Pregnancy
Skincare ingredients to avoid during pregnancy
These are the 1,147 ingredients in the Truva catalogue that carry a pregnancy flag, ordered by how strong the flag is. 331 are marked avoid. The rest are a caution, which is a different thing.
Flagged covers three levels here: avoid, high risk and medium risk. The first two are a recommendation to put the product down, matching how the Truva app rates the same ingredients. The third is a caution, and most of it sits on limited published data, which means the level is a precaution taken because nobody has studied the ingredient in pregnancy, not a finding that it caused harm. Every ingredient below has its own page with the level, the evidence behind it and the safer options the catalogue names. The full index is at all ingredients, A to Z.
Flagged
1,147
Ingredients carrying avoid, high risk or medium risk for pregnancy.
Not Recommended
331
Avoid and high risk together. Use something else while this profile applies.
Caution Advised
816
Medium risk. Worth reading the assessment before the product goes in the basket.
Catalogue read 15 September 2026. Every figure on this page comes out of that snapshot.
Not Recommended
331 of the 1,147 ingredients flagged for pregnancy.
Avoid and high risk both land here, matching how the Truva app rates the same ingredients. The recommendation is to use something else for as long as this profile applies to you.
- Butylphenyl Methylpropional
Known teratogen, Hormone disruptor, Fetal development
Avoid - Retinol
Known teratogen, Fetal development
Avoid - Camphor
Absorbed into the body, Fetal development, Neural development
Avoid - Retinal
Known teratogen, Fetal development
Avoid - Symphytum Officinale Leaf Extract
Known teratogen, Absorbed into the body, Fetal development
Avoid - Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate
Known teratogen, Fetal development
Avoid - Isobutylparaben
Hormone disruptor, Fetal development, Absorbed into the body
Avoid - Acorus Calamus Root Extract
Known teratogen, Absorbed into the body
Avoid - 4-Methylbenzylidene Camphor
Endocrine disruptor, Absorbed into the body, Fetal development, Hormone disruptor
Avoid - Cimicifuga Racemosa Root Extract
Hormone disruptor, Fetal development
Avoid - CI 26100
Absorbed into the body, Fetal development
Avoid - Retinyl Acetate
Known teratogen, Fetal development
Avoid - Piper Methysticum Leaf/Root/Stem Extract
Absorbed into the body, Fetal development
Avoid - Vitex Agnus Castus Extract
Hormone disruptor, Fetal development
Avoid - Triclosan
Endocrine disruptor, Fetal development, Absorbed into the body
Avoid - Artemisia Vulgaris Oil
Hormone disruptor, Absorbed into the body
Avoid - Resorcinol
Endocrine disruptor, Absorbed into the body, Fetal development
Avoid - Menadione
Absorbed into the body, Fetal development
Avoid - Retinyl Propionate
Known teratogen, Fetal development
Avoid - Tretinoin
Known teratogen, Fetal development
Avoid - Sodium Borate
Endocrine disruptor, Fetal development, Known teratogen
Avoid - Angelica Polymorpha Sinensis Root Extract
Hormone disruptor, Fetal development, Preterm birth concern
Avoid - P-Phenylenediamine
Absorbed into the body, Fetal development, Common allergen
Avoid - Tosylamide/Epoxy Resin
Fetal development, Endocrine disruptor, Known teratogen
Avoid - CI 11680
Carcinogen concern, Fetal development
Avoid - Cinnamomum Camphora Leaf Oil
Absorbed into the body, Fetal development
Avoid - Hydroquinone
Absorbed into the body, Fetal development
Avoid - Placental Protein
Hormone disruptor, Fetal development
Avoid - Stephania Tetrandra Root Extract
Insufficient safety data, Alkaloid content
Avoid - Styrene
Carcinogen concern, Endocrine disruptor, Absorbed into the body, Fetal development
Avoid - Thuja Occidentalis Leaf Oil
