The Best Skin-Care Products to Use While Pregnant (and Nursing)

Cleansers can be effective for treating skin issues like acne and hyperpigmentation — you’ll just want to leave them on the skin for at least 60 seconds so actives like glycolic acid have time to interact with skin. While many acids need to be used sparingly during pregnancy, glycolic acid is relatively low-risk and thus safe for skin. Dermatologist Dr. Janklow Libby says a concentration of less than ten percent falls within the okay-to-use range, and helps to exfoliate, speed up cell turnover, and treat and prevent acne. Libby likes glycolic acids in face wash form, which she describes as “short contact therapy” — meaning it only spends a limited amount of time on the skin as opposed to a serum or moisturizer, which doesn’t wash off. Her favorite product for this is the Glytone Mild Cleanser.

So, if you can’t use retinoids or salicylic acids, what you can use? The answer is azelaic acid. Although typically prescribed by doctors (under the name Finacea, for example), azelaic acid can be found over the counter. All eight of my experts recommend the ingredient: It works by killing bacteria found in pores and decreasing the body’s production of keratin. Michelle Park of Washington Square Dermatology says azelaic acid makes a fantastic substitute for retinoids as “it helps clear redness and acne, as well as decrease pigment production, so it helps with the dark marks that acne can leave behind.” MacGregor agrees, noting that “azelaic acid has a subtle brightening effect.” One formula I particularly like comes from the Ordinary. It’s creamy and was recommended to me by two dermatologists.

Active ingredients: Niacinamide, zinc | Price point: 1 ounce ($6.50/ounce)

For a niacinamide treatment, Fishman recommends a treatment from The Ordinary. (Park; Dr. Nava Greenfield of Brooklyn’s Schweiger Dermatology Group; and Dr. Yoon-Soo Cindy Bae, a clinical assistant professor at New York University who also works at the Laser and Skin Surgery Center of New York, also agree that sulfur-based products are safe to use to treat acne while pregnant or breastfeeding.)

If you want cheaper serum with hyaluronic acid to use on extra-dry skin during pregnancy or while breastfeeding, I recommend the Ordinary’s Hylauronic Acid with B5. Their formula has recently been updated to absorb into the skin without leaving a tacky residue. (I used the old version on-and-off for four years, this reformulation is heaps better.)

Dermatologist and mom of two Dr. Zena Willsmore invested in this vitamin-C serum when she had to pause her daily retinoid use while trying to conceive. She appreciates the “addition of vitamin E and ferulic acid in this serum” and its non-tacky texture. Park trusts this formula the most: “I always stick with Skinceuticals CE Ferulic acid for its efficacy and the research they have put into their product,” she says. And Bae also recommends Skinceuticals’ vitamin-C serum for hyperpigmentation, dark spots, and discoloration. And, to further support its worthiness, I should note that this took the title of best overall vitamin-C serum when I talked to dermatologists about their favorites.

If you’re missing the anti-aging properties of retinol, peptides could be the next best thing, says consultant dermatologist and mother Dr. Justine Kluk. She says that peptides act as “messengers,” sending signals to the skin to produce more collagen or elastin. She layers on the “lightweight, nongreasy” Medik8 serum at night, after cleansing, noting that it’s easy to tolerate even on the more delicate skin near your eyes. “It’s also very hydrating, so I hardly ever needed to use a separate moisturizer afterwards.” Fellow dermatologist Dr. Adrienne O’Connell also recommends Medik8 Liquid Peptides to her pregnant patients and says that peptides are advisable to use for anyone, not just pregnant women.

As mentioned above, hyaluronic acid is one of my favorite hydrating ingredients. So I always advise finding a moisturizer that includes it as well as using it in serum form. Neutrogena’s gel cream is Park’s (and, incidentally, our beauty hobbyist Buzz Bissinger’s) go-to pick for an affordable moisturizer that gets the job done. Formulated with hyaluronic acid, she says “it has a lot of benefits, including moisturizing and fighting fine lines,” adding that “it’s just an overall great moisturizer.”

In addition to using the above products, the dermatologists we spoke with also noted that keeping out of direct sunlight — or regularly using a mineral sunscreen (or a moisturizer with SPF) if you’re exposed to it — will help keep skin issues at bay while pregnant or breastfeeding. In fact, Greenfield told me that “strict sun avoidance” is one of the most important things you can do to prevent hyperpigmentation, dark spots, and discoloration. That means wearing “protective clothing, a hat, and a broad spectrum mineral/physical sunscreen such as EltaMD Pure.” The brand is generally beloved by derms (it took the top spot in our list of best sunscreens for the face), and MacGregor notes that EltaMD’s tinted sunscreens with SPF 41 or SPF 44 are a good option if you’re looking for one that functions more like a tinted moisturizer. Park, dermatologist Dr. Arielle Nagler, and Waldman also stress using a mineral sunscreen (which typically contain zinc oxide and titanium dioxide as their main active ingredients) over a chemical one, as mineral formulations sit on the surface of skin to block UV rays, where chemical ones seep into skin and suck UV rays in before reflecting them.

Fishman finds that C-section scars can often become hypertrophic — meaning that they become raised and red in color. If you want a treatment to help soothe that redness, Dr. Fishman recommends silicone sheets. Robinson agrees, and explains that silicone works well as it “mimics our skin barrier and it really helps to lock and trap moisture.”