Several common skincare ingredients should be avoided or limited during pregnancy, with retinoids and hydroquinone topping the list. Most everyday products like gentle cleansers and moisturizers are perfectly fine, so the real task is learning which specific active ingredients to swap out for the next nine months.
Retinoids: The Most Important Ingredient to Cut
Retinoids are the single most widely flagged skincare ingredient during pregnancy. This category includes retinol, retinal, tretinoin (prescription-strength), adapalene, and tazarotene. They all work by activating receptors involved in cell turnover, and those same receptors play a role in fetal development. Oral retinoids like isotretinoin are a known cause of birth defects, and while topical versions absorb far less into the bloodstream, case reports of problems have been enough to keep them firmly in the “avoid” column.
If you’ve been using a retinol serum or prescription tretinoin for acne or anti-aging, stop once you’re pregnant or actively trying to conceive. The good news is that the effects of retinol on your skin don’t disappear overnight, so a temporary break won’t undo months of progress.
Hydroquinone: High Absorption, Limited Data
Hydroquinone is a skin-lightening agent used to treat dark spots and melasma, which ironically tends to flare up during pregnancy. The concern here is absorption: roughly 35% to 45% of a topical hydroquinone dose enters the bloodstream, far more than most skincare actives. Current studies haven’t found an increased risk of birth defects, but the sample sizes have been small and the safety profile remains officially unestablished. It’s classified as Pregnancy Category C, meaning animal studies can’t rule out risk and there isn’t enough human data to confirm safety.
Because so much of the product gets absorbed systemically, the standard recommendation is to minimize exposure until better data exists. If you’re dealing with pregnancy-related dark patches, azelaic acid is a well-supported alternative (more on that below).
Chemical Sunscreen Filters
Oxybenzone (sometimes listed as benzophenone-3) is the most scrutinized chemical sunscreen ingredient during pregnancy. It acts as an endocrine disruptor, meaning it can interfere with hormone signaling. Animal research has shown that even low doses of oxybenzone during pregnancy and nursing can alter hormone-sensitive tissue development, with some effects not appearing until later in life. Other chemical filters like avobenzone and octinoxate have raised similar, though less studied, concerns.
The simple swap is mineral sunscreen. Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide sit on top of the skin and physically block UV rays rather than being absorbed. They’re considered safe throughout pregnancy, and modern formulations have come a long way from the thick white paste of a decade ago. Since sun protection is especially important during pregnancy (UV exposure worsens melasma), don’t skip sunscreen altogether. Just switch to a mineral formula.
Salicylic Acid: Dose Matters
This one is more nuanced than a simple yes or no. High-dose salicylic acid, the kind found in oral aspirin or professional-strength chemical peels, is related to a class of drugs known to cause complications in pregnancy. But low-concentration topical salicylic acid, like the 2% found in most over-the-counter acne cleansers and spot treatments, acts locally on the skin with minimal absorption into the bloodstream.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) includes topical salicylic acid on its list of acne-fighting ingredients that can be used during pregnancy. The key distinction is topical and low-concentration versus oral or high-concentration peels. A daily salicylic acid face wash is generally considered acceptable, while a 20% to 30% salicylic acid peel is not.
Certain Essential Oils
Essential oils show up in serums, moisturizers, body oils, and “natural” skincare lines, and a handful of them carry real risks during pregnancy. Pennyroyal oil is hepatotoxic and has historically been linked to abortion attempts. Parsley seed oil contains a compound called apiole that can trigger severe abdominal pain and vaginal bleeding. Savin oil (from juniper) contains a constituent that inhibits embryo implantation. Sweet fennel oil can modulate reproductive hormones and affect uterine contractions.
These aren’t common in mainstream skincare, but they do appear in aromatherapy-adjacent products, DIY recipes, and some boutique brands. If a product contains essential oils, check which ones. Lavender and chamomile in small concentrations are not in the same risk category as the oils listed above, but as a general rule, pregnancy is a reasonable time to simplify your routine and skip heavily fragranced products.
Phthalates and Hidden Fragrance Chemicals
Phthalates are plasticizing chemicals that frequently hide under the umbrella term “fragrance” or “parfum” on ingredient labels. They don’t serve a skincare function. Instead, they help fragrances last longer and improve product texture. Research measuring phthalate metabolites in pregnant women’s urine has found widespread exposure, and prenatal phthalate exposure has been linked to changes in newborn metabolic profiles and infant neurodevelopment.
The challenge is that manufacturers aren’t required to list individual fragrance components, so “fragrance” on a label could contain phthalates without you knowing. Choosing fragrance-free products or brands that explicitly disclose all ingredients is the most reliable way to reduce exposure. Look for labels that say “phthalate-free” rather than simply “unscented,” which sometimes means a masking fragrance was added.
What You Can Safely Use Instead
Pregnancy doesn’t mean abandoning your skincare routine. ACOG specifically lists four topical ingredients as acceptable for treating acne during pregnancy: benzoyl peroxide, azelaic acid, topical salicylic acid, and glycolic acid. Benzoyl peroxide at 5% or lower, applied twice daily, has no reported effects on fetal development and is barely absorbed through the skin. Azelaic acid is particularly useful because it treats both acne and hyperpigmentation, covering two of the most common pregnancy skin concerns at once.
For anti-aging, bakuchiol has emerged as the most promising retinol alternative. It improves skin texture and reduces fine lines through a different mechanism than retinoids, one that does not activate the fetal development receptors that make retinoids risky. No clinical trials have been conducted on pregnant participants specifically, so the safety claim is based on how the ingredient works rather than direct testing. Still, it’s considered a meaningfully safer option than any retinoid for people who are pregnant, nursing, or trying to conceive.
Hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, vitamin C (ascorbic acid), ceramides, and gentle alpha-hydroxy acids like glycolic and lactic acid all remain on the table. A stripped-back routine of gentle cleanser, mineral sunscreen, moisturizer, and one or two targeted actives from the safe list will carry most people through pregnancy without any gaps in their skin health.