As an expectant mom, I am all about clean beauty. One of my favorite past times as of late is discovering new products that not only improve my skin, but that are also safe for my unborn baby.
I wasn’t well versed in clean beauty until I started trying to conceive and learned about all of the harmful products I had previously been putting on my body … products that can disrupt hormones and potentially cause cancer. To read more about my reasons for going clean, check out this post.
Regardless of whether you’re trying to have a baby or are currently expecting, you may still want to take a good, hard look at what’s inside your medicine cabinet.
So in the spirit of sharing, here are some of my favorite clean skincare products and what you can expect from them.
THE BETTER SKIN CO.’S GEL KLEANSE
The Better Skin Co. recently launched a couple of new products and sent me them to try out and review. First on the list is their Gel Kleanse face wash, which draws out impurities with charcoal and gently exfoliates with French Lava (sounds fancy, right??)
I could feel the difference in my skin the first time I washed my face with it.
If you’re a fan of super foaming face washes, then this is not the product for you. As it says in the name, it’s more of a gel, but boy does it get the job done.
I use it morning and night and my face feels so soft and clean after. I’m not big on removing eye makeup before washing my face … mostly because I’m lazy and want to get things done as quickly as possible. But thankfully, this cleanser washes off every last bit of mascara and eyeliner, preventing those raccoon eye marks on my white towels when I dry off my face (I usually have to soak my towels in bleach to remove those tough stains!)
The cleanser also has a mellow, citrusy scent and features other soothing ingredients like green tea and aloe.
Speaking of ingredients, The Better Skin Co. uses plant-derived ingredients whenever possible. If they do use a synthetic ingredient, they opt for the safest kind, according to their website.
While their products are not “natural” or “organic,” they do consider them to be “clean” and follow Whole Foods’ guidelines to determine which ingredients get the green light, which is something a gal like me appreciates!
THE BETTER SKIN CO.’S SUPER SHIELD ANTI POLLUTION SERUM
The second product recently rolled out by The Better Skin Co. is their Super Shield Anti Pollution Serum.
The serum is used morning and night after cleansing and before applying moisturizer. It’s formulated with turmeric, eggplant, aloe, henna and pearl powder and has a subtle rose scent, which I love.
Just a word of caution, if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you may not want to use this product. I used the serum for about a week before learning there is not enough information on one herbal ingredient to deem it safe for such women.
That ingredient is white horehound, which, according to The Better Skin Co., protects against pollution and damaging blue computer light.
When first hearing this, I was skeptical about whether our digital devices can actually harm our skin, but there is actually research to back this up.
“Spending four eight-hour workdays in front of a computer exposes you to the same amount of energy as 20 minutes in the mid-day sun,” Howard Murad, M.D., was quoted as saying in a Harper’s Bazaar article on the topic. He’s the dermatologist behind the skincare brand Murad.
White Horehound is used topically and internally for a number of ailments, from painful menstrual periods to ulcers, to bloating. However, as I mentioned earlier, there is not enough known about the safety of using it topically, which is why it’s not recommended pregnant or breastfeeding women use it on their skin. That’s not to say it’s harmful. It’s just that it’s always better to play it safe when a little one is on the way.
However, I will be keeping this serum handy when I get past that point because in the days I did use it, I really liked it.
The Super Shield Anti Pollution is a bit on the thicker side. If you’re familiar with Beauty Counters’ facial oil, it’s not oily like that. Rather, you have to work quickly to rub into your face because it dries super fast.
But between The Better Skin Co.’s gel cleanser and this serum, my skin felt like it was on cloud nine.
Oh, and by the way, you can save 20 PERCENT right now on The Better Skin Co.’s website by using the promo code MARCH20. Just note, it expires March 31, 2019.
BURT’S BEES MAMA BEE BELLY BUTTER
As I’ve heard from many friends, one of the most pressing beauty concerns of an expectant mom is, “Will I get stretch marks?”
Thankfully, everybody’s favorite natural skin care company that was started in the backwoods of Maine has come to the rescue: Burt’s Bees.
Their 99 percent natural belly butter contains shea butter and vitamin E to keep your stretching skin supple and soft. It also lacks parabens, phthalates, petroleum and sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS).
I apply it both in the morning and night (the more the merrier!) and it easily absorbs into my skin.
I don’t just use it on my belly. I also apply it to the rest of my body and love the way it leaves my skin feeling silky smooth.
The tagline of the cream is “Be good to your bump” and that rings true with this clean beauty product.
BURT’S BEES MAMA BEE NOURISHING BODY OIL
For me, this nourishing oil goes hand-in-hand with Burt’s Bees Belly Butter. I also typically apply this twice a day to my belly area … as well as to other parts of my body, like my legs and hands, when they’re really dry.
The oil is lightweight and 100 percent natural. The product’s main ingredient is sweet almond oil and it’s also rich in vitamin E, an antioxidant that helps fight off free radicals that can damage our skin.
Just like the Belly Butter, the oil is made without phthalates, parabens, petrolatum and SLS.
While this oil does absorb nicely, I would still be careful if putting on clothes immediately after applying. I usually apply it when I’m still wearing my robe and let it sit for a few minutes.
Also, when I get dressed for work, I typically put on stockings or pants first, which both go up over my baby bump. That way they help soak up any excess oil before I finish getting dressed.
If applying both Burt’s Bees Belly Butter and Body Oil, I usually put the cream on first, followed by the oil. I find it absorbs better that way.
While it could be due to genetics, or because my belly is still growing, I have yet to see a stretch mark appear on my body during pregnancy (I thought a few months ago I spotted some but realized it was just from me scratching my itchy belly. hehe.)
BURT’S BEES SKIN NOURISHMENT DAY LOTION WITH SPF 15
As I notice more and more lines on my face appearing, I have become slightly obsessed with wearing sunscreen, even in the deep, dark months of winter.
During my hunt to find a new facial moisturizer that also contains sun protection, I came across Burt’s Bees Skin Nourishment Day Lotion, which contains an SPF of 15.
I always look at online reviews of products to see what others think and, full disclosure, this product doesn’t have the best ratings. For the most part, people don’t like the scent or they don’t like the white hue it can leave on your skin, but I don’t mind either.
I like the fact that it’s a clean product and gets the job done.
Yes, it leaves my face (and eyebrows) somewhat white, but once I apply my foundation and blush, I don’t notice it at all.
I do find that if I have dry patches on my skin, Burt’s Bees Skin Nourishment Day Lotion tends to accentuate them, but one way I’ve worked around that is by pre-moisturizing my face with a different cream (I use one from Beauty Counter or this one from Belli Beauty).
At the end of the day, I want to keep my skin as protected as possible to ward off any more lines and brown spots from appearing, and that’s what’s most important.
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