When you’re pregnant, there is a long list of dos and don’ts. OBGYNs and midwives often focus on telling pregnant individuals what not to eat and household chemicals to avoid. However, they often completely skip over daily products that go right on our skin and are often unsafe, especially during pregnancy – our makeup and cosmetic products! There are toxic skincare ingredients to avoid when pregnant that are in our everyday personal products. 

These ingredients can be harmful to you and your baby. But, don’t panic! It’s never too late to switch to low and non-tox products. Here are the top harmful skincare ingredients you should avoid.

Toxic Skincare Ingredient #1: Phthalates 

Phthalates are used in a large variety of personal care products. They are a group of chemicals used to make plastics more durable. However, they are often used in cosmetics like hair spray, nail polish, shampoo, lotion, and cleansers. It’s in so many products because it’s commonly used as a solvent in fragrances. 

These chemicals are endocrine disruptors that can block hormones once absorbed in the skin. Studies have shown that phthalates may be a cause of infertility, not only for women but also for their offspring regardless of the baby’s gender. 

Although phthalates appear to be everywhere, their usage in personal products has decreased thanks to consumer awareness and need for cleaner products. Look out for products that list “fragrance” or “perfume” on the ingredients list. Most likely, that product has phthalates unless it’s otherwise noted that it is naturally scented with essential oils or extracts. Find cosmetics that say “Phthalate free” on the label. 

Toxic Skincare Ingredient to Avoid When Pregnant #2: Parabens

Parabens are chemicals often used as preservatives in cosmetics like makeup, skincare, moisturizers, shampoos, and baby products. When absorbed in the body, parabens can mimic estrogen making your body believe that there’s more of that hormone in your body. This can greatly disrupt your hormones and studies have shown parabens can increase your risk of breast cancer and disrupt your baby’s immune system and fetal growth. 

Luckily, though, a lot of personal care products are now paraben free. Look for products that specifically say that on the label and explore non-tox makeup companies like Ilia and Thrive Causemetics. 

Skincare Ingredient #3: Retinol

That’s right – put down the cream. Retinol is not recommended for use during pregnancy. It’s derived from vitamin A. Now, natural sources of vitamin A like dark leafy greens and your prenatal vitamin are safe to consume. But, when excess amounts of the vitamin build up in your body they can become toxic and instead of being eliminated by your body, it gets stored in your fatty tissue. These toxic amounts can cross the placenta and cause birth defects. 

Ditch the topical and oral retinol products for safer alternatives like all natural moisturizers with shea butter, green tea, or aloe vera. Some other alternatives include products with hyaluronic acid and glycolic acid. 

When it comes to you and your baby, you deserve products that will keep you both safe. There are lots of natural beauty companies with healthy products that don’t include any of these cosmetic ingredients to avoid during pregnancy.