Are you pregnant and wondering what the best self-tanning products are for you? Well, you aren’t alone! In this short guide, I’m going to go over what I think the absolute best self-tanning products are to use while pregnant and talk about why.
Although I’ll talk about it a bit towards the end of this article, the purpose of this post isn’t to get into the details of how safe self-tanners are to use while pregnant. I’ll tell you that it the general consensus is that they are perfectly safe since they only affect the outer layer of your skin. However, you’ll notice that the majority of products I recommend in this article are organic. I recommend this not only because these are fantastic products, but because you might as well play on the safe side, and not put anything on your body that you wouldn’t feel comfortable getting into your body.
However, this article is in no way intended to give medical advice. If you have any concerns whatsoever you should talk with your physician.
Alright, now let’s go over my 3 favorite self-tanners that I recommend if you’re expecting, and then afterward we’ll talk a little bit about the general topic of tanning while pregnant.
Best Self-Tanning Products For Pregnant Women
This was a bit of a hard post to write because there really aren’t any self-tanners marketed towards pregnant women. So what I had to do was filter through the hundreds of available products, and find the ones that are, in my opinion, the safest and most natural, but also produce a great tan.
I took a ton of time looking back through my notes on products, researching online, and reading reviews to curate this list. I used a ton of factors when making my final rankings, including:
- Quality
- Safety
- How Natural
- Customer Reviews
- Price
And much more. I did this so you wouldn’t have to! Alright, enough of this, let’s get to those products!
1. Beauty By Earth Organic Self-Tanner
Check it out on Amazon.
I’ve talked about this sunless tanner from Beauty By Earth before because it’s just a great product. The main reason I wanted to include it at the top of this list, is how natural it is. I’ve written before about how DHA works, so I won’t go into that, but simply but DHA (which is the active chemical in self-tanners) can be derived naturally and organically, or synthetically. Obviously, in this product, it’s completely natural and organic.
On top of that, every ingredient is completely natural. It includes:
- Aloe Vera
- Coconut Oil
- Shea Butter
- Jojoba Oil
- Argan Oil
- Green Tea
- Witch Hazel
- ..and much more.
These keep your skin healthy and moisturized. The tan that this product produces is also beautiful and extremely natural looking. It’s a cream, so you avoid any of the added chemicals you often find in mousses, serums, sprays, towelettes etc.
Whether you’re pregnant, or just worried about your skin and your body, this product is absolutely fantastic. If you want to feel even more confident about giving this stuff a try, go read all the amazing reviews on Amazon.
2. Bahama Tan Organic Sunless Tanning Lotion
Check it out on Amazon.
This isn’t a brand you’re probably super familiar with if you don’t do most of your self-tanner shopping on Amazon. However, they’ve grown a huge following with their small line of fantastic, organic products. This product, in particular, is made out of Eco-Cert approved DHA and Organic ingredients like shea butter coconut oil and argan oil. It’s completely paraben free and is safe for all skin types.
More importantly, if you’re pregnant or trying to get pregnant, it’s completely non-toxic. Bahama Tan self-tanner has:
- No Lanolin
- No Parabens
- No PABA
- No Alcohol (you find this in a lot of mousses)
- No Petrochemicals
- No Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
- No formaldehyde
- No Propylene Glycol
- No Fillers
- No Artifical Fragrances
No matter who you are this should matter to you, but especially if you’re expecting
You can use it for your entire body, and for your face, and the tan typically lasts about 5-6 days. The tan it produces is really attractive and natural, and I found it to be completely streak free without even a hint of orange.
3. Miami Gorgeous Self-Tanning Mousse
Check it out on Amazon.
Our last selection for best self-tanner to use while pregnant is from Miami Gorgeous. I wanted to add this one to the list because it’s a bit different than the other picks. First of all, it is a mousse, which means it dries much faster and applies really easily. Second, it is a bronzer, which means it gives some immediate color.
It does still have organic DHA, so it will develop a beautiful color with time. Like the others, it’s completely natural and organic and has things like argan oil, vitamin A, C, D, Coconut oil, olive oil, elderflower extract etc. This will leave your skin feeling fantastic without introducing harsh chemicals.
Miami gorgeous self-tanner doesn’t contain parabens, gluten, or any dangerous chemicals.
You’ll see from the reviews that people absolutely love this stuff. Although I like my first and second picks a bit better, if you’re pregnant and want some immediate color, this might be the best option for you!
Alright, now that we’ve talked about my favorite 3 self-tanners for pregnant women, let’s dive into some of the things you should maybe think about.
Is Self-Tanners Safe During Pregnancy?
The active ingredient in self-tanning products is called dihydroxyacetone, or DHA. DHA is a harmless ingredient that reacts with the amino acids in the dead skin cells on your body. This chemical reaction produces pigment in the epidermis that replicates a normal and natural tan from the sun. DHA can be derived synthetically, or in the case of my list, organically and naturally from things like sugar cane and sugar beets.
The tan you get from DHA self-tanners only happens on the outer layer of your skin, and less than .5% of the DHA is absorbed through the skin, which is safe during pregnancy.
So you shouldn’t be worried about the safety of FDA approved self-tanning products, however, I would still try to stick to the natural and organic products to keep unneeded chemicals out of your body. I personally love, and basically exclusively use, this one you can pick up on Amazon.
What About Spray Tans?
Spray tans are not encouraged during pregnancy. The primary reason for this is the risk of absorbing too many chemicals by breathing them in during the spray tan process. It’s hard to control how much your body takes in during this, through the mouse, nose, lungs, and eyes, so it’s preferable to apply self-tanner to the skin.
Are Tanning Beds Safe During Pregnancy?
In general, it is not safe to use tanning beds while pregnant.
The primary concern is the high amounts of heat. Tanning beds can raise your body temperature high above what is safe for your baby. This is the same reason that you are advised to stay away from hot tubs and saunas. Lying on your back in the bed can also be dangerous as it can restrict blood flow to both you and your baby.
Other Safe Tanning Alternatives While Pregnant
Foundation – Makeup experts advise finding a foundation that is two to three shades darker, and a bit warmer, than your natural skin tone to give your face the appearance of a natural tan.
Bronzer – Bronzer is another popular option for a safe fake tan that looks extremely natural. Use it in combination with your foundation strategy to give yourself a natural looking tan.
Final Thoughts
I hope you found my list of safe self-tanners to use while pregnant helpful! If you enjoyed the list, or even if you didn’t, let me know in the comments below or on social media!
