5 Ways to Support Your Skin Health During Pregnancy

Pregnancy is this magical mystical time where your uterus goes from the size of a walnut to one of those large purses people carry tiny dogs in. We call that magical, right?

And while there’s a lot happening on the inside: growing babe, shifting organs, widening pelvis and hips, and ebbing and flowing hormones, your skin is also going through some major changes.

40 (ish) weeks is a very fast timeline to accommodate such drastic changes to the body, so the skin is really pushed to the limits. While there’s no way to guarantee you won’t experience dry itchy skin as your belly grows or get stretch marks, there are some really simple things you can do in your daily routine to support skin health.

5 Easy Ways to Support Your Skin During Pregnancy

1. Stay hydrated: Pregnant women need approximately 100oz of water per day. Keep it interesting by adding fresh citrus or herbs to your water bottle or drinking herbal teas.

2. Nourish your body. Focus on eating plenty of brightly colored fruits and vegetables (which are high in antioxidants!), drinking bone broth and eating slow-cooked, grassfed meats. Bone broth and slow-cooked meats are rich in collagen and the amino acid glycine both which support connective tissue in the body!

3. Avoid skin irritants and toxic ingredients. Say buhbye to fragrance/parfum, SLS/SLES, phthalates, parabens and benzalkonium chloride. These are common additives in skincare and make-up that are known skin irritants, allergen triggers, endocrine disrupters, and may cause birth defects. (1)

4. Dry brush and exfoliate. Dry brushing stimulates the lymphatic system which is one of the way the body removes cellular waste. (2) Dry brushing also sloughs away dead skin cells, stimulates digestion, boosts energy, and honestly just feels nice. Goop has a great article on how to dry brush!

5. Reduce stress. Skin health is a barometer for what’s happening on the inside of the body. Our skin is one of the body’s detox pathways. Our liver and adrenals are already working at full capacity during pregnancy, so when we are bogged down by additional stress it can show up as hormonal breakouts, eczema flares and more. Try incorporating deep breathing breaks throughout the day as a way to keep those stress levels in check.

My Prenatal Skincare Routine

• WATER. As in I drink a boatload of water each day. Adequate hydration is key for keeping skin elastic, bright, and vibrant. I start my day off with a large glass of cool water with a pinch of pink salt and splash of apple cider vinegar to balance my electrolytes first thing. From there I sip on about 100oz+ of plain water, herbal tea or infused waters throughout the day.

• COLLAGEN PEPTIDES. I add two scoops of vital proteins collagen to my coffee or tea everyday. One of the best supplements to support tissue is collagen. You can also find collagen in bone broth and slow cooked meats.

• DAILY DRY BRUSHING. I have a soft bristle brush and exfoliator that I use each morning before I get dressed for the day. It wakes me up and gets my body and mind ready to roll!

• CHARCOAL CLEANSING BAR. I’ve used this on my face and body for a solid year now, but it’s been especially nice this pregnancy. I spend a lot of time outside and the charcoal helps clear out my pores. The green tea helps brighten and coconut oil keeps my face super soft. It’s also great for the random hormonal breakout that pregnancy gifts.

• COUNTERMATCH ADAPTIVE BODY LOTION. Okay pregnancy– belly grows, skin stretches, and since I’m not Gumby this can be a little uncomfortable. I’ve been using this adaptive body lotion to keep my skin moisturized and reduce discomfort and itching on my stretching belly.

• EVERYTHING SPRAY with Magnesium from Primally Pure. I use this spray as a toner and as part of my nighttime routine. It’s nice for calming inflamed skin. Magnesium is also excellent before bed as it naturally calms the body and helps with sleep.

• COUNTERMATCH ADAPTIVE FACE MOISTURIZER. This is my go to face moisturizer. My skin has become extra sensitive during pregnancy and with shifting hormones, I appreciate the literal adaptive feature of this moisturizer. Call it voodoo magic, but this moisturizer actually works over the course of 24hrs to keep your skin at optimal hydration levels.

1. https://www.beautycounter.com/the-never-list
2. https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/02/24/dry-skin-brushing.aspx