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During pregnancy, your body goes through a ton of changes, especially your skin. Stretch marks, sensitivity, itchiness, dryness, oiliness… You name it!
Adapting your skincare to your newfound skin can be an overwhelming task because you have to be more careful when choosing the formulas of each product. Now, more than ever, you need to prioritize your well-being and your baby’s safety.
That’s why is crucial for both you and your baby to opt for pregnancy-safe body washes. But, what are the best options? And, how to choose them?
To make your life easier and help you in this important part of your life, we created a curated selection of the best body washes for pregnancy tailored for every skin type.
What are the best body washes for pregnancy?
1. Cerave Hydrating Cleanser
Infused with a potent blend of ceramides, hyaluronic acid, cholesterol, and phytosphingosine, Cerave Hydrating Cleanser offers more than just a clean surface. This powerhouse formula works synergistically to moisturize, regenerate, stimulate, and smooth your skin as it gently washes away impurities.
It is ideal for normal to dry skin thanks to the ceramides and hyaluronic acid that attract and retain moisture. The US National Eczema Association identified the Cerave Hydrating Cleanser as suitable for sensitive skin and eczema.
This Cerave cleanser provides immediate hydration and a comforting sensation, promoting natural moisture balance and enhancing microcirculation.
Its lightweight texture is a delight, and with no fragrance, soap, or parabens, makes it an excellent body wash for pregnancy for even the most sensitive skin.
Elevate your cleansing routine with Cerave for a beautifully cleansed, smooth, and comfortable complexion.
Read also: Top-rated Cerave skincare products.
2. Avène Xeracalm Nutrition Shower Cream
Lightly scented, Avène Xeracalm Nutrition Shower Cream cleans, soothes, and nourishes dry sensitive skin in just one step.
The active ingredient that stands out in this product is Milk Thistle Oil which promotes ceramide synthesis to strengthen the skin barrier to lock in moisture and combat skin dryness.
This formula also includes various ingredients focused on skin hydration, such as sweet almond oil and glycerin.
Avène Xeracalm is designed to be used since birth, it doesn’t sting the eyes and may even be used in the intimate area, making it a great choice for pregnant women or recent mothers.
Curiosity: Did you know that Avène Xeracalm is one of the best moisturizing body washes for hard water?
3. Aveeno Skin Relief Body Wash
Are you struggling with dry and flaky skin during your pregnancy? If yes, Aveeno Skin Relief is one of the best and safest pregnancy body washes you can find.
This is a hypoallergenic, fragrance-free, dye-free, and soap-free body wash that is suitable for dry, sensitive, and fragile skin.
And, its formula is free from soap, fragrances, and parabens which makes it an excellent body wash for pregnancy.
This Aveeno gentle body wash made with oatmeal cleans soothes and moisturizes the skin. It also prevents skin dryness for up to 24 hours and preserves the skin barrier.
4. Uriage Xémose Cleansing Soothing Oil
One of the top sellers of pregnancy-safe body washes is from Uriage.
Specially crafted for very dry, atopy-prone skin, this oil provides a gentle and rehydrating cleanse without stripping your skin’s natural moisture.
Enriched with the restorative power of Uriage Thermal Water and fortified with Cerasterol-2F®, it strengthens the skin’s lipid protective film, leaving it supple and nourished.
This unscented formula, enriched with shea butter, soothes the skin and reduces itchiness. The high concentration of glycerin forms a non-greasy film that protects the skin from external aggressions.
The gel-cream texture rinses off effortlessly, ensuring a comfortable and revitalizing cleanse. Designed with sensitive skin, children, and babies in mind, this natural composition is both hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic.
The convenient pump dispenser makes it a breeze to use in the shower, while its soap-free, fragrance-free, and paraben-free formulation ensures a pure and nurturing cleansing experience.
Elevate your skincare routine with Uriage Xémose and discover the secret to beautifully balanced, healthy-looking skin.
Uriage Xémose Cleansing Soothing Oil is also a top body wash for black skin because it cleanses, nourishes, and moisturizes very dry skin prone to atopy.
5. Cerave Foaming Cleanser
If your skin is or has become oily during pregnancy, Cerave Foaming Cleanser is the one for you.
This foaming cleanser gel from Cerave with purifying, anti-inflammatory, and sebum-regulating actions is suitable for normal, combination, and oily skin.
It gently cleanses and removes impurities and excess oil and makeup without disrupting the natural protective skin barrier and without drying the skin thanks to the ceramides and hyaluronic acid that retain moisture.
