More than ever, moms to be are becoming more aware of the nasty toxins and chemicals lurking in their everyday conventional skin care products.

What you may not know, however, is that while these anti-nutrient ingredients won’t really provide any long-term benefits for your skin, they can actually put your health at risk too…

Up to 60% of everything you apply externally to your skin may enter your bloodstream, which is pretty scary, but it becomes terrifying when you have a little one on the way, and you no longer just have yourself to think of.

Before you go into full-blown panic mode (deep breaths), rest assured that this article will address your most pressing concerns about the skincare you use during pregnancy, and beyond!

What are the most commonly used skincare ingredients that you should avoid? 

Let’s get the bad news out of the way first, shall we?

There are harmful ingredients that are almost certainly in some of your conventional products, which do nothing but put both you and your baby at risk. Birth defect rates increase with the amount of chemicals that enter your body, while there is quite a comprehensive list, we have decided to focus on two you may already be somewhat familiar with.

Parabens

These preservatives have been around since the 1920s, and while they do help to prevent bacteria growth in products, recent studies have shown that parabens mimic estrogen in the body. This means they may increase your risk of breast cancer and contribute to issues of male fertility if you’re having a boy.

Retinol

Highly heralded in all the beauty magazines, retinol is usually a superstar ingredient, especially for ladies in their late 20’s and up. But as a mum or mum to be, you should keep in mind that the high concentrations of Vitamin A in retinol may increase the risk of birth defects. Certain studies show that small amounts of retinol are okay, but we just don’t think it’s worth the risk.

Why the organic and natural label isn’t always enough!

Now that you know a little more about which ingredients are best to avoid, you may think that as long as you opt for a product claiming to be organic or natural, then you are okay.

But this is where you may be wrong...

Don’t be fooled by an organic or natural label slapped onto a product. Arm yourself with knowledge through research, this is the best advice we can offer! Just because an ingredient is naturally or organically sourced, doesn’t mean it poses no harm.

And because the term “natural” isn’t exactly defined by the FDA, it doesn’t really mean anything. Not to mention, many skincare brands use this term very loosely, with their products claiming to be “all natural” or “paraben free” when they aren’t at all. It’s really discouraging that companies can do this, but by learning to read labels and ask questions you can avoid wasting your money on a harmful product.

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The average woman uses 12 different beauty products every day — many of which contain hormone-disruptors that can adversely affect #fertility, reproductive health and cause birth defects. ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ *A product that includes “organic” or “natural” ingredients, isn't necessarily safe.*⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ If you're thinking of, trying or already pregnant, now’s the time to pay attention to your chemical exposure from what you’re putting on your body every day and how it could affect your health. ⁠⠀ _⁠⠀ Research via @environmentalworkinggroup shows that toxic pollution begins before birth, with about 287 different chemicals being found in umbilical cord blood, entering via the placenta. ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ Of those chemicals, 180 are known to cause cancer, 217 are toxic to the brain and nervous system and 208 cause birth defects or abnormal development.⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ Visit the link in our bio to learn about the ingredients we’ve eliminated from our products and our commitment to keep you and baby safe. #ewgpartner #safeskincare⁠⠀ ⁠⠀

A post shared by Matrescence® Skin (@matrescenceskin) on Jul 14, 2020 at 5:43am PDT

Pregnancy-Safe Skincare

Pregnancy is a critical time to be mindful of chemical exposure as it can adversely affect both mom and baby in many ways, such as increasing the risk of certain cancers or birth defects. To avoid this, choosing safe products is of paramount importance.

Our aim is to be completely transparent in the development of our products, so that you can walk away with peace of mind, and total confidence that you’re using products your skin will love, and will not cause harm.

Our ingredients go through a rigorous safety screening, and you will never find any hormone-disrupting chemicals, fragrance, parabens or any other artificial ingredient in any of our products. 

You deserve to enjoy your pregnancy and marvel at all the beautiful changes that take place in your body and our products will give you the peace of mind to focus on what’s really important!

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For clearer, brighter and more hydrated skin! ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ Our multi-tasking Rose Glow trio works just as hard as you do, mama! ⁠⠀ Specially designed to tackle issues that pregnancy and postpartum skin are prone to such as melasma, hormonal acne, dullness and dehydration. ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ Made from organic & plant-based ingredients, fragrance-free & safe for mom and baby! Tap to GET THE GLOW now ✨⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ 📷 @kacyowens ⁠

A post shared by Matrescence® Skin (@matrescenceskin) on Jun 22, 2020 at 4:33am PDT

For busy mums, one of the best ways to start with Matrescence is with our Rose Glow Trio which includes 3 high performing products for an uncomplicated skincare routine and takes only 5 minutes.

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