Everyone before pregnancy: Oh, that pregnancy glow will hit you any day now

Me when I got pregnant: DULL SKIN!

The day you find out that you’re pregnant is a day when you will get to experience many emotions. Some women are happy, some are not, some are filled with fear, some with excitement. It’s a rollercoaster of emotions and thoughts. As you progress in your pregnancy and begin to notice changes in your body, these thoughts intensify, especially when you don’t see the changes that the world is telling you about. For me, this expected-but-never-came change was the famous  pregnancy glow .

All the books and literature that I consumed about pregnancy spoke of the “pregnancy glow” that happens in your body because of increased blood flow and hormonal changes. But for me, I saw my skin dulling down, and my features changing a little bit. My face would look swollen all the time and people would ask me if I was tired. I would look at my old pictures and think to myself how I would look so pretty before pregnancy, how my skin glowed, how my face was never swollen. 

I had started losing confidence, and even dressing up for a normal dinner or outing felt like effort. Nothing would make me look “beautiful”. I felt disconnected from my pre-pregnancy identity and compared myself to my pregnant friends, and even strangers on social media. The whole narrative around “pregnancy glow” had started to feel like pressure. A strange pressure to get your face glowing.

And soon enough, I realised that this wasn’t my story alone. So many expectant mothers go through the pressure of looking a certain way. People talk about “pregnancy glow”, but no one tells you that hormonal shifts can also cause breakouts, pigmentation, dryness, dullness, puffiness.

Why does this happen?

1. Acne Breakouts: Among the many changes that take place due to hormonal shifts, the occurrence of acne is the most common. Hormones during pregnancy stimulate the oil glands, which in turn lead to an excessive production of oil (sebum)

2. Pigmentation: Known as the “mask of pregnancy”, melasma or pigmentation are brown patches on the face that occur in the second and third trimesters. High levels of estrogen and progesterone, together with the placenta produce an extra melanocyte-stimulating hormone, which triggers melanin overproduction leading to brown marks on the face. It’s more common in dark and brown skin tones and is amplified when the skin is exposed to the sun.

3. Dry Skin: Itchy, dry skin is common in pregnant women. The culprit? Estrogen, again! Estrogen affects the production of sebum, skin hydration and elasticity and can cause the natural oil barrier to thin out

4. Dull Skin: Women with dry skin are more prone to dullness because dehydration and lack of moisture can make the skin appear flat, rough, and less radiant. Fatigue and mild anemia, which are common symptoms in pregnancy, also contribute to a lackluster complexion

5. Puffiness: In the later stages of pregnancy, as the uterus grows, it starts compressing other organs, leading to pelvic vein congestion that prevents effective return of blood from the lower extremities. The increased pressure forces fluids out of the veins into the tissues, leading to swelling not just on the face but also on the ankles.

Dealing with skin changes during pregnancy

While these changes are natural, and it is important to appreciate your body and let it take its own course, here are few steps that can help you deal with this -

1. Reframing beauty during pregnancy: Shift your focus from the outside to the inside, which means – how you feel > aesthetics. If you’re doing well on other aspects such as energy levels, focus keeping yourself active and feeling positive, you’ve already won the battle!

2. Build a simple skincare routine: Building a small and simple skincare routine using our specially curated Orimii Products can go a long way in preventing your skin from PMS-ing. 

3. Seek support: If you’re clouded with these thoughts, always seek help from your partner, loved ones or professionals. Techniques such as affirmations, journaling, prenatal yoga or stretching can also help you prioritize how you feel > aesthetics.

Pregnancy is a beautiful yet transformative journey, and it rarely follows the picture-perfect narrative we’re conditioned to believe. As your body adapts to nurture new life, it’s natural for your skin, and your sense of self, to ebb and flow with it. Be gentle with yourself, honour the season you’re in, and remember that these changes are temporary but the strength you build through them is lasting. Your glow isn’t defined by your skin but by the resilience, love, and growth you carry within.