Reviewed by The Mom Store editorial team, October 2026. See our editorial policy.
A safe pregnancy skincare routine can be very short: a gentle cleanser, an unperfumed moisturiser, and sunscreen during the day. The main thing to change is what you leave out. Retinoids, including retinol and tretinoin creams, are not recommended in pregnancy, and any prescription acne treatment should be checked with your doctor.
Why your skin changes
Hormones and a growing bump affect skin in different ways. Some women find their skin brighter, others get breakouts, itching, stretch marks or darker patches on the face. Most of these changes are harmless and many settle after the birth, but one kind of itching needs checking quickly, as explained at the end.
A simple daily routine
Morning
- Wash your face with lukewarm water and a mild cleanser.
- Apply an unperfumed moisturiser.
- Use sunscreen if you will be outdoors, and wear a hat or carry an umbrella in strong sun.
Evening
- Remove sunscreen and make up gently.
- Moisturise your face and body, especially your tummy, breasts and thighs if they feel dry or itchy.
If you want pregnancy specific products, our pregnancy skin care collection brings them together, but a plain, fragrance free moisturiser works just as well for most women. Check every label for the ingredients below.
Ingredients to check with your doctor
- Retinoids. The NHS guide to acne treatment says topical retinoids are not suitable in pregnancy because of a risk of birth defects. This includes tretinoin creams, and many anti ageing serums contain retinol, so read the label.
- Acne tablets. Tell your doctor you are pregnant before taking any acne medicine. The NHS says tetracycline antibiotics are not prescribed in pregnancy, and erythromycin is usually offered instead.
- Creams for dark patches. The Cleveland Clinic advises using only treatments approved for pregnant women, so check any lightening or pigmentation cream with your doctor first.
The Cleveland Clinic says azelaic acid is considered safe in pregnancy, which can help with acne and dark patches; ask your doctor whether it suits your skin.
Breakouts
Be gentle with breakouts: use a mild cleanser and avoid harsh scrubs. If acne is painful or leaving marks, see your doctor rather than trying stronger products from the shelf, so you can be given a treatment that is safe in pregnancy.
Dark patches on the face
Darker patches on the cheeks, forehead or upper lip are called melasma or chloasma. The Cleveland Clinic page on melasma says it affects roughly 15 to 50% of pregnant women and usually fades within about three months after the birth. Sun makes it darker, so the most useful step is sun protection: a sunscreen of SPF 30 to 50 reapplied every two hours when you are outside, and a wide brimmed hat. This matters in Indian summers, on the school run and on the walk to the bus stop, not only on holiday.
Stretch marks
Stretch marks affect around 8 in 10 pregnant women, according to the NHS page on stretch marks in pregnancy. The NHS says there is limited evidence that oils or creams prevent them, and no reliable evidence that creams claiming to remove them work. They usually fade to paler lines after the birth but probably will not go away completely. Moisturising can still make itchy, stretching skin feel more comfortable.
Itchy skin
Mild itching is common as hormones change and your skin stretches. The NHS page on itching in pregnancy suggests:
- patting or tapping the skin instead of scratching
- cool or warm baths or showers, for less than 20 minutes
- loose clothes in natural fibres such as cotton
- avoiding perfumed soaps, deodorants and moisturisers, and using an unperfumed moisturiser regularly
When to call your doctor
Contact your doctor or maternity unit urgently if your skin is very itchy, for example if it keeps you awake at night, if the palms of your hands or the soles of your feet are itchy, or if the itching is worse at night. These can be signs of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy, a liver condition that needs to be checked. See your doctor too about a new rash or painful acne.
This article is general information and does not replace advice from your doctor.
