If you read my post on pregnancy skincare last week, you’ll have seen that I asked cosmetic dermatologist Dr Sam Bunting for her opinion on a couple of quite controversial ingredients – retinol and salicylic acid. Many professionals (including Dr Sam) are of the opinion that these ingredients should be side-stepped altogether during pregnancy, others feel that they are ok at the strengths you’d find in typical shop-bought products.
Pregnancy Skincare: What’s Safe to Use"
Personally, I haven’t got the energy or inclination to be stressing about “what ifs” when it comes to pregnancy-related choices and so tend to play things safe (though I am by no means fanatical and have been known to very occasionally crack out the salicylic spot cream when needed!) so when it comes to skincare, I tend to swap out the heavy-duty stuff and look for alternatives. I’ve tested dozens of products throughout this pregnancy in an attempt to find some brilliant alternatives to the anti-ageing hero that is retinol, and the spot-soothing, blackhead-busting wonder ingredient that is salicylic acid. Here are my favourite “safe” swaps for powerful products – no-worry alternatives that are free from anything that might make you lose sleep*.

If you usually use Retinol…then try the Moonlight Catalyst by Kypris, £56 here. Retinol is widely regarded as the Queen of Anti-Ageing ingredients with powerful regenerative, line-reduc...