When women found out they're pregnant, one of the things they would think of is their appearance or basically the question: "Can pregnant still wear makeup?" There's no question about it: finding out your pregnant changes literally everything, ranging from diet, clothing size, and even makeup. The common advice in terms of preggies wearing makeup is consulting your OBGYN or dermatologists if you have certain questions about the ingredients found in your favorite cosmetic brands, per Walnut Hill OBGYN.
Nathaniel DeNicola, M.D., Fellow of The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists or FACOG, and an OBGYN based in Washington DC says that changes also happen in your skin, thus, as soon as you get that positive pregnancy test, you may want to reevaluate your regular makeup routine considering that almost anything you apply, may it be on your skin or not, could potentially be transferred to the fetus during a critical window of human development.
Although there's not a ton of evidence to suggest that exposure to certain ingredients in makeup can cause harm to a baby, some cosmetics can contain certain toxins that may affect fetal health and are linked with a range of potential complications such as neuro-developmental delays, low birth weight, preterm birth, and cancer that can occur during childhood or later in life.
"Potentially harmful ingredients aren't always marked on labels"
Frankly, getting pregnant does not automatically make you an expert in cosmetology, thus, ensure to discuss these matters with a healthcare provider if you have any certain doubts about what the product contains. Natalia Grob, M.D., FACOG, and an OBGYN and fertility specialist based in Denver, Colorado, says that the burden falls on the consumer to do the work to determine and identify what are the (possible) safest options.
Lindsey Zubritsky, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist based in Mississippi says that pregnancy varies, as well as the skin and hair changes pregnant women may experience, these could range from differences in nail and hair growth, irritation, skin dryness, and acne fluctuations to eczema flare-ups. Many expectant moms experience skin discoloration, thus, they immediately become sensitive to certain makeups.
Tiffany Clay, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist based in Atlanta, Georgia, told What to Expect that most cosmetic and skincare products have more ingredients that are not safe for pregnant moms. Moreover, potentially harmful ingredients aren't always clearly marked on labels and most products have active ingredients for fine acne that pregnant individuals cannot use like retinol. Retinoids including their derivatives may pose a risk for birth defects and could also potentially be dangerous to fetal development, thus, experts suggest not using them.
Makeup ingredients to avoid while pregnant
Marisa Garshick, M.D., Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology or FAAD, and a dermatologist at Manhattan Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery Centers and clinical assistant professor of dermatology at New York Presbyterian-Cornell says that fortunately the majority of ingredients found in makeups and can be bought from drug and department stores are considered safe to use even during pregnancy.
Expert says to avoid makeup that contains ingredients phthalates, parabens, heavy metals, oxybenzone, salicylic acid, and retinol. Dr. DeNicola says that expectant moms should carefully look at makeup ingredients because they don't go through testing, unlike drugs that go through the Food and Drug Administration, per Very Well Family.
Adding that even though the product got an A in AP Chemistry, labeling is tricky to navigate considering that harmful ingredients are not always listed. Basically, makeup products are considered safe if it does not contain the aforementioned ingredients.
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