What to Expect’s Pregnancy-Safe Beauty Award Winners 2024: A Gentle Retinol Alternative, Hydrating Eye Cream and More

Between charcuterie, sushi and your favorite cocktail, it sometimes seems like pregnancy is a long list of things you can’t have. And it’s not limited to what you put in your body — your skin can potentially absorb certain chemicals from cosmetics, prescription skincare products and self-care items that could pose risks to prenatal or fetal health.

"The skin is a good barrier for keeping the bad things out and letting the good things in," says Amy Wechsler, MD, a New York City-based dermatologist. "It’s not like you’re eating it. But during pregnancy, we are very cautious."

To give yourself some peace of mind (which is crucial to many moms-to-be to reduce their pregnancy anxieties) you may want to swap your go-tos for the best pregnancy-safe skincare and beauty products.

It’s important to not only focus on prohibited ingredients: You should also look for products designed to be extra nourishing and beneficial for pregnant people who may experience things like itchy skin, stretch marks or acne. And you may also want some products that allow a little extra pampering during this period, like a luxe face serum or cheek balm that makes you glow.

We know that wading through all of these labels to determine which beauty products get the green light for pregnancy can just add to your long list of things to do before baby arrives. With help from our community of parents and expert guidance from dermatologists, we did the work for you by vetting and reviewing a comprehensive list of the best beauty products to use during pregnancy — and we're giving them a shoutout in the third annual What to Expect Pregnancy-Safe Beauty Awards.

How We Chose the What to Expect Pregnancy-Safe Beauty Award Winners

We started by combing through the What to Expect message boards to flag beauty products moms and moms-to-be are buzzing about. Once we gathered an extensive list of beauty products, we asked thousands of moms and moms-to-be in our What to Expect parent community to vote on their favorites. This included everything from pimple patches that are free from harsh chemicals to a light, non-crunchy hairspray that won’t make you gag. More than 16,800 total votes were cast for the best-of-the-best skincare, makeup, hair and body care products.

From there, each product was vetted by Robin Schaffran, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist practicing both pediatric and adult dermatology in Beverly Hills, California and member of the What to Expect Medical Review Board to ensure all of the ingredients are safe for prenatal use. Per her guidance, we ensured products were free from these ingredients that are potential red flags during pregnancy:

• Retinoid/retinol products
• Hydroquinone
• 2% salicylic acid
• Glycolic acid with over 10% concentration
• Arbutin
• Phthalates
• Phenols
• Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate (SLS)
• Triclosan
• Toluene
• Parabens
• BPA
• Oxybenzone, avobenzone and octinoxate
• Formaldehyde
• CBD
• Some essential oils

Here, we present the winners of the 2024 Pregnancy-Safe Beauty Awards.