Skincare ingredients to avoid during pregnancy (and what to use instead)

9 min read

Finding out you're pregnant changes a lot of things overnight. Your skincare routine is one of them, and for many women, that realisation arrives with a wave of confusion, conflicting advice, and more than a little anxiety.

Here's the reassuring truth: most of what you're already using is absolutely fine to continue. A small number of ingredients are worth reconsidering, and understanding why makes all the difference between anxious guesswork and genuinely informed decisions.

This is that guide.

Quick reference: ingredients to pause during pregnancy

Why most skincare is fine during pregnancy, and what changes the calculation

The vast majority of skincare ingredients are applied to the surface of the skin, where very little is absorbed into the bloodstream. For most products, systemic exposure is minimal and poses no meaningful concern.¹

A small number of ingredients are absorbed at higher rates, or have established links to developmental effects. These are the ones worth knowing about, not because your routine needs to be stripped back to nothing, but because understanding the reasoning allows you to make decisions you actually feel confident about.

Skincare ingredients to avoid when pregnant

Retinoids: Vitamin A derivatives

You might know these as retinol, tretinoin, adapalene, or retinoic acid. Widely used for acne, anti-ageing, and skin texture, they are the ingredient most consistently flagged when you are pregnant, and for good reason.

The concern traces back to oral isotretinoin (Roaccutane), a well-established teratogen. Taken during pregnancy, it carries an estimated 35% risk of fetal retinoid syndrome, a pattern of serious developmental malformations affecting craniofacial, cardiac, and neurological development.⁴

Topical retinoids are a different story. Their absorption through the skin is low, and the evidence on safety during pregnancy is less clear-cut than many assume. A 2015 meta-analysis of 654 pregnancies with first-trimester topical retinoid exposure found no statistically significant increase in congenital malformations.³ A large 2025 Nordic registry study across four countries reached a similar conclusion.⁶

Even so, Australian dermatologists consistently recommend discontinuing all retinoid products when pregnancy is confirmed. The reasoning is straightforward: effective, well-studied alternatives exist, and until the evidence base is stronger, caution is the evidence-consistent choice.^1,2

What to use instead: Bakuchiol is a plant-derived retinol alternative with clinical evidence supporting its effects on skin texture and firmness, and carries no reproductive hazard classification. Peptides, specifically Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, also support skin structure and repair with no known concerns during pregnancy.

Hydroquinone: skin-lightening agents

Hydroquinone is commonly used to treat melasma, hyperpigmentation, and dark spots. It appears in prescription fading creams and some over-the-counter brightening products.

Unlike most topical ingredients, hydroquinone is absorbed into the bloodstream at a notably high rate, estimated at 35-45% following topical application.⁷ That level of systemic absorption is the primary reason most dermatologists recommend stopping it as soon as pregnancy is confirmed.^1,5

What to use instead: Niacinamide, Diglucosyl Gallic Acid, N-Acetyl Glucosamine, and Mandelic Acid are well-studied brightening actives without the systemic absorption concerns. Stable forms of Vitamin C, including Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate and Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, are also effective for managing pigmentation during pregnancy.

High-concentration salicylic acid

Salicylic acid is a beta-hydroxy acid found in many acne treatments, cleansers, and exfoliants. It is one of the more nuanced ingredients when it comes to guidance for use during pregnancy, because the evidence is genuinely mixed, and you will find dermatologists on both sides.

High-dose oral salicylate use has been associated with complications in pregnancy. The amount absorbed through the skin from standard cosmetic products is low, however.¹ MotherSafe, the clinical service at the Royal Hospital for Women in New South Wales, notes that low-concentration topical salicylic acid is considered acceptable during pregnancy.⁵ Other dermatologists advise avoiding it entirely as a precaution.

The practical guidance: a small amount of salicylic acid in a daily cleanser is unlikely to pose meaningful risk. High-strength formulations, leave-on treatments, and large-area application are better avoided. If you are unsure, your GP or dermatologist is always the right person to ask.

What to use instead: Mandelic Acid and Gluconolactone are gentle acids that support clarity and exfoliation without the salicylic acid considerations.

Chemical sunscreen filters

Some chemical sunscreen actives, including oxybenzone, avobenzone, and octinoxate, are considered possible hormone disruptors, with evidence of meaningful systemic absorption following topical use.¹

Many Australian dermatologists recommend switching to mineral sunscreens while pregnant. Mineral formulas use zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide to physically reflect UV rather than absorbing it, and are not associated with endocrine disruption.

This matters particularly during pregnancy because sun exposure can trigger and worsen melasma, one of the most common skin changes women experience while pregnant. Daily broad-spectrum mineral SPF 50+ is one of the simplest and most effective protective steps you can take, and one worth keeping long after pregnancy too.

Formaldehyde-releasing preservatives and phthalates

Certain preservatives, including DMDM hydantoin, imidazolidinyl urea, and diazolidinyl urea, release small amounts of formaldehyde over time. Phthalates are plasticising chemicals found in some fragrances, nail polishes, and cosmetics. Both are associated with potential endocrine-disrupting effects and are best minimised during pregnancy.¹

Worth knowing: neither is used in any nātelle formula.

What skincare to use while pregnant

Skincare that is appropriate during pregnancy does not have to mean starting from scratch. Most of the ingredients that genuinely support your skin at this time are the same ones that form the foundation of a considered routine at any stage. These are well-studied, widely recommended by Australian dermatologists, and appropriate throughout all trimesters:

• Niacinamide supports barrier function, reduces inflammation, and helps manage both breakouts and uneven skin tone
• Vitamin C (stable forms: Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate) is an antioxidant that supports collagen synthesis and helps manage early pigmentation
• Hyaluronic Acid attracts and retains moisture at the skin surface, making it well-suited to the dryness many women notice during pregnancy
• Bakuchiol is a plant-derived retinol alternative with clinical evidence for improving skin texture and firmness
• Ceramides support the skin barrier, which pregnancy can compromise, contributing to dryness, sensitivity, and reactivity¹
• Peptides (e.g. Acetyl Hexapeptide-8) support skin structure and repair, with no known concerns during pregnancy
• Panthenol is soothing, hydrating, and supports barrier repair
• Centella Asiatica is a calming, barrier-supportive botanical
• Mandelic Acid is a gentle AHA that supports cell turnover and even skin tone, at concentrations appropriate for use during pregnancy

A word on conflicting advice

If you have already spent time searching this topic, you will have noticed that dermatologists do not always agree, particularly on ingredients like salicylic acid and over-the-counter retinoids. This is not inconsistency. It reflects the genuine state of the evidence: conducting large-scale safety studies in pregnant populations is ethically complex, and data gaps remain.

Where evidence is limited, the most reasonable approach is to reach for well-studied alternatives where they exist. For most concerns, they do.

Your skincare routine during pregnancy does not need to be stripped back to nothing. It needs to be considered, purposeful, and suited to where you are right now. That is something you are completely capable of navigating, and we are here to help you do it.

This article is intended as general educational information and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider or dermatologist before making changes to your skincare routine during pregnancy.