Absorbed into the body, Fetal development
Avoid - Basic Brown 17
Carcinogen concern, Absorbed into the body, Fetal development
Avoid - Retinyl Linoleate
Known teratogen, Fetal development
Avoid - Gaultheria Procumbens Leaf Oil
Absorbed into the body, Known teratogen, Salicylate toxicity
Avoid - Isopropyl Cloprostenate
Hormone disruptor, Absorbed into the body, Fetal development
Avoid - Basic Violet 2
Carcinogen concern, Absorbed into the body, Fetal development
Avoid - Pueraria Mirifica Root Extract
Hormone disruptor, Fetal development
Avoid - Phenol
Absorbed into the body, Fetal development, Known teratogen
Avoid - Basic Brown 16
Absorbed into the body, Fetal development
Avoid - Formaldehyde
Known teratogen, Absorbed into the body, Fetal development
Avoid - Retinyl Retinoate
Known teratogen, Fetal development, Absorbed into the body
Avoid - Boric Acid
Known teratogen, Fetal development, Absorbed into the body
Avoid - Adapalene
Known teratogen, Fetal development
Avoid - Trichloroacetic Acid
Absorbed into the body, Fetal development
Avoid - Placental Extract
Hormone disruptor, Absorbed into the body, Fetal development
Avoid - Acrylamide
Carcinogen concern, Known teratogen, Fetal development
Avoid - Origanum Vulgare Oil
Absorbed into the body, Hormone disruptor
Avoid - Asarum Sieboldii Root Extract
Known teratogen, Fetal development
Avoid - Tussilago Farfara Extract
Known teratogen, Absorbed into the body
Avoid - Convallaria Majalis Bulb/Root Extract
Absorbed into the body, Fetal development
Avoid - Calcium Thioglycolate
Absorbed into the body, Irritant
Avoid - Ammonium Persulfate
Irritant, Absorbed into the body
Avoid - Ethyl Ether
Absorbed into the body, Fetal development
Avoid - Methyl Alcohol
Known teratogen, Absorbed into the body
Avoid - 1-Naphthol
Absorbed into the body, Fetal development, Known teratogen
Avoid - Acrylonitrile
Known teratogen, Fetal development, Absorbed into the body, Carcinogen concern
Avoid - Toluene-2,5-Diamine
Absorbed into the body, Fetal development
Avoid - Chloroacetic Acid
Absorbed into the body, Fetal development
Avoid - Retinyl Palmitate/Carrot Polypeptide
Known teratogen, Absorbed into the body
Avoid - Dryopteris Filix-Mas Root Extract
Absorbed into the body, Fetal development
Avoid - Hydrolyzed Placental Extract
Hormone disruptor, Fetal development, Absorbed into the body
Avoid - MEK
Absorbed into the body, Fetal development, Known teratogen
Avoid - Tosylamide/Formaldehyde Resin
Absorbed into the body, Fetal development, Known teratogen
Avoid - Chlorine
Irritant, Absorbed into the body
Avoid - Chloroacetamide
Absorbed into the body, Fetal development
Avoid - Dechloro Dihydroxy Difluoro Ethylcloprostenolamide
Absorbed into the body, Hormone disruptor, Preterm birth concern
Avoid - Hydrogenated Retinol
Known teratogen, Fetal development
Avoid - Minoxidil
Known teratogen, Fetal development, Absorbed into the body
Avoid - Convallaria Majalis Extract
Absorbed into the body, Fetal development
Avoid - Turpentine
Absorbed into the body, Fetal development
Avoid - Potassium Thioglycolate
Absorbed into the body, Irritant
Avoid - Artemisia Herba-Alba Oil
Absorbed into the body, Neural development
Avoid - Disperse Violet 1
Absorbed into the body, Carcinogen concern, Fetal development
Avoid - Aletris Farinosa Root Extract
Hormone disruptor, Fetal development
Avoid - Basic Orange 1
Carcinogen concern, Absorbed into the body
Avoid - Triclocarban
Endocrine disruptor, Fetal development, Absorbed into the body
Avoid - Oleyl Adapalenate
Known teratogen, Fetal development, Absorbed into the body
Avoid - Foeniculum Vulgare Fruit Oil
Hormone disruptor, Fetal development, Absorbed into the body
Avoid - Nonoxynol-9
Endocrine disruptor, Absorbed into the body, Irritant
Avoid - Toluene
Known teratogen, Fetal development, Neural development
