How to wash your face the right way in pregnancy

Morning sickness and a sore back can shrink any skincare routine down to the bare minimum. Washing your face is usually the step that survives, so it is worth doing well.

Pregnancy changes skin in ways that surprise many Mamas. Some find their face oilier and more prone to spots. Others find it drier, tighter or quicker to redden than before, and the NHS notes that darker patches on the face are common too. Hormones drive most of this, and most of it settles after the birth.

You cannot wash those changes away. What you can do is clean your skin without stripping it, so it feels comfortable through the day. The habits below come from dermatologists' everyday advice, including the American Academy of Dermatology. None of them takes more than a minute.

Seven habits for a better face wash

1. Take makeup off first

Cleanser works best on bare skin. If you wear foundation, sunscreen or anything long-wearing, lift it off first with micellar water, a cleansing balm or a gentle oil on a cotton pad. Then wash. This two-step approach means you can use a milder cleanser for the second step instead of scrubbing at stubborn makeup.

2. Choose a gentle cleanser

During pregnancy, many Mamas find their usual face wash suddenly stings or leaves them tight. Look for a mild formula without harsh surfactants such as sodium lauryl sulfate, and without strong perfume if smells bother you right now.

Foam is not a measure of cleanliness. Research on cleansers has found that harsher surfactants, the kind that tend to produce a lot of lather, can disturb the skin's barrier and leave it drier. A low-foam wash that leaves your face soft is doing its job.

3. Skip the scrubbing

Washcloths, loofahs and rough scrubs make skin feel extra clean, but rubbing can irritate it, especially when hormones have made it more reactive. Your fingertips are enough. Loofahs and cloths also stay damp and can harbour bacteria between uses, which is one more reason to leave them in the shower.

4. Twice a day is plenty

Wash in the morning and before bed. Add an extra rinse after you have been sweating heavily, which in Malaysia's heat may be more often than you would like. Washing much more than that tends to dry skin out, and dry skin can respond by feeling tight or producing more oil.

5. Massage gently

Spread the cleanser with your fingertips in small circles, working upwards and outwards for 30 seconds or so. It helps the cleanser reach every part of your face, and it is a pleasant moment of calm in a busy day. Keep the pressure light.

6. Use lukewarm water

Hot water feels lovely but can strip the skin's natural oils, which matters more if your skin has turned dry or sensitive. Lukewarm water rinses cleanser away just as well. Pat your face dry with a clean towel instead of rubbing.

7. Moisturise while your skin is still damp

Apply moisturiser within a minute or two of washing, while your skin is slightly damp, so it helps hold that water in. In the morning, finish with sun protection. Sun exposure can make the darker patches of pregnancy more noticeable, and a moisturiser with mineral UV filters covers both steps at once. Our guide to sunscreen in pregnancy explains the options.

When skin needs more than a good wash

Some skin changes deserve a doctor's look. See your doctor or a klinik kesihatan if you have painful, deep spots that leave marks, a rash that spreads or itches intensely, or itching on your palms and soles in late pregnancy, which can be a sign of a liver condition called obstetric cholestasis. Tell any doctor or pharmacist you are pregnant or breastfeeding before using a prescription skin product, since some acne treatments are not recommended in pregnancy.

A face wash made for this stage

We made the Mama's Choice Gentle Face Wash for exactly the skin described above. It is formulated for pregnancy and breastfeeding, and it is made without sulfates, parabens or perfume. That is why it foams less than most washes, and why it leaves your face feeling soft instead of squeaky.

Inside are rice extract and hydrolysed collagen extract, which help skin feel moisturised and look fresh, along with niacinamide. Mamas noticed the difference. In a Mama's Choice satisfaction survey of 128 mums in Indonesia (2022), 96% felt their skin was more moisturised and softer, and 83% felt their skin looked brighter after washing.

Use it with the massage in step 5, rinse with lukewarm water, then follow with the Daily Protection Face Moisturizer in the morning. It is a light, non-greasy moisturiser with SPF 20 PA++ from mineral UV filters (zinc oxide and titanium dioxide), with rice extract and hyaluronic acid to keep skin moisturised. In a Mama's Choice satisfaction survey of 103 mums in Indonesia (2022), 95% felt their skin was more moisturised and softer. Results vary from person to person.

Both come together in the 2 in 1 Face Care Package, halal certified by BPJPH, Indonesia. Buy it on Shopee or Lazada, or pick up the Gentle Face Wash on Shopee on its own.

Two minutes, twice a day. On the hardest days of pregnancy, that small routine is something just for you.