Our Beauty Director Shares 5 Skin-Care Products She’s Been Loving During Pregnancy

Perricone MD Vitamin C Ester CCC + Ferulic Brightening Complex 20% ($159)

I’m prone to melasma, and I know it can wreak havoc during pregnancy due to surges in hormones, so I have been trying to ward it off as best I can. A big part of the battle is avoiding the sun, which I’m pretty good at, but the other piece of the puzzle is using vitamin C and other brightening ingredients.

This creamy serum contains the brand’s proprietary vitamin C ester, plus two additional forms of vitamin C, giving it the power-packed potency my skin needs. Additionally, when you mix vitamin C with vitamin E and ferulic acid, you get even more antioxidant protection and skin-perfecting benefits, which has been proven in studies. I also love the warm, citrusy scent that has a bit of an addictive quality to it and hasn’t bothered me at all. The price tag is a little high, but the tiny bottle has lasted me months, and I probably apply more than I need (I also do my neck).

Tata Harper Superkind Fortifying Moisturizer ($120)

Beginning in my first trimester, I noticed my skin was reacting to certain products I was testing in a way it wouldn’t have pre-pregnancy. This was especially true for acids—pregnancy-approved ones like glycolic, lactic, citric—and products with multiple acids. It took some trial and error to find formulas that worked for my skin.

At the same time, I was looking for a gentle moisturizer, as not to disrupt my skin anymore, and I learned about this new one from Tata Harper, a brand I already adored. It’s made for sensitized skin, and the texture is light, creamy and luxurious. Though it’s fragrance-free, it does have a botanical scent from the natural ingredients, but I love the way it smells and it didn’t bother my sensitive pregnant nose whatsoever. It also layered well over my vitamin C serum.

Biossance Squalane + Zinc Sheer Mineral Sunscreen ($30)

During pregnancy, it’s advised not to use chemical sunscreens (those with active ingredients like avobenzone, etc), and instead, go for those with physical/mineral sunblocks like zinc and titanium dioxide. Admittedly, I did use chemical sunscreen a few times throughout the last seven months, but this mineral SPF 30 has been my daily go-to.

As is the case with most zinc sunscreens, it takes a few extra rubs to blend it in completely, but it gives my skin the prettiest sheen and the white cast fully disappears. I also very much appreciate the addition of hydrating squalane, which makes me feel like I’m getting more out of this necessary step in my routine. It also comes in a new jumbo size, which will last you forever (well, until it expires!).

Pixi Glow Peel Pads ($22)

As I mentioned before, topical acids can be tricky during pregnancy. But, I quickly learned that I needed them in my routine in some capacity to exfoliate away dead skin and keep breakouts at bay. (Having to wear a mask does not help with hormonal breakouts along the jawline, but luckily mine haven’t been so bad.) What I found after some experimenting is that peel pads worked well for me—better than leave-on masks, which often made me really red.

Though salicylic acid is typically a no-go for pregnant women, the American Academy of Dermatology says it can be used infrequently in concentrations lower than 2 percent. I love salicylic acid for managing breakouts, so I chose a cult-classic peel pad with a low dose, and I only use them when I need them. One little pad makes a big difference!

ISDIN Isdinceutics Melatonik Overnight Recovery Serum ($160)

Nighttime skin repair does not change when you’re pregnant. If anything, I’d say it’s more important because your body is in overdrive in many ways (you’re creating a human!).

This serum-oil contains a trifecta of healthy-skin ingredients, including vitamin C (I’ll take as much as I can get), bakuchiol (a plant-based retinol alternative that helps with line-smoothing, etc. at a time when you can’t use retinol), and melatonin, which also possesses antioxidant properties to fight free radicals. It’s a win-win-win for bedtime beauty.