Becoming a mother is a profound and transformative experience that brings immense joy and fulfillment. However, the postpartum period also comes with its own set of challenges, both physical and emotional. As a new mom, it's easy to get lost in the whirlwind of caring for your little one and forget about self-love. One of the first steps towards celebrating yourself is embracing the changes your body has undergone. Pregnancy and childbirth bring fluctuations in hormones, leading to shifts in skin texture and tone and hair loss.
When you’re pregnant, you’re constantly on the lookout for things that might harm your baby’s development. A safe pregnancy starts with avoiding harmful substances you put in your body. This includes things like cigarette smoke, alcohol, and high-mercury fish. But what about the things you put on your body, especially your skin?
If you’re already reading labels for the things that go into your body, take it a step further. Start checking the ingredient labels on the skincare and personal care products you put on your body/skin too.
Lets talk about safe skincare during and after pregnancy.
You don't need a complicated skin care routine. But some skin types may require more steps and products than others. Caring for your skin can improve your self-esteem and may slow signs of aging
How to Clean and Protect your skin! Healthy skin often starts with:
1. Cleanser- use a natural/organic cleanser twice a day with lukewarm water. If you are looking for a face wash for acne prone skin Beauty by Earth Natural Facial Cleanser is my favorite.It is completely natural which makes it perfect for pregnancy and postpartum. If you have sensitive to dry skin, oil cleansers are the best, they don't strip the skin of essential lipids and help retain moisture. This makes them suitable for all skin types, especially those prone to dryness and sensitivity.Tata Harper Nourishing Oil Cleanser is a great product, smells fabulous and will nourish your skin. I highly recommend it but It is little pricey. Great alternative is Coconut Milk & Honey Facial Cleanser by Foxbrim Naturals. It is gentle and moisturizing cleanser and affordable.
2. Exfoliator - Using a facial exfoliator with a little bit of grit feels really good on my acne-prone skin. Routine exfoliation can diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, reduce visible signs of sun damage, and boost the effectiveness of other skincare products, allowing them to penetrate deeper into the skin. Exfoliating with a natural scrub like the Eminence Charcoal Exfoliating Gel Cleanser, really brings your skin back to its glory days when it was as soft as a baby's butt. A little goes a long way, so it's worth the price! I suggest using an exfoliant no more than three times per week. When it comes to making recommendations for the skin, it’s always hard to generalize for all skin types but for most, two to three times per week is plenty. .If you don’t stay within this range, you could run the risk of over-exfoliating. Your skin needs a certain number of protective layers to stay healthy and retain moisture, over-exfoliating may be harming your skin more than you realize!
3. Moisturizer - Your new best friend for pregnancy and postpartum skincare is a natural ultra-hydrating moisturizer. The use of hyaluronic acid during and after pregnancy is considered safe and can be used liberally. Long-term use of hyaluronic acid moisturizers on your skin can improve overall skin health. It's also great for helping improve overall skin flexibility and elasticity meaning it makes your skin smoother and softer. Adding collagen to your postpartum skincare routine can provide needed support to your skin cells to help boost collagen production and support the regeneration of new skin cells.
Retinol is one of the skin-care ingredients that experts recommend that pregnant women stay away from. It is also not advised to use retinol while breastfeeding. Benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid are ingredients best to avoid during pregnancy. Many of the commonly used acne creams contain combinations of these acids to manage acne.
I have looked for the perfect face cream for years and none of the store-bought brands made any difference on my skin. Even with my oily/combination skin, my skin felt dry, and I started getting lines around my mouth. I decided to do a long research and experiment with making a homemade face cream for myself. At first, I thought buying a less expensive somewhat natural product and adding moisturizing ingredients to make the product more powerful will be the way to go, but that didn't work. This is why in 2017 i decided to formulate and create my own natural formula. After few years of perfecting the formula i created ROSE Day+Night Miracle Face Cream by BPure, that is 100% natural, using mostly organic ingredients (some cosmetic ingredients can't be organic, but still have natural origin). I've been using this face cream for the last five years and i noticed a huge difference in the tone and texture of my skin. Taking our beauty practices back to basics – or back to nature – has proven that our skin craves the gentle and nourishing benefits of organic, plant-based ingredients. While you may be skeptical now, making the switch will have a big impact on your skin’s appearance over time. Creating this non-toxic product made from organic ingredients is my way of helping my family and you live a clean lifestyle. Instead of the toxic options so commonly found in the beauty aisle, you can rest assured that this product will benefit your skin. I used it during and after my pregnancy. It is suitable for all skin type – oily, dry, combination or acne prone skin like mine. I have a separate blog that lists and explains all the ingredients I used. Click here if you are interested to learn more about ROSE Day+Night Miracle Face Cream by BPure.
