What's In Your Skincare? The Parabens Edition

Parabens are a group of preservatives used widely in the food and cosmetic industry since the 1950s. Their low cost, efficacy, history of use and the relative short term efficiency of natural alternatives have all contributed to their widespread use. Manufacturers that use these chemicals in their products claim that the quantities in each are well within the safe limits established. However, the issue is the variety of products that include them – such as toothpastes, shampoos, soaps and other personal care products, medications, personal lubricants and even processed foods. Through all the products we use, it is possible to be exposed to a higher level than we expect. Recent studies and reviews of research published over the past decade have shown that parabens pass through our skin and do not stay in our body for long. However, daily exposure can have cumulative effects. They have been implicated for their role in hormonal imbalances because of their estrogen-like effects which can cause cancers and infertility among a variety of other issues. It is believed that they achieve this by blocking the detoxification pathways of our cells increasing their half-life in our body. Parabens are found intact in cells showing that they are not processed by our body in any manner. ALWAYS read your labels. How do you recognize these in your products? Look out for the following chemicals and know that they can appear in their ETHYL, METHYL, BUTYL or PROPYL forms. 4-HYDROXY- PROPYL ESTER BENZOIC ACID 4-HYDROXYBENZOIC ACID, PROPYL ESTER 4-HYDROXYBENZOIC ACID, PROPYL ESTER, SODIUM SALT BENZOIC ACID, 4-HYDROXY-, PROPYL ESTER BENZOIC ACID, 4-HYDROXY-, PROPYL ESTER, SODIUM SALT BENZOIC ACID, 4HYDROXY, PROPYL ESTER BENZOIC ACID, 4HYDROXY, PROPYL ESTER, SODIUM SALT POLYPARABEN POTASSIUM PROPYLPARABEN POTASSIUM SALT PROPYLPARABEN PROPYL 4-HYDROXYBENZOATE