What You Should Know About Parabens

In a world where FEAR seems to be a big motivator, too many companies are taking your fear to the bank. The list of 'natural' companies keeps growing, which sounds like a good thing. But are they truly looking out for you? Or are they just taking your hard earned money and hoping you won't do your due diligence?

You’d think that, since more and more brands have sworn off parabens, products have become safer, right? You would hear about 'natural' product recalls if they existed, right? Brands wouldn't mislead you into thinking their products are safer for you or the environment, right? Wrong, wrong, and you guessed it, wrong.

Beauty brands, in particular, used a single study as a clever way to increase their sales. The 2004 study, which showed that parabens were present in the tissues of patients with breast cancer, got enough press to create a lot of hysteria (and create a whole new niche market ~ cha-ching!). The idea that Parabens lead to Cancer has stuck. There's only one problem. It hasn't been proven true. In fact, no study has shown a direct correlation.

You see, parabens are naturally occurring in foods like blueberries, carrots and olives. And they've been used for decades in our skincare and cosmetics. Why? Because they're a SAFE and EFFECTIVE method of controlling bacterial and fungal growth. Without parabens, we'd all need to prepare fresh skincare and cosmetic products on a weekly basis, if not more often, to avoid dangerous levels of bacteria that could make us VERY ill.

So, while these 'natural' companies are enjoying their profits, they could actually be putting your health at risk. (Isn't that what they said they were trying to avoid??) If their products aren't using parabens to control fungus and bacteria....WHAT are they using? You might be surprised to learn that paraben substitutes can actually do more harm than good. If your skincare or cosmetic reps tell you a product is 'natural' and 'paraben-free', I encourage you to ask them WHAT ingredient is controlling the fungus and bacteria in the products they're trying to sell to you. (Wait for the stunned silence.)

Below is a list of ingredients used by companies who pride themselves on being 'paraben-free' -

Formaldehyde-Releasing (irritating to skin): 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1, 3-diol , Diazolidinyl urea , DMDM hydantoin , Hydroxymethylglycinate , Imidazolidinyl urea , Quaternium-15 , Trishydroxymethylnitromethane

Organic Acids (ONLY kill fungi, not bacteria): Salicylic acid, Benzoic acid, Sorbic acid

Sodium Benzoate (Effective against fungi and yeast, but not so effective against bacteria): Warning - When used together with low concentrations of vitamin C, it forms benzene, a known carcinigen

Potassium Sorbate: Synthetically altered before being added to cosmetics, it's very effective at killing fungi, but struggles with bacteria

Essential Oils (must be used in very high concentrations to be effective, which is irritating to the skin; ineffective in skincare and cosmetics): Clove, Thyme, Tea Tree

Effective at killing bacteria, but cause Allergies and Irritations: Methylchloroisothiazolinone (MCI) and Methylisothiazolinone (MIT)

Anti-Oxidants (these are mistaken as preservatives but, will not kill dangerous microorganisms): Vitamin E, grape fruit seed extract, rosemary,

To Sum it Up --

1. Reputable science says that the minute amounts of parabens used in cosmetics and OTC products are safe!

2. Paraben alternatives are either more harsh or less effective.

3. Bonus: parabens are broken down naturally in the environment, so they don’t add to pollution.

   It's always best to be a bit skeptical and do your research. If your preferred skincare's representative doesn't know how to answer that one simple question about what's protecting you from dangerous bacteria, I'd suggest running the other way and finding a new brand.