Struggling to Find that Pregnancy Glow? Best Skin Products and Services for Soon-To-Be-Moms
Pregnancy is a magical and transformative experience in sooo many ways. And one of those ways is, of course, how pregnancy affects your body. It’s definitely not as simple as just “getting a baby bump,” as it involves so many internal changes that create a small, perfect human. While these transitions are very necessary, they can also be quite uncomfortable or unexpected, and will have you soon-to-be-mamas looking for solutions. If this sounds like you, then you’ve come to the right place. Grab your decaf tea and read on to learn Mint & Needle’s recommendations for you.
Skincare Ingredients You Should Avoid While Pregnant
We know you are tired of hearing things you can’t do while you’re pregnant, but your skin is a large and very absorbent part of your body. Because of that, it is important to be mindful of what ingredients you apply to your skin to ensure that you and your baby stay healthy.
One common skincare ingredient to avoid is retinoids, which are typically found in chemically-produced retinols of anti-aging products, because high doses have been linked to birth defects. While the likelihood of seeing any negative results from your average retinol product is low, it is still best practice to avoid.
Although hormonal acne may be making you want to swim in it, another skincare ingredient to be cautious about is salicylic acid. This ingredient is usually in products that target acne, and is fine in low doses while you are pregnant. High doses that are typically found in face peels or oral medication should be avoided.
Skincare Services You Should Avoid While Pregnant
Similar to what we said above, your body is a temple, especially when you’re pregnant, and it should be treated as such. Although you may be a skincare treatment regular, you may want to reconsider your treatment routine when you’re expecting.
One specific treatment to avoid when you’re a soon-to-be-mama is laser treatments. Many expecting moms notice their skin behaving differently than normal. One reason for this is because your body is producing more melanin, which can naturally cause your skin pigment to be temporarily and slightly changed. If you were to get laser treatments, your skin may react differently than normal and could cause a permanent discoloration of the skin. So, ultimately, we suggest you hold off on your laser treatments until after the baby is born.
And overall, we recommend avoiding any treatments that could cause pain or discomfort. These could include injections, microneedling, and (again) laser treatments. Pain causes a stress reaction within your body, which impacts both you and your baby. In order for you both to be happy and healthy, it is important for you to be relaxed and comfortable.
Products and Services You CAN Treat Yourself To
Now that we got the icky should not’s out of the way, let’s dive into how you CAN pamper yourself when expecting. We are going to do this by addressing the common skin concerns we hear from soon-to-be-mamas.
What Can Help Prevent and Treat Pregnancy Acne?
Although it is a pain, acne during pregnancy is super common because all of the new hormones your body is trying to balance out. To help treat and prevent this hormonal acne, we recommend our Clarifying Mask. This mask will minimize pores, control oil, and lock in the moisture that your skin is craving. The active ingredient in this mask is sulfur, which is safe to use during pregnancy and is an acne-fighting game changer as it breaks down acne bacteria. The Clarifying Mint Mask also gently exfoliates to help remove any dead skin cells and surface level bacteria, and the added ingredient of mint will leave your skin feeling very refreshed. We recommend using this mask once a week to best control and prevent breakouts.
What Can Help to Reduce My Fine Lines and Wrinkles?
As we mentioned earlier, retinoids are a common skincare ingredient that should be avoided when you are expecting. Unfortunately, retinoids are typically found in retinol products, which work very well to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. As an alternative, we suggest using our Vitamin C Serum, which is a great anti-aging product that does not contain retinoids and relies on natural vitamins to work their magic. This serum combines Vitamins C and E to provide a boost to collagen production, protect your skin from antioxidants, decrease the visibility of dark spots on the skin’s surface, and (of course) decrease the visibility of those pesky fine lines and wrinkles. We recommend using this product once or twice a day to see maximum results.
What Can Help to Address All of the Above?
If you are experiencing dull, acne-prone, and aged-looking skin all at once and are looking for a miracle cure, we’ve got you. We designed our service, the Minted Mama Facial, just for you. This facial is made for soon-to-be-mamas and is customized to meet your unique needs. Depending on what you’re looking to address, this facial may include a gentle cleanse, sea salt exfoliation or dermaplaning, and an oatmeal mask with steam. We will work to make sure that your skin is fully revitalized following this treatment, and you will get that glow that everyone is talking about.
What Can Help Reduce Stretch Marks AFTER Pregnancy?
First, we want to say that stretch marks are beautiful. They represent how powerful your body is, and its ability to bring a new human into the world. However, we also understand that sometimes they can make a new mama feel insecure. If you’re interested in reducing the appearance of your stretch marks after you give birth, then we recommend doing a Microneedling Treatment Series. Microneedling is a minimally invasive treatment that decreases stretch marks and rejuvenates the skin. We offer three different kinds of microneedling treatments, and you can read all about them in this blog post to determine which one would work best for you.
Pregnancy is a time of change and transformation in so many areas of life. We hope our recommendations help you to overcome any stress that a change in your skin may be causing, so you can focus on you and your growing family.