With a light, fresh texture, Cerave cleanser has a fragrance-free formula with no sulfates, soap, and parabens, which makes it an excellent body wash for pregnancy, even for sensitive skin.
Curiosity: Did you know that Cerave foaming cleanser is one of the best body washes for sensitive skin?
6. Cetaphil Cleansing Lotion
Introducing Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser Lotion – a skin-loving elixir for moms-to-be.
Enriched with niacinamide, panthenol, and glycerin, this formula strengthens your skin’s natural barrier, guarding against the 5 signs of sensitivity (dryness, irritation, roughness, tightness, and a weakened skin barrier)
Say goodbye to dryness, irritation, and that uncomfortable tightness. This dermatologist-tested formula is specially crafted to prevent a weakened skin barrier, leaving you with a smoother, softer complexion.
Experience pure indulgence with a product that respects your skin’s physiological pH, ensuring a nurturing cleanse.
Whether you choose to rinse or not, this fragrance-free, non-comedogenic, hypoallergenic lotion embraces your skin’s unique journey during pregnancy.
This cleansing lotion from Cetaphil is ideal for sensitive, normal to dry skin.
7. Avène Xeracalm A.d. Pain Nourishing Cleansing Soap
If you’re looking for a pregnancy-safe body wash in a bar of soap, then Avène Xeracalm A.D. Pain is for you!
Beyond being suitable for pregnancy, this cleansing soap is also indicated for the whole family, from newborns to children and adults.
Its formula contains a soft wash base (physiological pH) with premium ingredients:
- I-Modulia® complex
- lipitor phase (evening primrose oil)
- thermal water
Avène Xeracalm provides gentle cleansing, nourishing, calming, stimulating, anti-irritating, restructuring, fortifying, and softening action.
Thanks to the evening primrose oil, this nourishing cleansing bar is indicated for dry to very dry and atopic-prone skin. It’s also an excellent choice for protecting the skin against dryness and itchiness.
It is a non-comedogenic and high tolerance, soap-free, and fragrance-free formula, which makes it suitable for dry to very dry, atopic, and itchy skin.
8. Eucerin Ph5 Shower Oil
Ideal for dry sensitive skin, Eucerin Ph5 Shower Oil cleanses and nourishes the skin at the same time.
This lightly scented shower is rich in natural oils which reinforce the skin’s lipid barrier, leaving the skin visibly softer and preventing dehydration.
The Eucerin Ph5 shower Oil is one of the greatest body washes for pregnancy due to its formula being scientifically tested. It’s suitable for all ages, and this fragrance-free elevates your shower routine today!
9. Barral Dermaprotect Dermatological Shower Cream
Barral Dermaprotect Shower Cream is a reliable and pregnancy-safe body wash for several reasons. Let’s explore them!
Barral Dermaprotect Dermatological Shower Cream is formulated with a base of natural, non-aggressive ingredients:
- oat extract, which helps to soothe the skin
- almond oil, which has emollient and reconstructive properties
- shea butter, rich in antioxidants and vitamins
A top seller from Barral, this shower cream effectively restores lipids lost through washing and reduces skin dryness. In the end, it leaves your skin feeling calmer, softer, and cleaner.
It’s suitable for children and adults and can be used for dry, sensitive skin that is prone to irritation.
10. A-derma Exomega Control Emollient Foaming Gel
With a gentle cleansing base with Rhealba Oat Extract, A-Derma Exomega Control Emollient Foaming Gel cleanses and soothes dry and atopic skin that tends to feel itchy. It also nourishes and prevents the skin from drying out thanks to the glycerin in the formula.
Biodegradable, soap-free, and fragrance-free, this foaming gel is an excellent alternative for the whole family since it can be used from birth.
The formula and its ingredients respect the skin’s natural defenses helping with the regeneration of the natural skin barrier
This is a top body wash for pregnancy because it leaves the skin perfectly clean, smooth, and hydrated.
11. Isdin Nutratopic Pro-amp Emollient Bath Gel
ISDIN Nutratopic Pro-AMP Emollient Shower Gel is a soap-free cleansing gel for the daily hygiene of atopic skin.
This is one of the best body washes for pregnant because it helps reduce itchiness and irritation while moisturizing the skin because of its enriched formula with emollient oils and shea butter.
Also, Isdin Nutratopic strengthens and restores the skin barrier thanks to the L-Isoleucine in the formula.
Nutratopic Pro-Amp Emollient Bath Gel does not contain fragrances, colorants, or preservatives, which helps to maintain the skin’s pH.
