Ingrediens in makeup during pregnancy

[Mia098]

Hello. I am pregnant and have tried to be so careful with the ingredients in skin creams and foundation/make-up. I have read a lot and now I find out that my foundation contains BUTYLOCTYL SALICYLATE, ginseng and licorice root. I am completely panicking to think that I have used this as it says that it is dangerous for the foetus. I am panicking right now:/

You are not eating your foundation are you, there is nothing to worry about.

@DragonFly98 no, luckily I don't eat it x) but everywhere on the internet it says it's dangerous, and that it can cause birth defects.

Please stop googling things. It’s not dangerous, your baby is absolutely fine, if you find you are worrying this much regularly then it’s important to have a discussion with your midwife about getting extra support. Stick to the nhs list on what to avoid and stay off the internet for everything else

It's really, really difficult to absorb something into your bloodstream through your skin. As long as you're not ingesting your foundation you're fine!

@PickledScrump @CluelessInLondon thanks for reply. messaged the manufacturer of the foundation and they said I had to stop using it due to the pregnancy (ginseng and licorice root). no problem to stop but have used it throughout the pregnancy.

@Mia098 they tell you that as they haven’t been tested in pregnancy so they can’t legally tell you it’s fine. If there was a risk then you would be told to avoid products by your midwife

@PickledScrump I really hope so. I feel like I've looked into everything and been so careful, and yet this happens. :/

@Mia098 please speak to your midwife about how you are feeling. Some anxiety is normal during pregnancy but extreme anxiety can be really damaging and can spiral out of control very quickly. It’s quite common and there are maternity mental health services that can help give you support but it’s very important you seek help sooner rather than later.

@PickledScrump I have spoken to the midwife that I was upset after everything I read about the ingredients in my foundation. but I can't forget that it says online how dangerous it is. especially ginseng and licorice root seem very dangerous, and then I quickly become afraid of what it means for my baby.

Women used to wear lead and mercury based make up and still gave birth to healthy babies - a thousand years ago!

I'm more concerned about your anxiety OP. Please speak with your midwife about your worries.

@OldTinHat from babysenter.com:
MakeupYou may not give a second thought to the kind of makeup you use, but even cosmetics are something to consider when pregnant.
Many makeup products are marked "noncomedogenic" or "nonacnegenic" – meaning they're oil-free and don't clog pores. These are safe and will not affect the health of your baby.
Avoid cosmetics that contain retinol. Salicylic acid is found in some makeup for acne-prone skin. While it's safe topically in small amounts (say to dab on a pimple or use in a face wash), it's better to avoid it in makeup (such as foundation) that may be absorbed by larger areas of your skin for long periods of time.

I have mentioned it to her, but she said that she didn’t know.

It is normal to be a bit worried during pregnancy, but this seems like a high level of anxiety. Please talk to your midwife and get help and it will just get worse when the baby arrives and you don’t want to inflict your anxiety on your child.

If it was dangerous, the NHS would have it listed as things to avoid in pregnancy, like certain cheeses. Are you generally quite anxious? It might be something to speak to the midwife about as you don't want it becoming worse when baby is here.

I have to agree with this.

Hi @Mia098 I recognize your username from one of your other threads, so I know you are already getting support for your pregnancy anxiety. I'd just echo what pp have said that it's best to stick to the nhs recommended list of things to avoid and forget everything else. Most things just can't be categorized as 'safe' because they haven't been through extensive, expensive testing.

Fwiw, I use a salicylic acid cleanser and leave on serum daily, and did throughout my entire pregnancy - this is the first I'm hearing about it being an issue. Baby is nearly 3 weeks and seems perfectly healthy.

@xyz111 I'm not nervous when I'm not pregnant, but during pregnancy I feel that everything I do or use products I've done something to harm the baby. So my mind don’t understand how this baby can be ok.

Hi Op - really try not to worry. The teeny tiny amount of those ingredients which have been absorbed into your skin will not have caused any harm to your baby. They really won't!

If this was a problem then there would be thousands of women who use these products during pregnancy reporting problems, the NHS would be funding research, there would be huge warning signs on the products, firms would be getting sued for damages. None of these things are happening because the risk is completely minimal.

If it makes you feel more in control then stop using them, but you really won't have done your baby any harm.

@LavenderSweetPea thanks for your reply and thanks for sharing. yes, I feel that no matter what I do or use of products, it will affect the baby. First I terrified for taking vaccines in pregnancy, and now this:/ I'm so tired of trying to do what’s best for the baby, and it's not going well no matter what I do.

@LaLaLouella thank you for taking the time to answer me. yes, I have now stopped using the products, but I am 34 weeks and feel that if I have damaged something, it is already too late.

You haven't damaged your baby by using face cream, you really havent! Stop beating yourself up, you're doing great, and it won't be too long before you get your meet your beautiful baby x

@LaLaLouella Thank you.

@LavenderSweetPea hi again. I got a reply from the manufacturer and the product had 3-5% of the ingredient BUTYLOCTYL SALICYLATE. I know that it is only 2% of salicylic acid that they say is safe during pregnancy and I am now quite devastated.

@Mia098 You definitely need some help to manage your anxiety - it's almost certain that your skincare products are not harming your baby. It is really hard to absorb significant amounts of anything into the bloodstream via the skin.

@CluelessInLondon I asked a doctor and she said that 2% salicylic acid is considered safe in pregnancy, so I don't think it's strange that I get so scared when it's 3-5% BUTYLOCTYL SALICYLATE. I think that everyone in my situation would have been afraid of the child in the womb. and I get angry that it is not in the list of ingredients or marked that it should not be used by pregnant women.

@Mia098 Please stop worrying and enjoy the last few weeks of pregnancy. While it's best to avoid certain ingredients during pregnancy, remember before these were known people used them and had perfectly healthy babies. Both of my sisters did not make any changes to their skincare or beauty regimes while pregnant because they did not know, and everything turned out fine.