Skin issues

jlh23love

Anyone else experiencing dry skin, and Acne on the face? What are some good skin lotion that would help with the itchness. And, what about my acne... any good face products?

theweevee

Juice beauty pregnancy apple peel was a game changer for my face.  Took all the bumps away.

yellow1daisy

Dry skin yes! Winter always does this to me though. No acne. 

I use Egyptian Magic for everything. I usually find it at Whole Foods, but I've seen it at Costco too. Amazon also has it. 

brookeelyse527

*August 17 lurker

African black soap has helped my acne tremendously. I use Shea moisture brand. 

jlh23love

Thank you all very much:)

mrscate88

I always get dry skin in the winter. You'll get sick of hearing me recommend coconut oil through this whole pregnancy, but it's seriously a life saver haha. For face wash, I just mix a pinch of baking soda with the coconut oil and rub all over my face  for a few seconds, and rinse with lukewarm water. Go easy on the hot showers, they really dry out your skin! 

LoveLee85

mrscate88 said:

I always get dry skin in the winter. You'll get sick of hearing me recommend coconut oil through this whole pregnancy, but it's seriously a life saver haha. For face wash, I just mix a pinch of baking soda with the coconut oil and rub all over my face  for a few seconds, and rinse with lukewarm water. Go easy on the hot showers, they really dry out your skin! 

Yes to the limit your exposure to hot water/showers. It does horrible things to the skin! I have really dry skin in the winter, no acne. I can't use anything with fragrance or 'extras' or they clog my face like no other. In the winter for a few months, I use 'Baby Eucerin Eczema Relief Body Creme' it's a lifesaver for my skin. I put it on my sons whole body and his face. Other than winter time, I would never put anything that 'heavy' on my face!!! 

lph4248

@mrscate88 Do you just use regular, oil-aisle coconut oil? Or is it in the skincare section?

For acne I use a sulfur cream as spot-treatment. It's not preventative but helps to shrink them. I also use Neutrogena benzoyl peroxide scrub - doctor said it's okay since you wash it off, so there isn't much skin absorption, plus the BP concentration is not high (I think 3.7%).

supermom83

mrscate88 said:

I always get dry skin in the winter. You'll get sick of hearing me recommend coconut oil through this whole pregnancy, but it's seriously a life saver haha. For face wash, I just mix a pinch of baking soda with the coconut oil and rub all over my face  for a few seconds, and rinse with lukewarm water. Go easy on the hot showers, they really dry out your skin! 

Coconut oil on the face doesn't cause breakouts? I'm so intrigued! I love coconut oil and use it for all my cooking, but never ventured to use it as a body lotion or cream. Your constant talking about the benefits of coconut oil have seriously piqued my interest and now I want to try, but I'm scared!! So just baking soda and coconut oil? I love how simple and natural that is. I may try it soon and repot back with results! 

mrscate88

lph4248 said:

@mrscate88 Do you just use regular, oil-aisle coconut oil? Or is it in the skincare section?

For acne I use a sulfur cream as spot-treatment. It's not preventative but helps to shrink them. I also use Neutrogena benzoyl peroxide scrub - doctor said it's okay since you wash it off, so there isn't much skin absorption, plus the BP concentration is not high (I think 3.7%).

I use regular oil-aisle coconut oil. I think it's called Better Body unrefined coconut oil, but I'm not at home at the moment. Will double check later. 

dancegurl1118

This pregnancy has been wreaking havoc on my skin. I can't blame it on winter because it literally started the week after I got my BFP in November. Eczema, dry patches, dandruff. Coconut oils and rich moisturizers don't even touch it! I've basically given up and just thank my lucky stars I'm 9feet all so no one can see my dandruff. 

mrscate88

dancegurl1118 said:

This pregnancy has been wreaking havoc on my skin. I can't blame it on winter because it literally started the week after I got my BFP in November. Eczema, dry patches, dandruff. Coconut oils and rich moisturizers don't even touch it! I've basically given up and just thank my lucky stars I'm 9feet all so no one can see my dandruff. 

Oh girl, this just sucks, I'm sorry! Skin troubles really suck. 

Mommyofcarson+1

From The Bump: "5 Skin Care Lines For Moms, By Moms"

 https://www.thebump.com/a/5-pregnancy-safe-skin-care-lines-created-by-moms

 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.xogrp.thebump

Mommyofcarson+1

You could probably use some hyaluronic acid. It is expensive, but it's composition is so similar to what lies in the skin, that it is recommended by estheticians and dermatologists and is often used in conjunction with salicylic acid face cleansers for acne to help calm the skin and also used with milky cleansers to hydrate dry skin. STAY AWAY FROM BAKING SODA, you are scratching the crap out of your epidermal layer and therefore causing your skin to become more dry which in turn leads to cells dying fast and faster skin aging. It may look pretty and shiny now, but you are doing some serious damage as baking soda is not made for delicate facial skin and the individual particles are highly abrasive, hence why it makes a great scrubbing cleaner for pots and pans etc.  Instead, rely on gommages (kerstin Florian has a great one) and enzyme exfoliates (Murad has a pomegranate enzyme exfoliate you can purchase) for pregnancy, as those are perfectly safe. Hymed runs expensive, but spreads far and lasts for a long time, I highly recommend that brand and you can sometimes find their products online like on ebay and hymed makes a great enzyme called papaya bromelain enzyme (yes it is safe, you arent actually eating the papaya, and it doesn't absorb)

SOURCE: I am an esthetician. 

mrscate88

supermom83 said:

mrscate88 said:

I always get dry skin in the winter. You'll get sick of hearing me recommend coconut oil through this whole pregnancy, but it's seriously a life saver haha. For face wash, I just mix a pinch of baking soda with the coconut oil and rub all over my face  for a few seconds, and rinse with lukewarm water. Go easy on the hot showers, they really dry out your skin! 

