My skin is still adjusting to pregnancy life, so I’m trying to give myself a little grace that this is just part of the process. I certainly don’t have a pregnancy glow, more like a few hormonal acne spots and undereye bags. I have had lots of issues with nausea and exhaustion, so I don’t have the energy to stand at the sink and do a long skin care routine. Three to five minutes, and I need to be done.
I’ve always been obsessed with beauty products. My pre-pregnancy skin care routine was pretty intense. I would try new brands and products every few weeks. If it was new and trending, I wanted in.
But with pregnancy, you have to be careful about what might be harmful to you and baby. Early on during my pregnancy I learned that I had to stop using tea tree oil, which I used faithfully on my breakouts, because it could potentially send me into early labor. It’s a muscle relaxant, and my doctor immediately alerted me that the scent alone could be a trigger.
Finding products that are safe and useful during pregnancy can be tough, so my pregnancy skin care philosophy became “get back to basics.” Clinique’s 3-Step System was one of my go-tos, since it had worked for me in high school when I had crazy hormonal outbreaks. I also indulged in my fair share of vitamin E oil. I really liked Nature’s Truth. The oil really helped with the extreme dry skin that pregnancy brought on.
That was probably the biggest change I had to deal with–I found that throughout each trimester, my face slowly became more and more dry. So every few weeks I found myself adding more moisture to my skincare regimen. I vividly remember my skin feeling rough and scaly the last week of my first trimester. It was so hard to camouflage the changes, especially because I kept my pregnancy a secret until 16 weeks. [Triena’s son, Brave, was born in late October 2019.] I indulged in facial masks, steam sessions, and heavy creams and oils. The Clinique Moisture Surge 72-Hour Auto-Replenishing Hydrator was one of my favorites.
My favorite part of my pregnancy was my second trimester. It was primetime! I had the mom-to-be glow, and my skin tone was even and radiant. I felt beautiful.
Aadilah Tootla Saley, founder of South African modest apparel brand Zaynah
I have always been a firm believer in taking care of my skin through nutrition. Vitamins and raw foods are the best ingredients for hydrated, youthful glow. And eating a clean, balanced diet—including a lot of greens and protein—has always contributed to my skin being clear and bright. In the morning, I have a green smoothie with spinach, cucumber, green apple, and vegan protein powder. After my workout I usually have eggs. Lunch and dinner consist of fish or chicken, rice and broccoli. In between I eat plenty of fruit, and I keep away from dairy. I also take a marine collagen with vitamin C. I actually started my own supplement brand, called FitForce, to get the exact mix I like. It really makes a difference.
This is my second pregnancy, and my skin is still pretty clear and glowing, but relatively dry compared to normal. I don’t have specific brands I’m loyal to—I change it up depending on how my skin feels. But I do always use a face wash and a konjac sponge, followed by an SPF. At night, I use a cream and I add a lemon anti-bacterial night serum to deal with my skin dryness.
Sara Gaynes Levy is a writer in New York City. Follow her on Instagram @saragayneslevy.