12. La Roche Posay Lipikar Ap+ Cleansing Oil
If you have dry to very dry skin and/or suffer from atopy or eczema, La Roche Posay Lipikar Ap+ Cleansing Oil is a great option for you. This body wash gently cleans, nourishes, and soothes the skin.
One of its main active ingredients is Niacinamide, which helps reduce itching and irritation while restoring the skin’s lipid barrier. And thanks to the Shea butter in the formula the skin’s hydrolipidic film is repaired.
Great for the whole family, even for newborns. It is suitable for the body, scalp, and intimate areas, and doesn’t cause tears.
La Roche Posay Lipikar Ap+ Cleansing Oil contains a hypoallergenic perfume.
13. Mustela Bio Shower Gel
Are you looking for a versatile body wash? This pregnancy-safe body wash can is a 2-in-1 shower gel for both body and hair, specifically developed for sensitive and delicate skin.
Since Mustela BIO Shower Gel is formulated with ingredients from organic farming, it is suitable for use from birth, and also for the whole family with sensitive skin.
This organic and vegan formula contains French organic olive oil, rich in omega 8 and 9, that renews and moisturizes the skin. At the same time, it gently cleans the skin without stripping while protecting the skin from external aggressions.
14. Nuxe Rêve De Miel Ultra-rich Cleansing Gel
Experience a moment of pure luxury with Nuxe Rêve De Miel Ultra-Rich Cleansing Gel.
Specially formulated for the driest and most sensitive skin, this gentle cleanser brings soothing relief to your face and body.
Enriched with natural-origin ingredients, it maintains your skin’s essential balance, ensuring a cleansing experience like no other.
The combination of a vegetable-origin washing base, honey’s nourishing touch, and allantoin’s smoothing and soothing action create a symphony of comfort.
Bid adieu to impurities as this gel purifies, leaving your skin feeling fresher, smoother, and utterly comfortable.
With 87% natural-origin ingredients, this formula embraces your skin with love, free from the constraints of soap or parabens.
15. Noreva Xerodiane Ap+ Cleansing Shower Cream
Noreva Xerodiane Ap+ Cleansing Shower Cream cleanses and moisturizes the skin. Contains lipid-replenishing and emollient agents that give comfort, flexibility, and protection to the skin.
An unscented, soap-free formula is a good option for dry to very dry, sensitive, and atopic skin. It is suitable for the whole family, including babies. And, of course, it’s a friendly-pregnancy body wash.
Why is important to choose a pregnancy-safe body wash?
Choosing a pregnancy-safe body wash is crucial because certain skincare ingredients can potentially harm both you and your baby.
A body wash considered safe during pregnancy should be free from harmful chemicals, allergens, and irritants. This includes avoiding ingredients like:
- parabens
- phthalates
- sulfates
- alcohol
- artificial fragrances
- dyes
By opting for a pregnancy-safe body wash, you’re taking a proactive step to ensure the well-being of both you and your baby during this special time. Always prioritize products that prioritize safety and consult with your doctor if you have any doubts about the safety of a particular product.
How to choose the best body wash for pregnancy?
First and foremost, you need to consider your skin type and condition. Due to hormonal changes, it is very common to develop acne, rashes, dryness, sensitive skin… So you should choose your body wash accordingly.
If preventing stretch marks is important to you, your body wash should be very moisturizing and nourishing. However, if you have acne-prone skin, choose one that is non-comedogenic (it won’t clog your pores) to prevent breakouts.
As we explained, pay special attention to the body wash formula and its ingredients. Avoid parabens, phthalates, sulfates, alcohol, artificial fragrances, and dyes.
Another thing to keep in mind when picking your body wash is scent. If you are an expecting mom struggling with smells, a fragrance-free body wash is for you. Fragrances can also cause allergies and irritation on more sensitive skin.
Choosing the right body wash during pregnancy is quite an important decision as it can contribute to your overall well-being and comfort during this special time. We hope our recommendations will make your choice easier!
And remember to always check with your doctor if you have any doubts about the safety of a product.
Conclusion
Choosing a pregnancy-safe body wash doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Our curated selection of the top body washes for pregnancy addresses a range of skin types and concerns, ensuring you find the perfect match for this special time.
Remember, choosing the right body wash is not just about cleanliness – it’s about embracing your changing body with products that nourish, soothe, and protect.
Whether you’re combating dryness, seeking gentle cleansing, or aiming to prevent stretch marks, our recommendations have got you covered.
But don’t wait too long! These carefully selected body washes are in high demand, especially for expectant mothers like you.
Embrace this opportunity now and treat yourself to the nurturing care your skin deserves. Experience the confidence and comfort that comes with choosing the best body wash for your pregnancy journey.