So, what’s on the chopping block today? An ingredient so ubiquitous that you’re likely to find it in four out of every five cosmetic products you pick up at your local drugstore: parabens. After seeing “paraben-free” being promoted on so many personal care labels, I couldn’t help but wonder: if products can boast about being “free” of this ingredient, why would it even be in there in the first place – and what’s so bad about it? So I decided to have a little look into that, and to find some better alternatives.

In this column, we talk about the ingredients listed on our self-care products. We know how tough it can be to understand the gibberish that is often disguised as an ingredient. In our mission to promote healthy skin, and a healthier lifestyle & world in general, we believe that the first step is advocating for educated consumption. Practice self-love by knowing exactly what you’re putting in your body AND on your body.

Always remember when looking at an ingredient list:

• The main ingredient is first, and then it goes down the list
• If it sounds like something from a science experiment, it’s probably not good for you
• As a general rule: the fewer ingredients, the better
  
  

Parabens

Synonym(s:) methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl-paraben; E218, E214, E216, E209; isobutylparaben, isopropylparaben, benzylparaben

What are parabens?

A paraben is the name for any of a group of compounds used as preservatives in both pharmaceutical and cosmetic products – as well as in the food industry. Their chemical structure is a series of parahydroxybenzoates or esters of parahydroxybenzoic acid. Nicknamed PHBA, this acid is found naturally in many fruits & vegetables. Since the 1950s, parabens have been widely used in all sorts of products to prevent bacteria growth. The reason they’re so popular is that they’re extremely inexpensive & effective. This means they extend the shelf-life of many products (eliminating your need for a makeup mini-fridge).

Where are parabens usually found?

About 85% of cosmetic products have parabens. Think mascara, bronzer, lipstick, eyeshadow, moisturizer, body lotion, soap, shampoo, conditioner, hairspray… the list goes on & on. Basically, any product that contains water is bound to be accompanied by parabens. Typically more than one form of the ingredient is found in a product. The most common are Butylparaben, Methylparaben, and Propylparaben. In October of 2014, the European Commission adopted a cosmetic regulation that banned the use of 5 parabens in cosmetic products—Isopropylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Phenylparaben, Benzylparaben and Pentylparaben. The cited the reason for passing this regulation was that the human risk from exposure to these five varieties was still unknown. Furthermore, the Danish government introduced a ban on March 15th, 2011, on the use of propyl & butylparabens in products targeted for children under 3 years old. Despite being slightly more limited, the presence of parabens in the EU still runs rampant, with the most common forms continuously being used without restriction.

The past five years or so have seen a rise in consumer concern regarding parabens, causing various brands to manufacture paraben-free lines of products. Nevertheless, when you pick up a product at your local drugstore, it’s more likely than not that you’ll see a paraben or two amongst the ingredient list.

So why don’t people want parabens in their products? What are people making all this fuss about?

In the 90s, scientists announced that parabens were xenoestrogens. Xenoestrogens are a sub-category of the endocrine disruptor group that specifically imitates estrogen. The disruption of estrogen production has been linked to not only breast cancer, but also reproductive issues. Think about it this way: your body already produces a normal (presumably) healthy amount of estrogen. If you are continuously putting on creams, liners, and lipsticks on that imitate the impact of estrogen, it can start to make your body feel a little unbalanced. A 2004 study published in the Journal of Applied Toxicology found parabens in the cancerous tumors of women with breast cancer. Multiple types of parabens were found in 18 out of the 20 women tested. The release of this study caused a lot of alarm amongst consumers. However, the study also found parabens in the non-cancerous tissue and did not have a control group. Therefore, many scientists have denounced it as not scientifically tenable. The study did prove, in my opinion, that there is a need for more studies. We can’t know for sure that parabens cause cancer, but we also can’t say with certainty that they don’t.

Beyond the potential hormone disruption and cancer risk, another reason to be wary of parabens is that you very well may be having an allergic reaction to them. Parabens have been shown to cause contact dermatitis and rosacea in those with sensitive skin. Just do a quick search on YouTube and you’ll find countless women describing their before and after experiences with paraben-full and then paraben-free products and gushing about how much their skin has improved with the latter.

The verdict

Don’t throw out everything in your house in a mad craze to free yourself from parabens. Use up what you have. But in the future, maybe it’d be wise to opt for natural paraben free choices. Sleep easy knowing that you’re treating your body the way mother nature intended.

Have you noticed any ingredients
that you’d like us to explain?

Let me know in the comments below!

Enjoyed reading this article? Sign up here for our newsletter and get updates, sustainable health & beauty tips, and special offers from our shop – dropped right into your inbox!

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in May 2017 and was updated in December 2019 for accuracy.