Pregnancy-Safe Beauty Products — As Seen On “Great Day Houston”

When you’ve got a bun in the oven, you want to be particularly cautious about everything that goes into your body — and while we mainly concern ourselves with what we eat and drink when we’re expecting, it’s important to be equally vigilant about the beauty products we use. After all, the skin is the body’s largest organ, and it absorbs all those ingredients in our skincare and hair care products — both good and bad. Generally speaking, natural beauty products are the safest way to go when expecting but, even then, you want to watch out for certain ingredients (some of which could be derived from natural ingredients) that are contraindicated during pregnancy: vitamin A (otherwise known as retinol) and beta hydroxy acids like salicylic acid are among those on the no-no list. To keep you looking and feeling fabulous while flaunting your baby bump, I recently stopped by “Great Day Houston” and discussed some fantastic and completely pregnancy-safe beauty products. Check out the segment above or click here to view it on KHOU.com.

Read on for the details on all the products seen on air!

JUICE BEAUTY GREEN APPLE PREGNANCY PEEL

Chances are that, by now, you’ve discovered the wonders of facial peels: how they brighten the skin, improve the skin’s texture, fade dark spots, minimize wrinkles, and more. That said, finding the right facial peel during pregnancy used to be a challenge. Luckily, that’s where Juice Beauty comes in!

Not only is Juice Beauty  known for its high-performance, plant-based, organic skincare formulations, but the brand’s founder, Karen Behnke, was actually inspired to create the company while pregnant with her first child at age 40. At the time, Behnke struggled to find pregnancy-safe skincare products that also effective, producing tangible results.  She decided to be the change she wanted to be in the world and, soon thereafter, Juice Beauty was created. In other words, Behnke can relate to the struggle pregnant women face when searching for skincare products — and she’s got you covered!

The Juice Beauty Green Apple Peel Pregnancy ($45 at JuiceBeauty.com) is one of the many products Juice Beauty offers that can facilitate a pampering experience for those with child. This exfoliating peel contains malic acid (an alpha hydroxy acid) derived from organic green apples, as well as vitamin C to brighten the complexion and stimulate collagen production. With this powerful peel, you can enjoy brighter, smoother, more youthful-looking skin — all without using retinol, a common ingredient in many a peel but one that can interfere with fetal development and lead to birth defects.

JUICE BEAUTY USDA CERTIFIED ORGANIC TREATMENT OIL

Consider this your do-it-all face and body oil. The Juice Beauty USDA Certified Organic Treatment Oil ($42 at JuiceBeauty.com) contains hydrating sunflower, olive, and jojoba oils, as well as fatty acid-rich borage, primrose, and and linseed oils; antioxidant-rich cranberry extract; and grape seed extract, a great source of resveratrol, which is known to have anti-aging benefits. You can apply the oil to your face after cleansing, mix 1-2 drops with your moisturizer for an added dose of nourishment, or massage it onto your baby bump and your hips to prevent stretch marks.

JUICE BEAUTY STEM CELLULAR ANTI-WRINKLE MOISTURIZER

If you’re looking for an anti-aging moisturizer that’s safe for you and the baby growing inside you, look no further than the Juice Beauty Stem Cellular Anti-Wrinkle Moisturizer ($70 at JuiceBeauty.com).This luxurious moisturizer contains vitamin C, which helps to fade dark spots, boost luminosity, and promote collagen synthesis; fruit stem cells that protect against sun damage and prevent wrinkles while also bolstering collagen production; and grape extract, a fantastic source of resveratrol.

Want to give these products a whirl? You can enjoy 20% off at JuiceBeauty.com when you enter the code HOUSTON20 at checkout.

BIOSSANCE SQUALANE + PROBIOTIC GEL MOISTURIZER

Many women find that their skin goes bonkers during pregnancy — maybe it’s drier than usual, they’re experiencing more frequent breakouts, or it’s more sensitive and easily irritated. Biossance, a clean beauty brand with a biotech background, has has a fantastic moisturizer for pregnant women whose skin is behaving erratically: the Biossance Squalane + Probiotic Gel Moisturizer ($52 at Sephora.com).

This weightless gel moisturizer contains probiotics that balance the skin’s microbiome and reduce any redness and irritation. It also contains Biossance’s sugarcane-derived squalane to hydrate the skin and lock in moisture. This moisturizer, then, soothes the skin, balances its moisture levels, and leaves the complexion brighter, so you’ll actually get to flaunt the pregnancy glow that was promised to you!

BIOSSANCE SQUALANE + TEA TREE BALANCING OIL

Yes, the hormonal changes that accompany pregnancy can lead to breakouts. And who wants to deal with that? It’s hard enough to cope with morning sickness, swollen feet and hands, and the urge to pee every 10 to 15 minutes! Luckily, you can clarify your complexion with the Biossance Squalane + Tea Tree Balancing Oil ($49 at Biossance.com, Sephora, and Sephora.com), which just launched in March.

This weightless balancing oil is infused with tea tree oil to reduce the appearance of blemishes and reduce pore size, as well as squalane oil to restore hydration to depleted skin, so it’s going to clear skin without over-drying it. It’s very gentle, and it doesn’t contain salicylic acid, retinoids, or other harsh chemicals that are contraindicated during pregnancy.

LIVE CLEAN DRY BODY OIL

Live Clean specializes in gentle and safe products for the whole family that contain only effective plant- and water-based ingredients with no sulfates, parabens, phosphates, phthalates, silicones, or dyes. Clearly, then, they’ve got quite a few must-haves for pregnant moms!

The Live Clean Dry Body Oil ($9.99 at HEB stores) features a blend of safflower oil and certified organic argan, avocado, sesame, jojoba and coconut oils, so it really helps to lock in moisture and leave skin soft and glow-y. It’s also great for reducing the appearance of stretch marks ( always a concern during pregnancy), healing wounds and fading scars.

LIVE CLEAN COCONUT MILK MOISTURIZING BODY LOTION

I’m a sucker for anything coconut-scented, so the Live Clean Coconut Milk Moisturizing Body Lotion (just $5.99 at HEB) makes me swoon. Featuring a 98% plant-derived formula, this lightweight body lotion can be used by pregnant and non-pregnant women alike, and it incorporates tropical coconut milk blended with nourishing apricot oil and enriched with vitamins C, E, and provitamin B5. Not only does it nourish and hydrate skin, but it smells heavenly!

SMITH & CULT NAIL LACQUERS

We all love getting out nails done, but here’s the thing: most nail polishes actually have a ton of harmful chemicals including formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, and toluene. Since you don’t want any of those ingredients entering your bloodstream (nor do you want to inhale them!), the safest bet is to look for polishes that are 8-free, meaning they’re free of 8 chemicals that have been flagged as potentially toxic.

Smith & Cult is a great brand with 8-free polishes in edgy and on-trend shades. The polishes retail for $18 each at SmithAndCult.com, and they deliver smooth coverage and mega-watt shine. The lacquers are also amazingly chip-resistant so you’ll be stunned by the lifespan of your mani!