4. Lip Balm - When it comes to lip balms, choosing the right one can make a significant difference for your lips. Chapped lips are inevitable during the chilly season, in the summer from the sun or if we don't drink enough water. Rather than using the same basic lip balm from high school, level up your beauty routine and swipe on an organic lip balm free of harmful chemicals. So, if you're ready to opt for a cleaner, greener lip formula, then you're in luck, our BPure 100% Organic Hemp Lip Balm is toxins free without compromising on hydrating your lips and ensure they're flake-free with regular use. Every ingredient we use is 100% certified organic. Unfortunately, being a small business, we are unable at this time to become USDA certified because of the cost involved. We are sure you will love our lip balm and as a family-owned business in Nanuet, NY, your satisfaction is our absolute guarantee.
5. Body Lotions and Scrub- Body creams and lotions with Shea butter help hydrate our postpartum bellies—and hydrated skin helps minimize the appearance of stretch marks, can also help skin appear firmer and more even. The METABLESSED Organic Oatmeal Lotion is very silky and not greasy, with a very pleasant mild scent. It has anti-inflammatory properties, oat gently calms and nurtures irritated and sensitive skin, providing instant hydration, leaving your skin feeling silky smooth. For our pregnant bellies my favorite oil is Earth Mama Belly Oil for Dry Skin. This light and easily absorbable body oil is vegan and Leaping Bunny Certified. You can use it on your belly, breasts, hips… everywhere. Formulated with organic borage oil, organic jojoba oil, and orange blossom pure essential oil to moisturize and help increase skin's natural elasticity during pregnancy and postpartum care. Earth Mama Belly Butter is another great option for Pregnancy and Postpartum Recovery. I really love this even for a regular moisturizer. It keeps the skin soft and moisturized, and i still use it today.
We often think of exfoliation as being just for the face, but the rest of your body needs exfoliation, too. Gentle scrub that contains environmentally friendly materials that naturally dissolve as you massage them into skin will leave your skin on your body fresh, healthy-looking and bump-free. My favorite body scrub is Beauty by Earth Organic Vanilla Coconut Sugar Scrub, it smooths rough, dry skin but at the same time moisturizes too and gets rid of bumps. I highly recommend it.
6. Deodorant - Aluminum-Free Deodorants are much safer than the Antiperspirants that contain aluminum salts. Aluminum-free deodorants allow your body to sweat naturally, which is process of detoxification. There are benefits to switching to a more natural deodorant, but if you have been using and aluminum-based antiperspirant, there can be an adjustment/detox period. I have the most sensitive armpits, i can't use aluminum deodorants. Truvani Aluminum Free Organic Deodorant is legit the only deodorant i have found that doesn't break me out in a rash and is still effective. It works all day for me even after a long walk or workout. I have tried so many natural deodorants but this by far is the only one that works for me. Click here to see more Deodorant options that are natural.
7. Hair Care - It's no secret that our hair changes a lot with pregnancy. if you’ve begun to see some postpartum shedding, you’ll want to show your scalp some love. Postpartum hair loss is a common occurrence for new mothers. It can be a stressful and frustrating experience, but luckily there are products available to help this issue. Volumizing Shampoo made shedding look not so obvious for me, especially because i already had thin hair to begin with, but it's important to choose a shampoo that is gentle and won't further damage already fragile hair. The one I've been using is the EVOLVh - Natural InstaVolume Cleansing Treatment and i absolutely love it. Another shampoo and conditioner that is really good is INNERSENSE Organic Beauty - Natural Pure Harmony Hairbath Shampoo and INNERSENSE Organic Beauty - Natural Pure Inspiration Daily Conditioner .
Nutrafol has Postpartum Hair Growth Supplements that you can take to help shedding after giving birth. I personally didn't use them, and received mixed reviews when i talked to moms who took it. Some seen improvement, some didn't.
Trimming your hair also helps a little, that's what i did. Hair treatments might help, but honestly in my opinion after talking to so many new moms it seems that nothing really helps, or a makes a huge difference, unfortunately we just have to pass through that period. After few months your hair will start growing and be back to normal. It is recommended to continue taking your prenatal vitamins too.
And lastly don't forget to speak to your doctor before taking any supplements.
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