Congratulations are in order! You've taken the test and shared the news, now you're tasked with prepping your body— and your life—for a baby. Fortunately, pre-natal vitamins and your body will do the majority of the work naturally, but when it comes to skincare and general beauty treatments, you may be surprised to discover that your beauty regimen may no longer be suitable once you're 'expecting.' As luck would have it and contrary to popular belief, not all pregnant women get "the glow." In fact, for some, pregnancy proves to be more like a recap of adolescence without the Proactive. For the mommy-to-be who is re-working her routine, here are three things you can expect along the way and a few tips to get you over the 9-month beauty bump.
1. Your skin didn't get the memo to glow.
It is possible that the long awaited pregnancy glow will be a no-show, or it may make a brief appearance and then go ghost. Instead, it may be replaced by dry, even patchy skin. While the pregnancy glow is attributed to the influx in blood circulation and oil production, which results in softer texture and improved tone, some women's skin may become drier. To combat this, witch to a non-saop cleanser, and consider hydrating your skin using an essential oil, facial mist, or oil-free moisturizer like Juice Beauty SPF 30 Oil-Free Moisturizer.
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2. Melasma— a fancy term for those dark patches and spots that may pop up everywhere.
As your estrogen levels rise, so too will your production of melanin. Translation: your complexion may be a little richer in some places than usual— not that sun-kissed, weekend in St. Barth's kind or rich— think: splotchy uneven patches. Other areas may darken too; this includes freckles, your areolas, and that dark line that often appears down the center of the belly, the linea nigra. The good news is that it's temporary, and you can expect that to be gone once you deliver the baby. Melanin-rich women are more prone to experience melasma during pregnancy, but to mask the dreaded "pregnancy mask," you have a few options: Even-out your skin tone using a complimentary foundation or concealer and blend well. Chances are, you won't need full coverage; if this is the case, spot treat with a concealer or create your own tinted moisturizer with a little bit of foundation. And, of course, load up on SPF.
3. Pregnancy Acne. Yes, it's a thing.
A surge in progesterone means increased oil production, which leads to clogged pores and— you guessed it— acne! The down side is that your typical peroxide and salicylic acid-based products are no longer an option during pregnancy, retinoids are harmful for the baby so those are out too. Instead, opt for sulfur-based products like Mario Badescu Drying Cream.
For makeup, you want to be sure that your cosmetics are non-comedogenic, hypoallergenic and oil-free.
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