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Top 5 Picks for Pregnancy-Safe Skin Moisturizers
Cara Terreri
Everyone has different opinions about pregnancy, baby, breastfeeding, and postpartum gear and accessories. You can spend hours online just looking at reviews for just one item! In an effort to help you save some time, we created a "Top 5 Picks" series in which we do some of the legwork for you.
Our Top 5 Picks for pregnancy-safe moisturizer products have been selected a bit differently than previous Top 5 posts. To provide you with the highest rated pregnancy-safe moisturizer products, we first narrowed down items with ingredients safest for use during pregnancy. Of the products free of potentially harmful ingredients, we selected the highest rated on Amazon, Target, and Babylist. Learn more about these sites at the bottom of this post.
Moisturizer Ingredients to Avoid During Pregnancy
Products placed on your skin absorb into your bloodstream. Based on information from EWG (Environmental Working Group), MotherToBaby, and Healthline, the following ingredients are potentially harmful and should be avoided during pregnancy:
- retinoids
- triclosan
- BHA
- fragrance
- oxybenzone (in chemical sunscreens)
- high-dose salicylic acid
- hydroquinone
- phthalates
- formaldehyde
The following Top 5 picks do not contain the above ingredients. To find similar products and to check the products you already own, visit EWG's Skin Deep database.
Top 5 Picks: Pregnancy-Safe Moisturizers
The following moisturizers are marketed primarily for the purpose of soothing dry skin during pregnancy, not for reducing the appearance of stretchmarks. We have omitted products marketed primarily as stretchmark removing/reducing agents.
Burt's Bees Mama Belly Butter (Amazon, Target)
Description: "A richly blended belly butter to gently and safely moisturize and nourish mama’s stretching skinch Burt’s Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter with Shea Butter and Vitamin E conditions your growing belly with cocoa, shea and jojoba butters. This 99% natural, fragrance free formula can keep your skin smooth and supple as your belly stretches throughout pregnancy and even after baby arrives."
Recent review: "This is a must have for your pregnancy! I used two containers of this stuff."
Earth Mama Belly Oil (Amazon)
Description: "Belly Oil Helps Comfort Skin and Stretch Marks. NO Petroleum, Mineral Oil, Parabens, or Artificial Fragrance. Lots of mama parts grow and stretch to accommodate a baby. Earth Mama’s Belly Oil moisturizes and comforts your gloriously expanding (and often uncomfortable) belly — along with your hips, breasts and thighs — with a proprietary blend of luxe herb-infused oils traditionally used to help ease the appearance of emerging stretch marks."
Recent review: "Love this oil! But they sent me the wrong one last time I ordered. I got the calendula baby oil instead. Loved it too so I kept it."
Green Goo Belly Belly Balm Salve (Amazon)
Description: "Belly Balm’s blend of nutrient-rich cocoa butter & shea butter naturally moisturizes and hydrates your expanding skin, which is essential as your body stretches. Our Belly Balm helps reduce the appearance of stretch marks and it soothes, nourishes, and moisturizes itchy skin during all stages of pregnancy and postpartum."
Recent review: "I ordered this for my pregnant daughter. It shipped super fast. She opened right away and said it is excellent. It smells fantastic and works great."
Munchkin Milkmakers Belly Balm (Amazon, Babylist)
Description: "Made with 100% natural ingredients like coconut oil, rose hip Oil, and shea butter, this paraben-free moisturizing balm keeps skin soft, soothed, and hydrated. The hands-free application leaves no messy residue and is easy to maneuver around growing bellies. Plus, its safe to use every day, so you can nourish your skin throughout your pregnancy."
Recent review: "Wish I found this my first pregnancy! So nice not to have the goop caked onto my hand since others are so hard to wash off!"
Erbaviva Belly Butter (Amazon)
Description: "Using a belly butter for pregnancy is the quickest way to restore moisture and relieve dry, itchy skin. Our formula stars rich, deeply hydrating cocoa butter and silky smooth sunflower oil, paired with a luxurious blend of healing essential oils."
Recent review: "Hard to know for sure if it's working since I am currently 15 weeks pregnant. But I do love the smell and the way it feels on my small belly!"
About the Review Sites
Amazon - The world's largest online retailer that sells goods in nearly every category imaginable. Products can be ranked by reviews. Reviews are marked as "verified purchase" to show that the person leaving the review actually purchased the product.
Target - Online and retail store located throughout the United States. Reviews are marked as "verified purchaser."
Babylist - Baby registry site that allows parents to build a list with any product from any store. They also provide unbiased, data-driven guidance to make decisions about purchases.