Congratulations, you are pregnant!

Now that you have a bun in the oven, you may find your newly expecting excitement has faded when you are given the long list of menu options, household items and activities to avoid (bye bye kitty litter and downhill skiing). Among the obvious ones including sushi and alcohol, some may call mani’s and pedi’s into question during pregnancy. I’ve done some of my own research on this topic but found that the best insight could come from someone who is on the pregnancy journey themselves. Natasha, our Marketing Assistant, is 34 weeks pregnant and has had to face this common pregnancy quandary herself. I sat down with her to pick her brain and get her take on pregnancy safety, her concerns and how to stay up to date with your beauty routine while knocked up. Though facial peels and hair dye may be on the back burner for now, Natasha’s experience during pregnancy was less confusing when it came to nail care. “Though nail polish isn’t being directly transferred into your bloodstream, the harmful chemicals found in most nail polish brands can get into your body and even be harmful to breathe,” she says. Chemicals including toluene, formaldehyde, DBP, formaldehyde resin and camphor are known to be dangerous. These chemicals have been shown to cause hormone production problems as well as reproductive issues, headaches and more! When creating Lauren B Beauty, it was a no brainer that I wanted to create a brand that was versatile for everyone including all of our loving baby bearers in the world. “I am always cautious that whatever I am ingesting, even if I don’t know it, my baby is ingesting also,” says Natasha. Avoiding these harmful chemicals and practicing basic safety measures when it comes to nail care is not only smart but your baby will thank you too!

Nails 101: Pregnancy Safety Tips

First and foremost, it is always important to consult with your doctor if you have major concerns about how your beauty routine may be affecting your pregnancy. This blog is merely our experience and tips as experts in the nail care field.

1. As Natasha mentioned, breathing in harmful chemicals can be just as dangerous as applying them to your hands and nails. Take precaution by asking your manicurist to seat you in a separate area and out of the way of harmful fumes from gel polish and acrylic powders.
2. Always make sure you polish nails in a well-ventilated area.
3. Be prepared to make the right choice and have your bag stocked with 1-2 of your favorite Lauren B Beauty polishes, bases, and top coats that are always 5 free, Vegan friendly, and made in the USA.
4. Use naturally derived polish remover like this one (link to puck) instead of toxic acetone which leaves nails dry, contains harsh chemicals and smells awful (yuck!)
5. Always use clean and sterilized tools and make sure your manicurist does the same to avoid any possibility of infection.
6. Don’t forget to polish your toes (or get a pedicure) before heading into labor. This likely will be your last pedicure for a while, and secondly you will have a lot of people looking at your lower body including your toes, so why not make them pretty. Have fun with it, try painting blue for a boy or pink for a girl.

Our gel topcoat is a lifesaver for new moms who don’t have time to get their nails done frequently. It will prolong your nail polish wear for up to 2 weeks. This is a healthier alternative to gel polish, it is easy, safe for you and safe when it comes in contact with your baby too! You don’t have to compromise your beauty while pregnant, just be aware of some small changes that you can make which will still allow you to feel beautiful while enjoying this beautiful part of life. Nails are a small part of the beauty routine to most people, especially new moms, but to me it is a great way to show some color, express yourself and brighten your day pretty easily by flaunting a new shade that makes you feel beautiful! -If you have more questions on this topic or any others comment below, email us info@laurenbbeauty.com or find us on social media! XX Lauren B.