Baby-Proofing Your Pregnancy Beauty Kit

Pregnancy is a crucial time to re-evaluate your personal care use and eliminate non-essential skincare products and fragrances from your routine. It is also a confusing time deciphering and scrutinising cosmetic labels for those cosmetic ingredients that should be banned from your pregnancy beauty kit.

Pregnancy is often the time that women turn to organic skincare brands in a quest for a healthier pregnancy. In-utero development is a highly vulnerable period for exposure to toxins with their ability to enter the bloodstream and cross the blood-brain barrier during key developmental stages. Negative outcomes associated with toxin exposure during the gestational period are spontaneous miscarriage, birth defects and malformations, low birth weights, premature births, childhood neurodevelopmental disorders, sterility, endocrine and immune dysfunction.

The first trimester of pregnancy is considered a particularly sensitive time for the embryo and developing foetus, as it is the time of many key developmental processes. Although, exposure to teratogens during any stage of pregnancy may lead to abnormal organ differentiation, growth and function.

Whilst going organic is a natural progression towards a cleaner and purer pregnancy, there still remains concerns around which products are safe and what products to avoid.

Because of inherent ethical issues surrounding clinical trials of chemicals or toxins during pregnancy, most data is based on observational or animal studies. Despite this insufficient data we feel it's always best to err on the side of caution when it comes to these questionable ingredients.

Ingredients that should be excluded from your pregnancy skincare regime include;

Benzyl Peroxide

Glycolic Acid

Hydroquinone

Nanoparticles

Retinoids/Retin-A/retinol/retinyl palmitate/atralin/Vitamin A

Ocinium Serums & Metamorphis Cream contain Retinol palmitate and are not suitable for use during pregnancy.

Salicylic acid (Beta-hyroxy acid (BHA))

Xenoestrogens – The cause of endocrine/reproductive hormone disruption

• BPA's – plastic packaging
• Parabens - Synthetic preservative widely used in cosmetics
• Phthalates - Products with synthetic fragrances

 All Ocinium products are free of BPA's, parabens & phthalates

Unfortunately for some women the 'Pregnancy Glow' is an elusive dream, with many women experiencing acne breakouts, changes in pigmentation, skin tone and texture! However, this is only a temporary state, as women we need to embrace the beauty of pregnancy and the gift of life that it brings. There are still many beautiful and effective products that are safe to use when you are expecting.

Ocinium's Answer to pregnancy skincare:

• Ecdysis Bio-ferment Enzyme Cleanse
  • Natural enzymatic cleanse with AHA fruit acids for cellular renewal and to refine skin for a brighter and more luminous complexion, also containing Niacinamide to promote calmness and clarity and to regulate excess oil production.
• Green Tea + Ginseng Facial Oil
  • Balancing sebum production with skin loving lipids, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, detoxify and stimulate circulation, your natural alternative for problematic and blemish prone skin.
• Papaya + Pomegranate Facial Oil
  • Powerful polyphenols for antioxidant protection, rich in fruit enzymes to nourish and rejuvenate the skin, your natural alternative to retinols!
• Luxe Lip Balm
  • Indulgent antioxidant protection and intense hydration to replenish dry lips without irritation.

Cassandra Hilton, Founder