These are the ingredients you should avoid in cosmetics during pregnancy 2026

The list of foods prohibited during pregnancy is more than accepted, but we often forget that there are many other ingredients that should also be avoided. And even if they are not ingested orally, it is important not to downplay everything that the body receives topically, like the vast majority of cosmetics. At any time, it is important to study the different formulations well before applying them and even more so when you are about to become a mother. Any product you are going to use must make its composition clear and, if in doubt, avoid it in order to also avoid the possible consequences it may cause on your health and that of your child.

Maybe after learning to decipher the labels of your cream, serum, eye contour, booster, mask oil, your beauty routine will be modified, but think that in principle it will only be forty weeks - do not forget that there are many cosmetics that are not recommended during the breastfeeding period - in which you should avoid anything that puts both you and the baby at risk.

Amazon Essentials by Sofia Grainge - Summer 2026 Promotion

Retinoids

Allied in a multitude of cosmetic treatments due to their effective anti-wrinkle power, they become declared enemies when there is a pregnancy involved. Anna Mallafré, gynecologist at the Sagrada Familia Clinic in Barcelona, and member of doctoralia, explains that, although the teratogenic risk is not clearly established because systemic absorption is practically nil, "given the lack of studies in pregnant women and the risk of excessive application and increased absorption, topical retinoids are not "They should not be used during pregnancy or in women planning a pregnancy."

Orally, its use is also discouraged "in women with reproductive desire and in women of childbearing age, unless they use a strict pregnancy prevention plan due to the teratogenic risk (risk of congenital malformations and spontaneous abortion) that its use entails," it indicates.

Hydroquinone

"The function of hydroquinone is to depigment the skin by gradually decreasing the production of excess melanin that causes dark spots on the skin and, as indicated by Dr. Mallafré, "a systemic absorption is estimated between 35% and 45% and safety during pregnancy has not been established, so its use is not recommended."

salicylic acid

This ingredient, which is so present in medicine, also appears in cosmetics, although during pregnancy its use is discouraged according to specialists unless it is strictly necessary and in very limited periods of time.

Essential oils

"The use of essential oils is very controversial as well as largely unknown; in general, their use is discouraged throughout pregnancy. Some of them can have negative effects on pregnancy, especially in the first trimester. There are no safety studies on their use in pregnant women," recalls the expert, who assures that "many of them are the result of a mixture of chemical substances that are not well defined. As far as possible, if you plan to use them, it is recommended to use those essential oils externally (topically), as “pure” as possible and with their chemical components well defined on the label. In addition, it is necessary to know the plant species, its variety, its origin, and from there, specifically consult its properties and toxicity. When in doubt, it is recommended to always consult with a health professional first."

Caffeine

In the same way that coffee consumption must be reduced, we must not forget about creams that contain caffeine among their ingredients, which are not recommended during pregnancy due to the negative effect it has on the fetus.