Why You Should Use Paraben Free Products

From the research I do on skin care, I noticed there is a big demand for paraben free products. The question is, what is paraben and why should we avoid it?

To start with, these are a family of substances that are widely used today as preservatives in cosmetics such as shampoos, makeup, lotions. They may be known as propylparaben, ethylparaben and butylparaben and their function is to offer protection against infection under conditions of use and prevent the multiplication of germs in the products.

While other substances such as alcohols (e.g. ethyl and isopropyl), phenols and essential oils have traditionally been used for hundreds of years as preservatives, the parabens are now the most commonly used preservatives in the United States.

As of now, an estimated 75 to 90 percent of cosmetics contain these substances. Just consider that, after water, they are the most frequently used ingredient in skin care products.

For a long time, parabens had been considered harmless. However, a study that was published in the Journal of Applied Toxicology in 2004, reported them to be a cause for concern. British researchers found traces of it in twenty women who had breast tumors. According to other research as well, these notorious preservatives are believed to act like the female hormone estrogen. In high amounts, estrogen can cause some women to develop breast cancer.

The obvious question you might have at this point is the following: Provided it is clinically proven that parabens pose a threat to our health, why are they still used by skin care companies, not excluding the high profile brands?

Well, the answer is simple: Being cheap preservatives, these substances lengthen the shelf life of the products. Longer shelf life leads to higher possibility of the products being purchased, thus leading to higher sales for the company!

After I found out what is paraben and the potential health risk I would expose myself to, I made the conscious decision to use only paraben free products. From the various forums and blogs on the internet that deal with skin care issues, I was particularly happy to realize that a growing number of other consumers were equally concerned and reached the same decision as well.

The next question would be: How can you tell paraben free products?

Well, what you can do first is to look closely at the ingredients list and see whether it includes any of the paraben variations mentioned above.

If you don't see any, then find out which company makes the product you use. See if they have an ingredient list available on the product itself or on the company's web site.

Alternatively, you can try emailing or calling the company and ask them if their product contains parabens.

What else you should know is that, besides parabens, there are other harmful ingredients, which you should definitely avoid.

To learn more about these ingredients and find out which products I personally use and recommend, visit my website on skin care today.