Babba Rivera on why pregnancy is the perfect time to reassess your beauty routine

"Pregnancy is a great time to take a closer look at what we actually apply on our bodies," says Vogue Scandinavia's Eco Beauty Expert Babba Rivera, who is currently 31 weeks pregnant. "Somehow we tend to pay more attention when there is a little mini human inside us than when it’s just us."

With everything else going on during pregnancy, it can be easy for your beauty regime to slip down the list of priorities, but Rivera – who is expecting her second child – highlights that it is "a great opportunity for women to learn more about ingredients and take control of their choices."

Whether you see it as the perfect excuse for a complete beauty overhaul or are just in search of some pregnancy-friendly beauty products, Rivera is full of useful advice. Below, she reveals her beauty secrets for those with a baby bump.

Related: These are the skincare ingredients to avoid during pregnancy

First of all, congratulations! How are you feeling?

Thank you! I’m finally feeling good and energised, but the first months were pretty rough this time around. It wasn’t until week 16 that I finally started to feel like myself again. The first trimester lingered around for an extra month this time with extreme fatigue, a bit of nausea and a depressive feeling.

I found out I was pregnant really early on and my initial reaction was butterflies! [My first child] Alma had just turned one year that week and I was feeling so sentimental about the fact that she was basically no longer a baby, she was becoming a little toddler girl, ready to start walking any minute. I guess my subconscious knew before I did, because I was constantly looking at photos from Alma’s early baby days, and even photos of my pregnancy, and sending them to my husband randomly. We cried happy tears while we soaked in the news in a bit of shock as it all happened so quick.

Does being pregnant a second time feel different at all?

I was way more nervous this time than with my first pregnancy. I guess it feels so much more precious now that I fully understand the magnitude of what it means to become a mother and to birth a child. It’s such a powerful and privileged experience that I almost didn’t feel worthy of having the blessing to experience it once again so quickly and easily I guess…

During my pregnancy with Alma I wasn’t worried during the pregnancy, but I had a lot of fears I needed to dismantle pertaining to childbirth. I guess today I’m less scared about the birth itself, but have so much respect for the journey. Practicing gratitude and positive affirmations has helped me a lot. I listen to 30 minutes of positive HypnoBirthing affirmations every morning and it’s helped me so much in finding peace, joy and confidence in letting my body's lead the way. Last time, I was able to unlock a sense of calm and trust I did not know I had in me through HypnoBirthing. I definitely plan to practice it for this pregnancy as well.

Let's talk about beauty. Is there anything in your routine that you've changed with this pregnancy?

Some of the products that I discovered during my last pregnancy that are being brought back into my routine this time include the Evereden Stretch Mark Cream and their Golden Belly Oil. These two products worked so well for me, they kept my belly moisturised and soft, prevented me from getting a single stretch mark, and more importantly, helped me create a daily evening ritual of self-care.

Some other go-to products include Moringaia Body Oil, Circumference Serum and Face Oil, LESSE cleanser, MANTLE exfoliator and Kosas Sport deodorant.

As for hair, I am lucky that I am the founder of Ceremonia because it’s so incredibly hard to find high-performance clean and pregnancy-safe hair products. It is so interesting to me how the hair care aisle very much functions as the equivalent of makeup for your hair, where most products offered at the hair salons are focused on styling, masking symptoms and not to mention are filled with toxins, versus actually caring and rebuilding your hair health. My go-to hair products, in addition to the shampoo and conditioner, are the scalp treatment oil Aceite de Moska, our ultra hydrating Leave-in-Conditioner and our nourishing, lightweight Hair Oil Mist.

Related: "I never read a single career story about someone like me" Babba Rivera reflects on her journey as a beauty entrepreneur

Since I already practise a very clean and safe routine, I didn’t have to make too many changes, except for pausing some of my treatment routines. I haven’t been able to finish my laser hair removal process, and with the pregnancy-hormones I have noticed how hair is coming back in some areas.

