Sung, dermatologist and founder of The Perq, for their favorite pregnancy-safe skin care products. In general, they recommend that “pregnant individuals should focus on gentle, non-toxic and effective products that maintain hydration, protect the skin and address common concerns like dryness and sensitivity,” says Dr. Sung. 

Ready to enhance your pregnancy glow? Here are some products dermatologists recommend that are safe for pregnancy, including a range of price options from drugstore brands to higher-end beauty care.

Best Facial Cleansers for Pregnancy

The base of all good skin care routines is a cleanser. Since your skin is likely to be more sensitive than usual while you’re pregnant, you’ll want to ensure your cleanser is gentle (while still being effective). That means no artificial fragrances or harsh chemicals, and it should work to restore your skin’s natural barrier rather than strip it away.

Cetaphil  
Gentle Skin Facial Cleanser

Ultra gentle and great for all skin types. Easily available at drugstores and grocery stores.

Buy

Add to Babylist

target.com$9.49

La Roche-Posay  
Toleriane Purifying Foaming Facial Cleanser (w/ Niacinami...

Good for oily skin or if you don’t want a heavy cream cleanser, and you can get it online or at most drugstores.

Buy

Add to Babylist

amazon.com$17.99

fresh 
Soy pH-Balanced Hydrating Face Wash

Light, soothing and safe to use around your eyes. Available at Sephora in full-size or trial-size bottles.

Buy

Add to Babylist

fresh.com$39.00

Best Brightening Serums for Pregnancy

Brightening serum isn’t exactly a necessity for your skin care routine, but if you’re looking to even out skin tone and boost your skin’s glow, vitamins C and E can help. They also provide anti-oxidant benefits and gently support anti-aging efforts, says Dr. Zhang.

You’ll need to skip the retinol for the entirety of your pregnancy, since retinoids are known to enter the bloodstream and may cause birth defects. And when shopping for similar products, Dr. Sung says to “be cautious of buzzwords like ‘anti-aging,’ ‘age-defying,’ and ‘night creams,’ as these often contain potentially unsafe ingredients.”

CeraVe  
Vitamin C Serum with Hyaluronic Acid

This popular budget-friendly brand is available at drugstores like Walgreens and CVS and big-box stores like Target.

Buy

Add to Babylist

amazon.com$22.69

Derma-E 
Vitamin C Serum

You can find this clean beauty brand at Ulta and online through Amazon or the Derma-E website.

Buy

Add to Babylist

dermae.com$24.95

SkinCeuticals 
C E Ferulic

This high-end, dermatologist-founded brand is available exclusively online and through licensed dermatologists.

Buy

Add to Babylist

dermstore.com$182.00

Best Acne-Fighting Products for Pregnancy

Treating acne during pregnancy can be a little tricky, since high concentrations of ingredients like salicylic acid and chemical peels need to be avoided, Dr. Sung says. As an alternative, she recommends azelaic acid, which has anti-inflammatory properties.

The Ordinary 
Azelaic Acid 10% Suspension Brightening Cream

This affordable brand can be found at popular beauty stores like Sephora and Ulta, and online through Amazon.

Buy

Add to Babylist

sephora.com$12.20

Hero Cosmetics  
Mighty Patch Invisible Acne Pimple Patches

If you just need a spot treatment for a stubborn pimple, hydrocolloid patches are perfectly safe to use while pregnant, too. These can be found at most drugstores, big box stores and online.

Buy

Add to Babylist

target.com$17.89

Best Hydrating Serums for Pregnancy

If pregnancy has your skin feeling more dried out than usual, your daily moisturizer may need a little assistance. Dr. Sung says to look for ingredients like hyaluronic acid, squalene and ceramides to help boost your moisturizer’s effectiveness, and they can be included in your skin care routine either directly within your moisturizer or as separate serums like the ones below.

The Ordinary 
Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 (with Ceramides)

Hyaluronic acid serums can get pricey, but The Ordinary is always budget friendly. You can find it at Ulta, Sephora and Amazon.

Buy

Add to Babylist

theordinary.com$9.90

CeraVe 
Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Face Serum with Vitamin B5

CeraVe is always available at drugstores, but keep in mind that their HA serum is a little more expensive than their other skin care products.

Buy

Add to Babylist

ulta.com$25.99

SkinCeuticals 
HA Intensifier

Though it comes with a luxury price tag, this HA serum provides the ultimate deep hydration. Just keep in mind that you can only find it online or direct from your dermatologist.