Coconut oil on the face doesn't cause breakouts? I'm so intrigued! I love coconut oil and use it for all my cooking, but never ventured to use it as a body lotion or cream. Your constant talking about the benefits of coconut oil have seriously piqued my interest and now I want to try, but I'm scared!! So just baking soda and coconut oil? I love how simple and natural that is. I may try it soon and repot back with results! 

Coconut oil has never made my skin breakout, face or body. Pehaps someone else here can weigh in on this with their experience? My routine is cheap and natural, and my skin is always really soft and acne free, so I'm happy with the experience for sure. Some people do not recommend using baking soda since it's abrasive (see comments above), and while I do agree with that on some level, I still happily wash/exfoliate with it once a week. Not every day. 

And I also just use coconut oil as my body moisturizer in shower and my lotion, it is heavenly! I can't remember the last time I bought lotion. I hope you try it and like it! 

Dovahkiin_99

From what I have read about coconut oil, it's has anti-bacterial properties that prevent you from getting clogged up or causing acne (however, I'm certainly not an expert). I love using it as a moisturizer for my face, and I plan on using it on my bump as it grows bigger. Make sure you get virgin unrefined coconut oil. The refined stuff doesn't provide the same benefits. 

caribbeanmama-2

supermom83 said:

mrscate88 said:

I always get dry skin in the winter. You'll get sick of hearing me recommend coconut oil through this whole pregnancy, but it's seriously a life saver haha. For face wash, I just mix a pinch of baking soda with the coconut oil and rub all over my face  for a few seconds, and rinse with lukewarm water. Go easy on the hot showers, they really dry out your skin! 

Coconut oil on the face doesn't cause breakouts? I'm so intrigued! I love coconut oil and use it for all my cooking, but never ventured to use it as a body lotion or cream. Your constant talking about the benefits of coconut oil have seriously piqued my interest and now I want to try, but I'm scared!! So just baking soda and coconut oil? I love how simple and natural that is. I may try it soon and repot back with results! 

Love coconut oil!  I make my own and baby's body lotion and hair products with it. It is amazing for cracked  nipple care in the early breastfeeding weeks.  I however cannot use it on my face / it will cause me to breakout.

munchkinsmama

Coconut oil saved my bump!!!! I made it through my fist pregnancy with zero stretch marks and little discomfort, my twin pregnancy it helped till 34weeks, at 36 weeks I got PUPS and there was no saving my skin after that, however I do find hydration and coconut oil improve the texture of my very lived in tummy. I have used it on my face in winter with no acne but summer I switch to something lighter. My skin is crazy right now so I'm following this thread.

caribbeanmama-2

munchkinsmama said:

Coconut oil saved my bump!!!! I made it through my fist pregnancy with zero stretch marks and little discomfort, my twin pregnancy it helped till 34weeks, at 36 weeks I got PUPS and there was no saving my skin after that, however I do find hydration and coconut oil improve the texture of my very lived in tummy. I have used it on my face in winter with no acne but summer I switch to something lighter. My skin is crazy right now so I'm following this thread.

Okay I used it on my bump too and got zero stretch marks on my belly.  I did get 3 little (1 centimeter) lines on my left hip bone.  I never made the connection though!  Everything I've read says you can't prevent stretch marks.  I gained over 50 pounds with that pregnancy too and am small boned and petite.  I assumed it was just coincidence.  Is it really a thing?  I mean if we are going to have a bunch of pregnant ladies buying coconut oil then I should buy stock in spectrum (the brand I use) lol!

optbaby2017

I use coconut oil as eye makeup remover, and spread what's left on the rest of my face, then rinse off. It's never caused breakouts for me,and works better than any (affordable) lotion I have found. 

For body, I like Burt's Bees or Alba. Also be careful of what soap you use, as it can dry out your skin. And drink LOTS of water! 

longhairdntcare

this might be a stupid question - do you have to heat it up to use it as lotion? Isn't it too hard otherwise?

@caribbeanmama everyone says you can't prevent because it's a lot genetic. But moisturizing can't hurt!! Also just stay hydrated. 

mjacks16

When I lived in Alaska, I slathered coconut oil all over my body and it helped so much. My face is always dry and I never got breakouts from it. Right now I'm loving Keihl's face oil on top of everything. 

caribbeanmama-2

optbaby2017 said:

I use coconut oil as eye makeup remover, and spread what's left on the rest of my face, then rinse off. It's never caused breakouts for me,and works better than any (affordable) lotion I have found. 