Avoid - Ammonium Vanadate
Absorbed into the body, Fetal development, Endocrine disruptor
Avoid - CI 14290
Carcinogen concern, Fetal development, Absorbed into the body
Avoid - Coal Tar
Known teratogen, Absorbed into the body, Carcinogen concern
Avoid - Dimethylacrylamide
Known teratogen, Absorbed into the body, Neural development
Avoid - Ethyl Lactyl Retinoate
Known teratogen, Absorbed into the body
Avoid - P-Methylaminophenol Sulfate
Absorbed into the body, Fetal development, Common allergen
Avoid - Chelidonine
Absorbed into the body, Fetal development
Avoid - CI 11270
Carcinogen concern, Fetal development
Avoid - Satureja Montana Oil
Absorbed into the body, Fetal development
Avoid - Tazarotene
Known teratogen, Fetal development
Avoid - Tocopheryl Retinoate
Known teratogen, Fetal development, Absorbed into the body
Avoid - Basic Green 4
Known teratogen, Fetal development, Absorbed into the body
Avoid - Diethylene Glycol
Known teratogen, Absorbed into the body
Avoid - Saussurea Lappa Root Extract
Known teratogen, Carcinogen concern, Absorbed into the body
Avoid - 5-Bromo-5-Nitro-1,3-Dioxane
Absorbed into the body, Known teratogen, Carcinogen concern
Avoid - Retinyl Sunflowerseedate
Known teratogen, Fetal development, Absorbed into the body
Avoid - Ruta Graveolens Herb Oil
Known teratogen, Absorbed into the body
Avoid - Saccharomyces/Podophyllum Peltatum Ferment Filtrate
Known teratogen, Fetal development, Absorbed into the body
Avoid - Thuja plicata leaf extract
Absorbed into the body, Fetal development
Avoid - Artemisia Absinthium Oil
Known teratogen, Absorbed into the body
Avoid - Cinchona Calisaya Bark Extract
Known teratogen, Absorbed into the body
Avoid - Methyldibromo Glutaronitrile
Common allergen, Absorbed into the body
Avoid - Nicotiana Tabacum Leaf Extract
Fetal development, Absorbed into the body, Narrows blood vessels
Avoid - Prasterone
Hormone disruptor, Fetal development
Avoid - Sodium Chlorate
Absorbed into the body, Fetal development
Avoid - Sodium Perborate
Known teratogen, Fetal development, Absorbed into the body
Avoid - Acorus Calamus Rhizome Extract
Known teratogen, Fetal development
Avoid - Apocynum Cannabinum Root Extract
Absorbed into the body, Fetal development
Avoid - Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Oil
Absorbed into the body, Hormone disruptor, Preterm birth concern
Avoid - Glyceryl Diretinoate
Known teratogen, Fetal development
Avoid - Hyssopus Officinalis Oil
Fetal development, Absorbed into the body
Avoid - Linoleamide DEA
Known teratogen, Absorbed into the body, Fetal development
Avoid - Mentha Pulegium Extract
Known teratogen, Uterine effects, Fetal development, Liver toxicity concern
Avoid - Mipa-Borate
Fetal development, Hormone disruptor, Absorbed into the body
Avoid - Phenacetin
Known teratogen, Carcinogen concern, Absorbed into the body
Avoid - Pilocarpus Microphyllus Leaf Extract
Absorbed into the body, Fetal development
Avoid - Tanacetum Vulgare Flower Oil
Known teratogen, Absorbed into the body, Neurotoxicity concern
Avoid - Thuja Occidentalis Leaf
Absorbed into the body, Fetal development
Avoid - Tripterygium Wilfordii Callus Extract
Known teratogen, Fetal development, Absorbed into the body
Avoid - Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
Endocrine disruptor, Absorbed into the body, Hormone disruptor
High risk
The same ingredient, answered four other ways.
An ingredient is not safe or unsafe on its own. It is safe or unsafe for a person at a point in their life, which is why the same name sits in one list and not in another.
The short way
Your bathroom shelf, checked in an afternoon.
Truva reads a label with the camera and answers for pregnancy specifically, including the trimester breakdown where the catalogue has one.
Download on theApp Store