Buy

Add to Babylist

dermstore.com$110.00

Best Moisturizers for Pregnancy

The moisturizer you choose to use during pregnancy will depend on whether your skin is more prone to oil or dryness, but Dr. Sung and Dr. Zhang both recommend moisturizers with added hydration boosters like hyaluronic acid and squalene to help keep your skin plump, even and glowing.

CeraVe  
Moisturizing Cream

Great for all over, including itchy stretch marks. You can find it at drugstores, grocery stores, Target, Walmart and just about anywhere that sells lotion.

Buy

Add to Babylist

amazon.com$16.35

La Roche-Posay 
Toleriane Sensitive Fluide Protective Moisturizer

Best for oily skin, this ultra-lightweight moisturizer is only found online through Amazon, DermStore and the official La Roche-Posay website.

Buy

Add to Babylist

amazon.com$30.99

Biossance 
Squalane + Omega Repair Deep Hydration Moisturizer

This deep-hydration moisturizer is best for extra dry skin, and you can buy it at your local Sephora (or online).

Buy

Add to Babylist

sephora.com$60.00

Best Sunscreens for Pregnancy

If you’re going to use any other product besides a cleanser, it’s got to be sunscreen. Sunscreen is always important when going outdoors, but especially so when you’re pregnant and your skin is extra sensitive. “Opt for products containing zinc oxide or titanium dioxide for safe and effective sun protection” rather than chemical-based sunscreens (those that contain ingredients like avobenzone and oxybenzone, which aren’t safe for pregnancy), Dr. Sung says. 

And you’ll need to keep up with reapplying it—Dr. Zhang says to put it on every morning (along with your regular moisturizer), then again every two hours as long as you’re outside.

If you want skin care products that give you the no-makeup makeup look, tinted mineral sunscreens are also totally safe to wear while you’re pregnant. They eliminate the white cast that mineral sunscreens often leave behind, and the light coverage is especially helpful for discoloration, rosacea and acne (all of which can crop up during pregnancy).

Neutrogena  
Purescreen+ Tinted Sunscreen for Face with SPF 30

This popular tinted sunscreen has SPF 30, comes in several different skin tones (unlike most tinted sunscreens) and is available at Target, Walmart and drugstores.

Buy

Add to Babylist

amazon.com$9.99

La Roche-Posay 
Anthelios Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50

This high-SPF mineral sunscreen is also a pretty good moisturizer. You can buy it online or in-store at Ulta, and some drugstores may have it in stock too (like some CVS and Walgreens locations).

Buy

Add to Babylist

amazon.com$24.74

EltaMD 
UV Clear Face Sunscreen SPF 46

EltaMD is a favorite among dermatologists, and it goes on totally clear (no white cast!). Find it online only at EltaMD.com, DermStore or Amazon.

Buy

Add to Babylist

amazon.com$44.00

ALASTIN  
HydraTint Pro Mineral Broad Spectrum Sunscreen

A luxury brand (with a luxury price tag), this tinted sunscreen is only available at Alastin.com and directly from your dermatologist.

Buy

Add to Babylist

alastin.com$76.00

What should my pregnancy skin care routine look like?

“Pregnancy skincare routines should prioritize simplicity and safety,” Dr. Sung says. “A streamlined approach minimizes the risk of irritation and exposure to potentially harmful ingredients while maintaining healthy skin.” Remember that your skin is more sensitive during pregnancy, so loading up on extra products or harsh ingredients can actually do more harm than good. 

Echoing that advice, Erica Marie Gatt, an LA-based esthetician, recommends just three to four skin care steps in the morning and two to three at night, focusing on the basics of cleansing, moisturizing and sun protection. Here’s how she maps out her suggested pregnancy skin care routine:

AM Routine:

1. Cleanse to remove dirt and oil.

2. Apply hydrating moisturizer to keep the skin hydrated and support healthy new skin cells.

3. Apply Vitamin C serum for brightness and free radical protection.

4. Apply sunscreen with minimum 30 SPF to protect the skin from UV damage and discoloration (melasma), which can be common during pregnancy due to hormonal changes.

PM Routine:

1. Cleanse.

2. 2–3 times a week, gently exfoliate to slough off dead skin cells, allowing fresh skin to surface.

3. Apply hydrating moisturizer.

Add in a gentle and safe acne treatment option if you need, and that’s it. So put away the retinol, the harsh toner, the chemical peel—for the next nine months, you can glow without them. “At no point did people compliment me more on my skin than when I was in my second trimester,” Dr. Sung says. “So take the (natural) win! Super aggressive ingredients just aren't necessary when your body is under such significant evolution.”