For body, I like Burt's Bees or Alba. Also be careful of what soap you use, as it can dry out your skin. And drink LOTS of water! 

So you lightly rinse off the coconut oil so it still leaves a film on your face, which is effectively a moisture trapping barrier?  Is that right?  What do you do in the morning?  Just water rinse?

I use grape seed oil - a big dollop to remove my makeup at night but then I follow up with my cleanser so all reside is gone.  I think I will try coconut oil - thanks for the suggestion.  I do use a tiny bit of grape seed oil before applying my makeup in the morning to preserve a kind of dewy look in the winter.

PurplePoppy424

For the acne.. I found a face soap at Target in the expectant mom's section called Mumsie. I love the stuff. Cleared up my skin and it doesn't dry it out. 

ECarson84

@mrscate88 yes! Coconut oil is the best!

Make sure you get organic, extra virgin. I had terrible acne on my face when this pregnancy started. I now use coconut oil as lotion on my face/body at night and it has made a huge difference.

I've also been doing oil pulling for about a month now which is also said to help with acne and improve overall health. Tablespoon of coconut oil swished in your mouth 15 minutes 1st thing every morning. Not exactly fun but bearable. 

jlh23love

Thank you!

mrscate88

Rae1 said:

this might be a stupid question - do you have to heat it up to use it as lotion? Isn't it too hard otherwise?

@caribbeanmama everyone says you can't prevent because it's a lot genetic. But moisturizing can't hurt!! Also just stay hydrated. 

No need to heat it up, it melts between your fingers as you rub it in. 

ECarson84

@rae1 the oil heats at such a low temp that if you put just a little on your hand and rub on your face it becomes liquid almost immediately.

optbaby2017

caribbeanmama said:

So you lightly rinse off the coconut oil so it still leaves a film on your face, which is effectively a moisture trapping barrier?  Is that right?  What do you do in the morning?  Just water rinse?

I rinse because I am applying it straight to my dirty, makeup covered face and want to get the gunk off.  I find that it leaves a good but of moisture behind, even with the rinsing.  If I feel extra dry, I put a little of another lotion on afterward, or a bit more of coconut oil now that my face is clean.  And I generally only use it at night -- my skin will usually hold on to enough overnight and my makeup contains a moisturizer.

And I know others have answered this already, but I use the one from Trader Joe's, kept near the other cooking oils.

zara4k

So you usually break out? I had very clear skin but it was because of a very restricted diet, dairy, nuts, eggs would cause me to have the occasional cysts so were out of my diet 90 percent of the time. So when I got pregnant I thought I should overdose on eggs and dairy and oh God my acne, I cried for days. My parents thought I got chicken pox my whole face has three cysts in each area. Very traumatizing and it all happens within three days at my 8th week mark. My first ultrasound I was only thinking about my face and I felt awful. 

As soon as I eliminated dairy and eggs I only got one more pimple and that was because I wasn't drinking any water. 

Ive made a chart so I can monitor what I eat and do so I can stay on top of this acne game! Now I'm just full of scars which have significantly lightened thank God by different products. You probably need a chemical exfoliated try Mandelic Acid toner and Mandelic acid Serum and Mandelic Peels

squirttheturtle

I found Belli brand face and body products at Ulta.  My face usually broke out around ovulation but was then clear by the time AF came each month (that was one of my tip offs that I was KU because my face never cleared up).  After my BFP, I couldn't get my skin under control.  It was more than I wanted to spend, but it's pregnancy safe and so far, seems to be working quiet well.  

julybaby17-2

SquirttheTurtle said:

I found Belli brand face and body products at Ulta.  My face usually broke out around ovulation but was then clear by the time AF came each month (that was one of my tip offs that I was KU because my face never cleared up).  After my BFP, I couldn't get my skin under control.  It was more than I wanted to spend, but it's pregnancy safe and so far, seems to be working quiet well.  

I just ordered the Belli brand face products. It was a little more than I wanted to spend, but I'm desperate. Logically, I know my skin isn't awful, but I'm struggling  with it. Hopefully it helps!

mrsdrmatney

@CarsonsMommy I love the information! I've always had acne so once a month I break out but then I had a great Skinmedica and Epionce regiment that did anaxonh but I'm seriously needing something different with weather -20 and constantly inside I feel like I need a good exfoliation and dermaplane. 

jfletcher3113

Coconut oil made me totally break out, which I was bummed about because I had heard such great things. I do use it in the shower as a shaving lotion and love it. Wish I could use it on my face. 

With this pregnancy, I have eczema on my freaking face. UGH! I have never had eczema in my life. My skin was so nice when I was pregnant with my son this time - a total 180.

There is nothing I can do until I am done breastfeeding, my derm said, because they only thing that gets rid of it is some kind of steroid. She suggested keeping the skin as calm as possible to minimize the itching and reduce the dry/red patches as much as possible. I use Epicuren products mostly and the dermal repair balm seem to be really helping. 

StacyH0507

I have been having dry skin issues especially on my scalp and more acne issues with this pregnancy, I have been using a scalp moisturizer and that has been helping.