Reading a skincare label in pregnancy: what matters

Much of the advice online sorts everything into "natural, so fine" and "chemical, so dangerous".

Water is a chemical. Poison ivy is natural. A more useful way to sort a label is by what the evidence supports, ingredient by ingredient.

Aloe vera

Generally fine. Aloe vera on the skin can be used through pregnancy.

One correction worth making: the percentage of aloe printed on the front tells you little about a product. What matters is the whole formula and what sits alongside the aloe.

Aloe helps skin hold on to moisture, and well-moisturised skin looks fresher. That is the plain truth behind the "glow" claims.

Fragrance

Often worth avoiding, mostly for your own comfort.

Your sense of smell has probably sharpened, and strong scents can suddenly turn your stomach. If a product leaves you with a headache or nausea, switch to a fragrance-free one.

Fragrance is also one of the most common causes of irritation on skin that has become more reactive in pregnancy.

Water-based formulas

Neither good nor bad in themselves.

Water-based products carry little oil and rely on moisture-holding ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, which is why they feel light on oily skin in humid weather.

A water base says nothing about what else is in the bottle, though. A water-based product with a retinoid in it is still a retinoid product, so keep reading down the list.

Phthalates

Worth avoiding.

Phthalates are a group of chemicals used to soften plastics and to carry scent in fragrance blends. Studies have linked exposure before birth to effects on hormone development.

They rarely appear by name. Usually they sit inside the single word "fragrance" or "parfum", which is one more reason fragrance-free is simpler to judge.

Retinoids and strong acids

These are the ones with a clearer case for leaving out during pregnancy.

Retinoids such as retinol, retinyl palmitate, tretinoin and adapalene. Tablets such as isotretinoin can cause birth defects, and doctors advise stopping creams too, as a precaution.

High-strength salicylic acid, especially in peels. Low amounts in a face wash you rinse off are generally considered fine.

Hydroquinone, used to lighten dark patches. Bozzo and colleagues note that 35% to 45% of it is absorbed through the skin, so it is usually left until after pregnancy. In Malaysia a cream containing it is a pharmaceutical product that must be registered, and it is not allowed in cosmetics.

Everything else

Whether an ingredient matters depends on which one, how much, in what formula, and how much your skin absorbs.

Parabens, alcohol and mineral oil appear on most avoid-lists. At the levels allowed in cosmetics they have not been shown to cause harm, and plenty of mothers leave them out anyway as a personal choice. That is a fair choice to make, and it does not require calling them toxins.

What makes the biggest difference

Sorting ingredients is the smaller part of this. What you do every day matters more.

Sun protection every morning. Dark patches on the face in pregnancy are hormonal, and sun makes them darker. In Malaysia that applies every day of the year.

A gentle cleanser, twice a day. Washing more often can leave skin dry and easier to irritate.

A moisturiser you will actually use. Usually that means one that feels comfortable in the heat, rather than one with the longest list.

One new product at a time, patch tested on your inner arm for a day or two.

Our face routine

Mama's Choice Gentle Face Wash is a soft gel cleanser with rice extract, niacinamide and hydrolysed collagen. It is made without sulfates, parabens or fragrance. In a Mama's Choice satisfaction survey of 128 mothers in Indonesia (2022), 96% said their skin felt more moisturised and softer.

Daily Protection Face Moisturizer SPF 20 PA++ gives you moisturiser and sun protection in one light step. It is water-based, with hyaluronic acid and rice extract, and its UV filters are zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, the mineral kind. SPF 20 PA++ is medium protection, so reapply when you are out, and do not stay too long in the sun even while using a sunscreen product.

Both are formulated for pregnancy and breastfeeding, dermatologically tested and halal certified by BPJPH, Indonesia. You can buy them together as the 2 in 1 Face Care Package. Every ingredient we use is explained in our ingredient dictionary.

Ask a doctor rather than a label

• If your acne is bad enough that you would otherwise want a prescription
• If a rash is spreading, or very itchy
• If you have severe itching with no rash, especially on your palms and soles and worse at night. It can be a sign of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy, so call your doctor or klinik kesihatan the same day
• If you are unsure whether to carry on with something prescribed before pregnancy

For prescribed medicines in particular, stopping without asking can cause problems of its own. That question belongs with the doctor who prescribed it.