Is it Safe? A Makeup Buying Guide for Pregnant Hot Mamas

One of the most nerve-wracking things most moms deal with after they find out they are pregnant is whether or not normal items they commonly use are safe for their baby. It's easy to find a plethora of information on the safety of alcohol, tobacco, and certain foods, and whether one should avoid them while pregnant, yet if you ask the same hard questions about makeup, skincare, and other cosmetic products, you'll likely be greeted with a deafening silence. Or, at best, a lecture on certain ingredients and the phrase that solves everything: "Ask your doctor!" Listen, hot mama, I understand your frustration. I went through the same thing when I was pregnant with my son, and, so, I've decided to put together a common sense shopping guide of the best low-risk products that actually work for pregnant hot mamas who don't want to check their style makeup compact at the door. It will get messy: Names will be named, lipsticks' dark innards will be revealed, and your favorite product might not make the cut, but by the end of this post, you should have a better idea of what products are truly safe and effective.

A HOT MAMA FACE:

Safe Foundation:

Good:* L'oréal Bare Naturale Foundation (6.2 stars)

Better:** MAC Studio Fix (9.2 stars), Tarte Smooth Operator SPF 20 (8.6 stars), Smashbox Photo Finish Light Foundation Primer (8.6 stars), Neutrogena Healthy Skin Liquid Makeup (7.6 stars)

Best:*** L'Oreal Paris Ideal Balance QuickStick Balancing Foundation for Combination Skin (9.3 stars), Peter Thomas Roth Instant Mineral, SPF 30 (8.5 stars) DermaBlend Smooth Indulgence Foundation or Cover Cream (8.1 stars)

Safe Concealer:

Good: NARS Concealer (8 stars), Laura Mercier Secret Concealer (7 stars), Maybelline New York Cover Stick Corrector Concealer (7.4 stars)

Better: Dermablend Quick Fix Concealer or Cover Cream (8.5 stars), L'Oreal Paris Bare Naturale Gentle Mineral Concealer (6.5 stars), Burt's Bees Concealing Cream (no review available)

Best: Cover Girl Smoothers Concealer (8.6 stars), Physicians Formula Concealer Twins 2-in-1 Correct and Cover Cream (no review available)

Safe Blush/Bronzer:

Good: e.l.f. All Over Color Stick (10 stars), Laura Mercier Illuminating Stick (no review available)

Better: Becca Cream Blush, (9.7 stars), Jane Iredale 24-karat gold (also comes in colors that make it a good stand-in for eye shadow, or as liner when applied with a wet liner brush) Total Beauty readers give it 9.5 stars)

Best: Smashbox O-Glow Intuitive Cheek Color (6.0 stars)

HOT MAMA EYES:

Safe Eye Shadow:

Good: LORAC Eye Shadows (9.7 stars for the Showstopper Palette)

Better: Becca Cream Eye Color (9.7 stars), Make Up For Ever Star Powder (9.3 stars)

Best: Jane Iredale Eye Shadows (9.3 stars)

Safe Brow Fixes:

Good: Make Up For Ever Transparent Mascara for Brows and Lashes (no review available)

Better: LORAC Brow Wax (10 stars)

Best: Jane Iredale PureBrow - Fix & Mascara (9 stars)

Safe Mascara:

Good: L'Oreal Paris Voluminous Waterproof Mascara, (8.8 stars), LORAC Publicity Stunt Lashes Long-Wearing Mascara (6.2 stars), Smashbox Bionic Mascara, (4.2 stars)

Better: Rimmel London Extra Super Lash Waterproof Mascara (5 stars)

Best: Almay One Coat Triple Effect Mascara (8.3 stars)

Safe Eyeliner:

Good: MAC Eye Pencil (9.6 stars)

Better: Shiseido The Makeup Accentuating Cream Eyeliner (9.8 stars), MAC Powerpoint Eye Pencil (8.6 stars), Physicians Formula Eyebrightener Liquid Eyeliner (6.8 stars)

Best: Jane Iredale Liquid Eye Liner (7.3 stars), Burt's Bees Wings of Love Eyeliner Pencil (no review available)

HOT MAMA LIPS:

Safe Lip Gloss:

Good: Urban Decay XXX Slick Pot Gloss (8.5 stars), Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer (8.3 stars), NARS Lip Stain/ Lip Gloss (7.1 stars), CoverGirl Outlast Smoothwear All Day Lipcolor (6.8 stars)

Better: Becca Glossy Lip Tint (9 stars), MAC Clear and Tinted Lipglass (7.1-8.5 stars, depending on the color), Wet n Wild MegaLast Lip Color (7 stars), Boots No7 High Shine Lip Gloss (4 stars)

Best: Neutrogena MoistureShine Tinted Lip Balm (8.5 stars), Wet n Wild MegaSlicks Lip Gloss (7.1 stars), Burt's Bees Lip Gloss and Balm (7.1 stars)

Safe Lip Plumper:

Good: Duwop Lip Venom (a personal favorite of mine, but Total Beauty reviewers only give it 6.9 stars), Neutrogena Advanced Solutions Lip Rejuvenating Treatment SPF 20 (8.4 stars)

Better: Z. Bigatti Lip Envy (no review available)

Best: Kinerase Lip Treatment (7.8 stars)

Safe Lipstick:

Surprisingly, it is fairly difficult to find a lipstick free from toxic ingredients (and by difficult, I mean impossible), so instead of giving you list of good lipsticks, I'm to give you a list of lipsticks all pregnant hot mamas absolutely should avoid:****

-Prescriptives Modernista Lip Color
-Almay Ideal Lipcolor
-Maybelline Moisture Extreme Lipcolor
-Estée Lauder Electric Intense Lip Cream
-Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick

This isn't a complete list, but it should give you an idea.

If you are in search of general information regarding common ingredients in cosmetics and other skin care products, Baby Center put together a good list.

It's a wrap, hot mamas! Be safe, ditch the lipstick (swear by a good lip gloss), enjoy your pregnancy, and bask in that "glow." Trust me, once you get over the constant puking stage, it can be a wonderful time. :)


When she's not busy mismanaging Make Me a Hot Mama, Alison (AJae) twitters, writes for AlisonJerabek.Com, and plays mommy to an adorable little boy. In that order.
Drop her a line: editor@makemeahotmama.com
---Data on the safety of these products was found at CosmeticsDatabase.Com. Cosmetics Database rates products on a scale of 1-10, with 0-2 designated as no/low hazard, 3-6 as moderate hazard, and 7-10 as high hazard. Product reviews and usability information are from TotalBeauty.Com.

*Products on the "Good" list have a safety rating of 2-3: low to moderate hazard

**Products on the "Better" list have a safety rating of 1-2: low hazard

***Products on the "Best" list have a safety rating of 0-1: These products either have zero or little risks: products with a rating of one are often only marked as such because they include certain botanicals or other low-risk ingredients that haven't been as thoroughly vetted by the FDA.

****All the lipsticks listed have a safety rating of at least 7, which I would consider an unacceptable risk during pregnancy. Although these products may be perfectly fine for normal wear, I'd personally stash these lipsticks right next to the sushi and saki for a little after-baby dinner...