I usually also like to go for some high-tech red carpet facials, for example at the iconic NY salon of Tracie Martyn, and sadly I’m not able to enjoy the full experience during pregnancy as some of the technology that is being used can interfere with the baby. I also miss going to infrared saunas, which is so good for your skin, but not recommended during pregnancy.

Do you recommend switching up the beauty products you use during pregnancy?

Pregnancy is a great time to take a closer look at what we actually apply on our bodies. Somehow we tend to pay more attention when there is a little mini human inside us than when it’s just us! Speaking for myself, it wasn’t until I was planning to conceive that I fully adapted to organic food for instance. Before that, I had a hard time justifying the extra spend and time to prioritise it, but when it came to building a human it felt extremely important to me.

The same thing goes for products that we apply on our bodies and the ingredients they contain. This is a great opportunity for women to learn more about ingredients and take control of their choices. When it comes to hair I avoid sulfates, silicones, parabens and harsh chemicals in general, e.g. I no longer colour my hair or practise chemical treatments.

When it comes to skin, I opt for natural and naturally-derived ingredients above chemicals. Today there are so many great active natural ingredients that can truly help you transform your skin, without the need for harsh chemicals or dermatologist visits. Tata Harper is a great example here of a clean and natural brand that is also high-performance. They share the same approach as we do for hair with Ceremonia, of tapping into the power of nature to solve real-life beauty problemas.

Related: How I transformed my skin by going clean

What are some beauty changes one can expect during pregnancy?

The hardest beauty change for me was during the first trimester. I did not feel particularly pretty during this time to be honest… You just feel sick and tired, and on top of it all, it is also very common to experience hormonal breakouts. Because these are internal changes, there isn’t much you can do with topical products besides using ultra gentle products without active ingredients. During this time I used a lot of Weleda’s skin food products and Moringaia’s Salvation cream.

What is the first beauty tip you're going to teach Alma and the new baby once they get a bit older?

That beauty is a form of self-care and self-love, something we do to treat ourselves. I love how my parents instilled this idea in me from an early age, because not only is it a healthy approach to beauty as an act of love, versus using beauty to mask yourself, but it’s also played a big part in me never feeling guilty for practicing beauty rituals. I feel like women far too often feel guilty for taking the time for themselves to sit in a bath, go for a massage, or practice a longer skincare and hair ritual. Meanwhile, in my family it was normal for my mother to spend an hour in the bath every day without anyone bothering or judging her.

What is the beauty advice you wish you'd been taught when you were younger?

The importance of skincare and clean ingredients. As a teenager, I would rather spend money on makeup that would have a more visible effect, versus skincare. Later on in my life, around my late twenties, I started investing in effective clean skincare products and was able to completely transform my skin, and now hair. The irony of it all is that I no longer feel the urge to even wear makeup, because I'd rather rock my naturally glowing skin versus masking it under thick foundation – and that is very liberating.

What advice would you give for mothers who are just starting their pregnancy journey?

To be kind to yourself and don’t listen to other people’s unsolicited advice. Somehow, growing a bump is like an open invitation for the world to throw their own opinions, insecurities and judgements at you. Women face enough judgement as it is, and since pregnancy can be such a vulnerable journey, I want to urge all mothers to be to allow themselves to listen to their own bodies signs instead. Our bodies are so intelligent and if we learn to listen, they will guide us through every step of the way.

You launched your own beauty business, Ceremonia, the same week as giving birth to your first baby, and now you’re expecting your second while growing the company. What is next for you and Ceremonia?

We have such an incredible year ahead of us! We have a massive restock and line expansion that dropped on Net-A-Porter, we finally launched in Sweden a couple of days ago, coming up we have a huge retail rollout in the US, a campaign shoot in Miami for a highly-anticipated launch, and not to mention a full list of product newness. Luckily being a mother has made me more creative than ever. I find so much purpose in being an entrepreneur and a mom. I wouldn’t change it for anything!