There are some things that you just shouldn’t do while you’re pregnant. I tried to be pretty relaxed about most things while pregnant, but I also had about 5 million questions when it came to what parts of my beauty routine I could keep the same, and what I had to change. Basically I asked my OB about everything and googled the rest, and this is what I decided to keep and cut while pregnant.
If you want to know more about the specific products I used to cure hormonal acne and avoid stretch marks while pregnant, you can also read about that in this post on my pregnancy skincare routine.
Pregnancy Safe Beauty Products: Cut the Chemicals
There are chemicals in basically everything we put in or on our bodies, so I’m not saying cut everything out. However, there were a lot of things that I did cut out or exchange for cleaner items – you can read exactly what I used in this post on my pregnancy skincare routine.
For example, using chemical teeth whiteners is not recommended, and same goes for anything that involves chemical procedures like Botox or fillers (disclaimer: I have not done botox or fillers anyway, but if that’s part of your routine you should plan to pause for a few months). If you want more info on what is recommended as being safe to use while pregnant, check out my post on the absolute best pregnancy resources – all of these have great info on what you should do and what you avoid.
Pregnancy Safe Beauty Products: Can You Dye Your Hair While Pregnant?
This was one of my biggest questions when I got pregnant, since I usually touch up my highlights every 2 months or so (my hair is naturally dark blonde/light brown). Some people recommend not dying your hair while pregnant, but the research is pretty divided on the topic and I couldn’t find anything that showed that dying hair is proven to be harmful during pregnancy. I personally continued dying my hair while pregnant during both pregnancies, and I think it was a good decision.
The biggest risk is if you’re dying your hair yourself and have higher odds of getting dye on your face or hands, which means more exposure to chemicals. If you’re going to a salon and they are professionally applying the dye, the risk of that happening is pretty minimal.
Pregnancy Safe Beauty Products: Can You Get Your Nails Done While Pregnant?
I definitely continued to do acrylic/gel nails while pregnant, although I did find that my nails grew faster and I had to do them a little closer together than I normally would. The main concern again is if you have a lot of exposure to harsh chemicals that you are breathing, but that risk is really only considered to be an issue for people who work in nail salons every day. If you go once or twice a month for a mani/pedi, you’re probably fine.
One thing I did notice is that during my first pregnancy, my nails were a lot more brittle than normal and I actually had to remove my acrylic nails at around 7 months because it was driving me crazy having to go back to the salon all the time to get them touched up when they would chip. I’m sure that’s different for every person, but I personally took them off and switched to gel a few months before giving birth.
Pregnancy Safe Beauty Products: Can I Get a Lash Lift or Use Lash Growth Serum While Pregnant?
I don’t know that it’s something you can’t do, but I saw on several lash companies’ websites that they don’t recommend lash lifts for pregnant women. Same goes for lash growth serums – I’m not sure if it’s an issue of safety or just an assumption that it wouldn’t work correctly, but overall it seems like the lash community says this is a no-go while pregnant.
Overall, you’ll probably find that your hair and nails are growing faster during pregnancy, thanks to those trusty pre-natal vitamins. Skipping out on a lash serum wasn’t a big deal for me, because I felt like my lashes were looking long and healthy while pregnant anyway.
Pregnancy Safe Beauty Products: Can I Tan While Pregnant?
I used a sunless tanner while pregnant, and I always was outside during the summer time. That being said, pregnancy definitely makes your skin more susceptible to sun damage, so if you’re out in the sun I would definitely make sure to wear at least SPF 30, especially on your face.
Pregnancy Safe Beauty: Can I Keep Working Out While Pregnant?
YES. Don’t even get me started on how strongly I feel about working out while pregnant, which not only helps you feel better, it’s also healthier and is thought to help you have a better labor and recovery. You can read more in these posts on the pregnancy HIIT workouts I did and my pregnancy fitness routine. I think staying in shape while pregnant was also a huge reason why I was able to lose 25lbs in 2 weeks after having a baby.
One thing to keep in mind is that your body has a lot of more fluids while pregnant, meaning that you need to be even better about drinking water and staying hydrated in general, and especially if you’re planning to work out. I try to drink at least 8-10 glasses of water every day while pregnant, and it makes a big difference in how I feel overall and how successful my workouts are (with the downside being that you have to pee every 5 minutes). This post has a lot more on ways I trick myself into drinking more water.
A side note about working out while pregnant – obviously don’t try activities that include a risk of falling (like snowboarding or horseback riding), since that could hurt both you and the baby. I have also read that you shouldn’t try to implement any new, really intense workout regimes – aka if you have never tried cross fit and are considering starting in your second trimester, it might not be the best time.
Another thing that was really crucial for me while pregnant was to make sure that I was building both good beauty and good lifestyle habits, so that I was eating healthy, being active and preparing my body for having a baby (and recovering after). I honestly think it’s all about lifestyle and not a fad diet or extreme measures – moderation is key.
Losing weight while pregnant is definitely not the goal, but setting up lifestyle habits that are healthy will definitely help you prepare for birth and to lose the baby weight afterwards. If you want to know more about the lifestyle changes I made a few years ago that help me stay at my goal weight (and have clear skin), you can download that below.