Having a baby changes everything, including our awareness of our makeup choices, skin and hair care products, and even everyday products we use for hygiene. Women today are much more aware of the benefits that come with organic products as well as the dangers - and lack of government regulation - of many beauty and skin care products we used to take for granted.

Skin care is especially important because it is usually the first and last thing we do each day (until the baby comes, that is, and then you’ll be lucky to indulge in skin care at all). If we’re not careful about the products we chose, we’re allowing chemicals such as parabens, phthalates, and even mercury or lead to absorb through the skin, into our blood stream and therefore, right to our unborn child. Despite the increasing number of studies that demonstrate the adverse effects of these chemicals, the cosmetic industry (and U.S. government) is slow to respond, although progress is being made. In the meantime, it’s up to us mommies to educate ourselves and learn to read labels.

Here are some of our favorite (mommy and baby safe!) skin care products to get you started:

Cleansers: One of the most reputable safe cleansers on the market today is Aubrey Organics’ Vegetol Facial Cleansing Lotion. Made for sensitive mommy skin, it consistently gets rave reviews and is reasonably priced too. Another highly regarded company that creates a chemical-free cleanser is Jasco Organics. In addition to several facial cleansers, Jasco also makes a completely natural Makeup Remover. All of their products are made to EU standards…the highest in the world.

If you travel or like the convenience of cleansing pads, you’ll fall in love with Arcona’s Triad Pads . They serve as a makeup remover, cleanser and toner. One whiff of these and you’ll be smitten…the smell is just heavenly. Beware of sticker shock with Arcona’s products though…they don’t come cheap.

Exfoliators: If you love exfoliators and don’t care to go 100% natural by just using granulated sugar, Jasco Organics makes Renew Exfoliating Cleanser. Be cautious with exfoliators, though. As Jasco responsibly warns, they are not to be used on broken skin nor everyday on sensitive skin.

Toners: My personal favorite is Jasco Organics’ Refresh Green Tea & Citrus Toner. I noticed a huge difference in my skin after just two days of use. There is no residue left behind…just clean skin. Jasco also makes an anti-acne line that is completely safe for pregnant women. Skin changes a lot during pregnancy and you can easily find yourself battling acne breakouts in addition to all of the other “pregnancy plagues.” This would also be a good, safe choice for acne-prone teenagers. If it’s an astringent you are looking for, may we suggest Aubrey Organics’ Natural Herbal Facial Astringent. As with Jasco products, all ingredients are clearly listed on their website.

Moisturizers: One of the most luxurious moisturizers you’ll find is Jasco’s Silk Honey Rose Moisturizer. With honey and rose oil they’ve created a heavenly product with this moisturizer, which I’d recommend more for nighttime use. They’re not kidding when they say silky! If you’re looking for a good day moisturizer, I lean towards Aubrey Organics’ Blue Green Algae with Grapeseed Extract Moisturizer. This contains Aubrey’s famous chemical-free sun protection (SPF 15), eliminating the need for an additional sunscreen.

Sunscreens: This is a tough one because sunscreens, by their very nature, are chock-full of chemicals to block those UVA and UVB rays. And often it becomes a choice between the lesser of two evils because we are all well aware of how important it is to protect our skin from the sun. Currently there are two products on the market that come close to eliminating almost every harmful chemical from their sunscreens: Aubrey Organics and Mexitan.

Lip balms: Without a doubt you can’t go wrong with EcoLips. We’ve written about them before, extolling their virtues, but it bears repeating since their lip balms cured dry and cracked lips when mass-commercial products like Carmex, Blistex and Chapstick only made the problem worse. They come in a myriad of flavors and they offer free samples (all you pay is shipping), too. Jasco Organics also makes a good lip balm in peppermint and vanilla….yummy!

In the next week or so, we’ll take a closer look at some of the safe basic hygiene products on the market, including hair care, soaps, and dental care.

Further reading for you: Dangers of Parabens, Suncreens