Let’s be real. First trimester? I’m lucky to use a baby wipe to remove makeup before bed when the nausea hits. I can confidently say, before this pregnancy, I couldn’t tell you the last time I slept in my makeup. Now, I can easily count 6 or 7 times I did the first trimester. Oops. But today, I wanted to go through the skincare lineup that I am using while pregnant. While I use many of these products not pregnant, I thought one post sourcing it all would make it easy for other mamas browsing. Even if you aren’t pregnant, I use these products in my regular routine and find them as gentle as they are effective. No one wants to waste time or money on products that don’t work!

 My biggest recommendation is to schedule an appointment with your Dermatologist when you find out you are expecting. You should always be getting your yearly skin-cancer check, so I just schedule both at once when I’m pregnant. I just call and ask for that appointment along with a pregnancy skincare appointment. My Dermatologist taught me so much about which acids are safe, percentages, etc. Then, also clear it with your OB or Midwife! I promise they get asked this all the time, so do not feel silly.

These are the products I use, but please ask your OB/Derm what is best for you as they know your medical history best.

Routine

Cleanser:

• Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm
• TULA Sensitive Cleanser

Morning: In the morning, I just wash my face with TULA Sensitive Cleanser. I have reviewed the line and ingredients here. It is so gentle but still powerful enough to leave your skin soft and glowing. Oftentimes, you will hear beauty gurus say to not spend money on cleanser as it is on your face for 20 seconds and drugstore will do what department store does. I think that can be true, but TULA is the one brand to really make me see the effect a face cleanser can have. Their Purifying Wash is what got me hooked on the line 5 years ago. They put the same effort into serum as they do a wash, and I think that’s why they have become brand favorites. So even if you have no energy {first trimester} or you just want to wash, moisturize and be finished, their cleansers allow you to still see results.

Evening: I remove my makeup with the Elemis Cleansing Balm and take my time to really massage my skin. Cleansing Balm not only properly removes your makeup, but it allows you to get your circulation going. Blood flow promotes healing, so I like to use a cleansing balm in the evening to get in a great facial massage. Think of how they do this at the start of a facial before all the serums and apply the same technique. I will use a damp washcloth to remove the excess and I love this Elemis one because it doesn’t leave excess residue. Then, I follow up with a double cleanse by using the TULA Sensitive Cleanser.

Toner:

• Lotion P50

While pregnant, it is easy to feel like you don’t get to test the latest and greatest depending on certain acids or if a product contains Vitamin A. But two facialists while pregnant told me you could use certain types of Lotion P50 which I was so excited about! If you aren’t familiar with Lotion P50, Brooklyn Blonde has a fabulous review here. This is a toner that exfoliates and helps get rid of dark spots, helps pores appear smaller, and regulates oil. With all the changes your skin goes through during pregnancy, this product is much appreciated. Do not use the p50 1970 formula if pregnant ore breastfeeding, just regular. You order this through a spa, so let them know you are and they will get you the correct one. I buy mine from the spa at The Joule Dallas.

Morning: I skip this step.

Evening: I use this after I cleanse. I tap this on a cotton ball, then press this into my skin. Don’t rub!

Eye Cream:

• Beautycounter Eye Cream
• TULA Eye Balm

Morning: After cleanser, I apply my Beautycounter eye cream. I let it sit for a bit, then after moisturizer and sunscreen, I apply my TULA Eye Balm. I love the regular version to help with puffiness and the rose gold version to brighten dull skin. Both are fabulous and I have both in my skincare basket. Read my blog post on the eye balm here.

Evening: I use the eye cream after my Lotion P50.

Serum:

• Skinceuticals CE Ferulic
• Beautycounter Overnight Resurfacing Peel

Morning: This past summer, I was able to attend and event and learn a lot from Tata Harper. Her products are safe for pregnancy, as well! I love them, just have run out. I learned so much, but she really honed in on the fact that most skincare studies of serums are done with the participants using the product both morning and night. She talked about layering serums and how if you have an evening serum, that is great, but layer it with your morning one, as well. Of course, you may not layer an evening on in the morning if it contains retinol, etc. But you get the gist! So I started using my Vitamin C serum {CE Ferulic} both morning and night and I saw the difference immediately. CE Ferulic is the holy grail of Vitamin C serums and while every beauty blogger jokes it smells like hot dog water, it is worth the 2-second sniff! haha.

