Designed with mommy and baby in mind.
Our formulation process.
Gina Gordy and the Pretty Mommies team joined forces with top cosmetic chemists and leading dermatologists to formulate our #1 physician recommended maternity skin care line. Our top priority was to create products that were all natural, effective and safe for women to use while pregnant and nursing.
To determine which ingredients met our standards, we looked for all natural items that not only had a specific skin care benefit, but also a dietary benefit to the mother and child. And, of course, we were extra careful to weed out the ones that might have harmful effects in any way.
The good stuff:
We used ingredients that were recommended in the diet of pregnant and nursing women, especially at a higher daily amount due to fetal development benefits. For example:
- The Trichloma Matsutake Singer extract is a Japanese Mushroom. Studies have shown benefits from cancer prevention to natural skin brightening. They’re a natural source of Niacin, which is recommended at a higher daily allowance to help with fetal brain development. Mushrooms are also rich in Folic Acid which has been shown to aid in decreased birth defects – this is why it’s in all prenatal vitamins.
- Vitamin C has shown to support a host of topical and digestive benefits. Everything from anti-aging to hyperpigmentation to helping with inflammation and to aid your gastrointestinal tract to rid itself of toxins. It is also recommend in pregnancy because it is crucial for fetal bone and teeth development.
The stuff we left out:
We took careful notice of ingredients that could in be harmful to mommy or baby in any way. For example:
- Soy and all soy peptides, which are very common in cosmetic formulations today, is not recommended in the diet of pregnant women due to estrogenic effects.
- Licorice, Mulberry and Bearberry are all great natural skin lighteners, however they can cause uterine stimulation and potentially premature contractions.
Surfactants, emulsifiers and preservative systems.
We didn’t stop with just key and active ingredients. We also looked at the additional ingredients needed to properly formulate cosmetic products; surfactants, emulsifiers and preservative systems.
Surfactants help spread the product on the skin, emulsifiers hold the ingredients together and preservative systems help prevent dangerous microbes from forming.
Unfortunately, this is where other companies who may use natural key ingredients fall short…because some of the most dangerous cosmetic ingredients can be found in surfactants, emulsifiers and preservative systems.
- Surfactant. Chemical surfactants such as dimethicone are silicone based and have shown links to storing in your lymph nodes and causing tumors. Instead, we used an all natural ingredient derived from macadamia seed oil.
- Emulsifier. Our emulsifier is made from Sweet Orange Pulp, which was made for the all natural food industry.
- Preservative Systems. Instead of using parabens, which thousands of studies have shown to be a carcinogen, or phenoxyethanol, which replaced parabens (even though it has an FDA warning), we used a three-part natural sugar enzyme as our preservative system.
Two dangerous ingredients and what we use instead:
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. This is a common ingredient in many skin care lines, even though it is a known skin irritant and has restrictions in every health ministry. We refused to use it in our products.
Our solution: Instead, we used Vegetable Glycerin which is a non-toxic, colorless and odorless liquid produced from vegetables. It has emollient and lubricating properties and helps to cleanse and moisturize the skin. Glycerin has antimicrobial effects, helps to heal wounds and also helps to restore skin’s elasticity.
Oxybenzone. In our opinion, this is one of the most alarming ingredients being used daily by some pregnant women. Oxybenzone is a chemical sunscreen found in almost ALL mainstream sunscreens on the market today. It is a synthetic estrogen and hormone disruptor and many studies show links to low birth weight in babies. A more recent study from Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center shows that high levels of estrogen during pregnancy increases the chances of a daughter developing breast cancer.
Our solution: Our sunscreen is chemical FREE. We use pure non-nano zinc oxide. Since it has not been micronized it cannot penetrate the skin – truly the safest on the market.
The science behind Pretty Mommies created products which are all natural, safe and incredibly effective. And that’s how we ended up being the #1 physician recommended maternity skin care line. Check out our three-step skin care system here.
<