What are Parabens?

So what are parabens?

Parabens have been widely used in products to prevent bacteria growth since the 1950s. They are used in 85% of cosmetics, they are even used in our children’s Calpol! They are a cheap and effective way of prolonging shelf life… Unfortunately, studies found that parabens are carcinogenic. (Cancer causing)

These preservatives were deemed as xenoestrogens during the 90s. Xenoestrogens are compounds that mimic estrogen, the female hormone.
Build up of xenoestrogens have been indicated in many conditions including: breast, prostate and testicular cancer, obesity, infertility, endometriosis, early onset puberty, miscarriages and diabetes.

What kind of products contain parabens?

Makeup, moisturisers, hair care products, shaving products, medication, deodorants to list just a few.

Cosmetics are not regulated by the FDA, something many campaigners have worked tirelessly to change. Considering Parabens have been proven to be a probable factor in the cause of some Cancers wouldn’t you say its about time the FDA got involved?

How can I avoid them?

It only takes 26 seconds for the chemicals in our personal care products to enter our bloodstream, so we think its important to know what is in these products first.

The most common types of parabens are butylparaben, methylparaben, and propylparaben. Look out for these on the packaging. They are also listed as:

E218 – Methylparaben

E214 – Ethylparaben

E216 – Propylparaben

E209 – Butylparaben

Other names given are:

Ethylparaben
Benzyl-parahydroxybenzoic acid
Methyl-parahydroxybenzoic acid
Ethyl-parahydroxybenzoic acid
Propyl-parahydroxybenzoic acid
Butyl-parahydroxybenzoic acid
Parahydroxybenzoic acid
Parahydroxybenzoate.

Products that do not use parabens have a “parabens-free” label shown prominently on the package.

Opt for organic or products that show preservative free on the packaging.

Sensitive range is less likely to contain Parabens as they can cause skin rashes but please do check the labels. You can also look out for Hypoallergenic ranges.

You can also find information at Breast Cancer Research UK
https://www.breastcanceruk.org.uk/science-and-research/background-briefings/parabens/