Pregnancy requires you to give up some of the most amazing things — cocktails, hot tubs, and sushi to name a few. But saying no to these things is made a little easier knowing it's all for the health of your child. After a while, however, you may start to quesiton some of these restrictions. I mean, watching everyone around you guzzle margaritas while you sip water is one thing, but being asked to set aside your fave shade of red lipstick for 40 weeks? That's crossing the line. But is wearing lots of make up safe during pregnancy? Well, the answer may not be as simple as you think.
With all the changes your body undergoes during pregnancy, you can start to feel like a stranger in your own body. It's nice to rely on the constants that help you to feel more like yourself. Keeping the same beauty routine you had before pregnant is something that many women do without a second thought. But before you put on that daily war paint, you'll want to check out what's in your cosmetics, because some make up ingredients are linked to harmful risks, according to Fit Pregnancy magazine.
When you really dig into what cosmetics are made from, the reality can be surprising. With so many chemicals and hard to pronounce components, knowing what's in your make up can become an overwhelming task. The biggest culprits are parabens and fragrances, as reported by The Bump. Although these are responsible for keeping cosmetics from spoiling and smelling bad, that's the only good they are providing. These ingredients have been linked to birth defects, miscarriage, and other reproductive problems. So any make up containing these trouble makers should be chucked in the trash until after delivery.
Although all your products deserve a good once over, take extra care with choosing your lipstick. As Parents magazine pointed out, lipsticks contain traces of up to nine metals, including heavy hitters like lead, copper, and aluminum. Since lipstick goes right on your mouth (and possibly many times a day, with touch ups) you should be extra cautious with the brands you choose. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), lead can be passed from a mother to her unborn baby, which can cause a number of unwanted results. The CDC warns against expecting mothers using any make up that contains lead.
So what's a make up loving mom to do if she's not ready to give up her mascara and glossy lips? Take a tip from The Campaign For Safe Cosmetics, which suggested reducing the number of products you use, avoiding mineral make up, and using technology to help you find safe products. Yep, your smart phone can help you locate pregnancy approved make up when you download apps such as Think Dirty, which does all the ingredient sifting for you.
Finding a beauty routine that works with your pregnancy may be as simple as making a few tweaks to your usual products. The good news is, you won't have to say goodbye to make up all together while pregnant. Skipping a day here and there, as well as choosing safe products, is going to be all you need to feel good about protecting your baby from harmful cosmetic chemicals.
