Prefacing this post by saying that these products are products that I’m comfortable using during pregnancy. If you’re concerned about a product or specific ingredient, always consult your doctor.

There are a lot of “rules” around what you can and can’t do when you’re pregnant. Some rules aren’t really hard and fast rules … I found Expecting Better to be really helpful in this department in breaking down actual data behind all of the dos and don’ts surrounding pregnancy. One rule that I’m sticking hard and fast to is related to pregnancy safe skincare.

By now, you know that I’m invested in clean beauty. I’m SO incredibly thankful that I was already on the clean beauty train before becoming pregnant as that made it really easy to identify the couple of products that I wanted to switch out of my routine for the time being and substitute with even cleaner alternatives. The only ingredient that is in a few of my clean products that I ended up putting on the shelf for the next few months is salicylic acid. Salicylic acid is found in lots of clean beauty products – it’s great for detoxifying and resurfacing the skin. It’s in a lot of masks and resurfacing and overnight peels.

Other ingredients to avoid during pregnancy, and frankly, most of the time … retinoids (including retinol), formaldehyde (shockingly in a lot of beauty products), phthalates, parabens, and chemical sunscreens (oxybenzone) – opt for mineral sunscreens instead.

I’m excited to share my pregnancy safe morning skincare routine with you today! I’ll be sharing my nighttime routine soon too! Of course, you can use all of these products whether you’re pregnant or not. Most of these products were already in my lineup prior to becoming pregnant, but I wanted to add on that I doubled checked them to make sure they’re pregnancy safe!

I’m obviously not a doctor, so if you have specific questions about what’s safe and what’s not safe to use during pregnancy, always consult with your doctor.

Pregnancy Safe Morning Skincare Routine

Let’s jump in! I listed the products in order of application to make things easy to follow.

Beautycounter Countermatch Refresh Foaming Cleanser // I usually shower in the mornings after my workout. I use this foaming cleanser in the shower. It’s a thicker cream consistency that foams up a little bit upon application. It’s great for normal skin – I recommend it for most skin types. It leaves my skin feeling fresh and clean. It’s not harsh at all.

Indie Lee Toner // I’m new to using toner. I had the pleasure of chatting with Follain founder Tara Foley recently, and she recommended incorporating a toner into my skincare routine. When the queen of clean skincare recommends a product, I listen! 🙂 Toner essentially preps your skin to better absorb any serums or moisturizers you apply afterwards. I LOVE this Indie Lee Toner! It smells delightful and is so refreshing when spritzing it on in the morning. It’s lightweight, moisturizing, and overall a great addition to any skincare routine! Highly recommend.

Beautycounter All Bright C Serum or Naturopathica Vitamin C Wrinkle Repair // Vitamin C serum is a holy grail product for me and my skincare routine. I’ve been using Beautycounter’s All Bright C Serum and love it! I’ve recently been testing out a new pregnancy safe vitamin c serum by Naturopathic, which I also really like! The price point on the Beautycounter product is a bit more budget friendly, but I really like both. Vitamin C serum helps to moisturize your skin while fighting wrinkles and evening out skin tone.

Beautycounter Countertime Antioxidant Soft Cream Moisturizer // A lightweight, daytime moisturizer is a must for any skincare routine. I love using Beautycounter’s Countertime Antioxidant Soft Cream. Beautycounter’s Coutnertime line is formulated with a plant-based retinol alternative – retinatural complex. The entire Countertime line is a great line if you’re looking to remove retinol from your skincare routine in general. (Definitely cut it out during pregnancy.)

Supergoop Matte Screen SPF 40 // Last but not least, sunscreen! Daily SPF is important all of the time, but especially during pregnancy when you’re susceptible to chloasma, a common skin condition among pregnant women that usually presents as dark, brownish patches of skin, mostly on the forehead, nose, upper lip, and cheeks. Exposure to UV rays can amplify the discoloration. Supergoop’s Matte Screen is lightweight, tinted, and not greasy. It’s perfect for applying daily after skincare and prior to makeup.