Evening: In the evening I apply CE Ferulic as well, but about twice a week I will use the Beautycounter Overnight Resurfacing Peel. Because it says peel you automatically think you would use it as a treatment. However, you apply like a serum and then can moisturize after! I think this is Beautycounter’s BEST skincare product. It gives you radiant, smooth skin. Think of it as a magic eraser for fine lines and dark spots.

Moisturizer:

• TULA Sensitive Moisturizer

Morning: I apply this moisturizer after my serum and before my sunscreen. It has a gel-like consistency but doesn’t dry down like a gel. I find that it is great for hot and humid climates as well, but your skin doesn’t feel dry.

Evening: Two or three times a week I’ll mix this moisturizer with my tanning drops.

Shopping Note: If you are going to purchase both the TULA Sensitive Cleanser and Moisturizer, you can buy them as a set for a better price, here. My discount code KATEY also gets you a further discount on TULA products. 

Sunscreen:

• Supergoop City Sunscreen

Morning: I apply this after my moisturizer in the mornings and before a makeup primer or makeup. I have used this one for years and it feels like an additional skincare step as opposed to something really heavy.

Tanning Drops:

• Isle of Paradise {medium}- or at Sephora here

Evening: Now if I’m in a pinch and forgot the night before, I have also used these drops in the morning MANY times. Both work great! If I self-tan and want to wake up with a glow, I add one to two drops of this product into my moisturizer. Then I mix together in my hand, and apply my evening moisturizer as usual. These self-tanning drops don’t clog your pores! Just be sure to wash your hands well after application- and don’t skip in between your fingers. These actually sell out a lot on Sephora because they are so popular, but QVC has a deal today where you can get two bottles for the price of one. Shop it here.

Masks/Treatments:

• GloPRO
• Beautycounter Charcoal Mask
• Sio Patches
• Rosehip Oil

GloPRO: In the evening, about three times a week, I use the GloPRO for 60 seconds. This product does quite a few things! First, it allows your skin to regenerate and heal itself. It allows your products to absorb better thanks to the penetration in your skin. One of my favorite factors is that this also increases blood flow. Blood flow = healing. I have a whole blog post here, which you’ll want to read to get an idea of how to use it. I use it in the evenings, before my serums! If you feel like you “need” retinol while pregnant and can’t use it to combat wrinkles, get a GloPRO, my friend. I tell all my pregnant/nursing friends that this is their BFF.

Mask: I use this mask when I have a blemish or need to deep clean my face. I apply it before a shower because this can be tough to get off as the charcoal pulls out ALL your impurities. I love it. But instead of an acne spot treatment while pregnant, I’ll put this on a blemish and sleep in it.

Sio Patches: My other favorite thing to combat wrinkles while pregnant is Sio Patches! I’ve done many IG Stories on these, but they are medical-grade silicone patches that intensify your skin’s hydration so much that after you use them your wrinkles appear gone. Wear this for a few hours before a big event or overnight. You just can’t apply serums or anything where you place the patch. So I cleanse the skin and then apply. I’ll use this before a wedding or date night!

Rosehip Oil: Feeling extra dry? Dealing with eczema or sun damage? Grab yourself some rosehip oil and apply after you moisturize! I use this on nights that I don’t use treatments and apply a few drops after my moisturizer. This is my favorite natural face oil and the best part is you can get it off Amazon!

Scrub:

• TULA Sugar Scrub

Morning/Evening: I use this scrub about twice a week, just depending on if I showered that day in the morning or evening. This sugar scrub smells like a vacation to the beach. Remember, exfoliation wards off blemishes and fine lines, so no matter your skincare concerns you want to add that in your routine.

Discount Codes

If you shop any TULA products, you can use my code KATEY for a discount! It has been 20% and will be until midnight on January 31st. Starting in February all their codes will be 15%. TULA has always been so generous and in order for them to continue to be {they don’t HAVE to do this code and I’m so grateful they do!} their codes across the board will change to 15%. It’s still a fabulous deal, but if you want to stock up before the change do it these next two days!

I hope this helps you as you navigate your beauty routine! Do you use any of these favorites?!