Personal trainer Ange Noy has recently had her first child and after experiencing sensitive skin issues throughout her pregnancy, went through a process of trial and error to find some of the less irritating health and beauty products on the market.
I’ve always had an issue with sensitive skin, but during my pregnancy it went into overdrive. Far from having the widely promised beautiful pregnancy glow, I ended up with allergies and eczema tied in with the hormonal changes that were underway.
Not only that, but early on it dawned on me that I was responsible for a wee life that could be sharing everything that went on my skin so I wanted to eliminate many of the chemical nasties that are typically in beauty products.
Here are my top health and beauty picks that kept me feeling pampered throughout my pregnancy and the early days following birth, plus held the allergic reactions at bay!
Essano Rosehip Oil
Aside from the beautiful packaging, this NZ-made certified organic rosehip oil is 100% natural in origin, feels luxurious and has barely any scent to it. I used it for my belly stretchmarks and also for dry skin patches, and was really happy with the results.
Stretch marks apparently occur due to a range of factors unfortunately out of our control; individual skin elasticity, genetics, how fast your belly grows during pregnancy… Although some research has indicated that topical products won’t provide much relief from stretch marks, massaging the skin may help reduce the appearance of them and using some kind of massage oil helps facilitate it.
I still ended up with plenty of stretch marks following my pregnancy (which mostly occurred in the last few weeks of being pregnant and yes, they are fading over time), but as the hubby pointed out they could have been far worse if I hadn’t used this as part of my daily routine.
My mother-in-law has super sensitive skin and has also recently added products from the Essano range to her skincare regime as they are the only thing aside from doctor-prescribed moisturisers that don’t cause skin irritation for her.
Contains: Rosehip Fruit Oil, Acai Pulp Oil, Vitamin E.
Lansinoh Lanolin cream
If you choose to breastfeed, having a hungry little mouth latching onto one of the most sensitive parts of your body frequently throughout the day and night can take it’s toll! Far from the old days where we were told to let skin injuries dry out, moist wound healing is the most up to date way of accelerating healing without the formation of scabs, which makes Lansinoh invaluable for soothing and treating sore, dry or cracked nipples.
It doesn’t need to be removed before baby feeds, is hypoallergenic, preservative-free, and has got me through some tough times!
Contains: 100% Lanolin (a naturally-occurring fatty substance found on sheep’s wool).
Sukin Sensitive Facial Moisturiser
I’ve used Sukin products in the past – I’m a huge fan of their night cream; throughout the majority of my pregnancy the skin on my face was quite dry so I wanted a light moisturising product to use during the daytime underneath my makeup.
This moisturiser didn’t break the bank, is paraben-free and suitable for sensitive skin. After giving birth my skin went oily and this product still leaves it looking dewy without leaving too much shine behind.
Contains: Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sesame Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Ceteareth-20, Rose Hip Oil, Cocoa Seed Butter, Shea Butter, Jojoba Seed Oil, Avocado Oil, Wheat Germ Oil, Vitamin E, Cucumber Fruit Extract, Chamomile Flower Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Vanillin, Vanilla Fruit Extract.
Eco Store Fragrance Free Body Wash, Shampoo, Hand Cream and Laundry Powder
One of my biggest allergies was body washes and soaps which would leave my skin feeling itchy everywhere! This fragrance free body wash from New Zealand brand Eco Store was literally the only thing I could use throughout my pregnancy.
Suitable for ultra sensitive skin, it’s plant-based, contains no nasty chemicals, has no fragrance and still leaves your skin feeling clean and washed. I also used their shampoo, hand cream and fragrance-free laundry powder (you can have allergic reactions to the products you use to wash your clothes in as well!).
Contains: Water, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Sodium Lauroamphoacetate, Coco Glucoside (plant-based surfactants), Glyceryl Oleate (plant-based conditioner), Guar Gum, Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate (preservative).
Cottons and Natracare pads and liners
Women’s hygiene products can be fragranced and are often chemically bleached which can be irritating to the skin in our more sensitive places!
Cottons makes a range of pads, tampons and liners that are comfortable, breathable and hypoallergenic. Natracare is another brand that is plastic free, fragrance free and chlorine free.
If you change these products and still find you’re having allergic reactions, consider changing your toilet paper to an unbleached, unscented variety with no prints.
Images / NZ Real Health