Why pregnancy changes the rules
Hormonal shifts make skin drier, tighter and more reactive than usual — and some ingredients that were fine before are now worth avoiding. Suddenly every label feels like a question mark. Here's how to read them with confidence.
The three to skip
- Retinoids (vitamin A derivatives) — the most widely advised ingredient to avoid during pregnancy. Check labels for retinol, retinyl palmitate and tretinoin.
- Parabens — a preservative family many parents choose to avoid. Gentler preservative systems exist: Mamave uses benzyl alcohol and dehydroacetic acid, free from parabens, isothiazolinones and formaldehyde.
- Synthetic fragrance — a common irritant for sensitised pregnancy skin. Naturally derived essential oils like lavender, frankincense and mandarin can scent a formula gently instead.
Mamave formulas also leave out mineral oils, almond and peanut oils, and are completely SLS and SLES free — because what we leave out matters just as much as what we put in.
What to reach for instead
Look for plant oils rich in Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA) — like borage seed and evening primrose — which support the skin barrier and relieve dryness. Squalane mimics the skin's own oils to lock in moisture, and vitamin E-rich oils like argan and jojoba keep stretching skin supple.
Remember: 'natural' isn't automatically 'safe'
Natural doesn't always mean pregnancy-safe, and pregnancy-safe doesn't have to mean ineffective. Every Mamave product is developed by a qualified formulation chemist using science-backed ingredients — so you don't have to decode a single label.
