Editor’s Pick: Our Favorite Skin Care Brands for Expecting Moms and Baby

Considering the seasoned beauty junkie you are (or were), things might have changed when you found out you were pregnant. This marks a time when even the most devoted beauty addict has to slow down and take stock of what she puts on her skin, because what’s okay for mom might not be best for baby. The careful consideration that goes into choosing a product doesn’t end with childbirth. A newborn’s delicate skin requires the gentlest of products and ingredients.

During a sensitive time like pregnancy, it pays to scrutinize your favorite brand’s ingredients or change your staples altogether. Dr. Fayne Frey, MD, FAAD, board-certified dermatologist and founder of FryFace, advises that products containing “vitamin A derivatives, like tretinoin (a prescription product) and its relatives, like retinol and retinaldehyde (found in over-the-counter products) should be avoided as they are known teratogens” (implicated in birth defects).

“Avoiding self-tanners while pregnant is also advised as DHA (dihydroxyacetone), the ingredient used in these products is usually aerosolized and may find its way into the maternal bloodstream by being inhaled,” Dr. Frey adds.

And don’t hastily rely on the tricks of old practices. For instance, talcum powder was used to keep baby bottoms dry for generations, but has been revealed to be unsafe. “There have been some studies (that show that) talc powder can be breathed in through the lungs,” says New Jersey-based ob-gyn Dr. Fares Diarbakerli MD, FACOG.

If you're looking for an easy strategy for building out your new regimen, natural is always best, advises Dr. Diarbakerli, especially those containing coconut oil or cocoa butter. “Mother nature made lots of natural goodies to wash and moisturize with,” she says.

Need more ideas for safe baby and mom skin care products? Count on these reliable brands for the needs of both mom and your little one.

1. The Organic Pharmacy Rose Jasmine Body Oil (100 ml.)

The Organic Pharmacy Rose Jasmine Body Oil (100 ml.)

5 reviews

$66.00

COMING SOON

Founded by a pharmacist, The Organic Pharmacy was launched to address different skin concerns through the use of organic ingredients. All of the products are non-toxic and free of artificial colors and preservatives.

2. COOLA Mineral Body Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 - Fragrance-Free (5 oz.)

COOLA Mineral Body Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 - Fragrance-Free (5 oz.)

17 reviews

$36.00

QUICK BUY

California-based brand Coola offers products for babies and adults that are natural, organic and sustainable. Their sunscreens are free of potentially aggravating ingredients as well as ones that could be bad for the environment. Case in point: the Mineral Baby Moisturizer Organic SPF 50 Unscented offers non-irritating physical broad-spectrum sun protection from zinc oxide, as well as nourishment for delicate baby skin thanks to organic shea butter, avocado oil and sesame seed.

3. Weleda Nourishing Face Cream (1.7 fl. oz.)

Weleda Nourishing Face Cream (1.7 fl. oz.)

12 reviews

$14.49

COMING SOON

If you’re concerned about what you’re putting on your skin while pregnant---or what you’re using on your baby once they’re born---then Weleda is definitely a brand worth checking out. All of their products rely on natural formulas sans chemicals, synthetic fragrances, chemicals and preservatives. For tiny tykes in particular, the Nourishing Face Cream is a dream. With ingredients like calendula flower extract, sesame seed oil and lanolin, this hydrating cream curbs redness and irritation while keeping your skin feeling oh-so-soft.