Many of us are in the habit of checking our food labels. We want to know how many calories we’re eating or how many grams of fat or carbs are in a serving. I wonder. Do you check the labels on your makeup or skincare products? Just recently I started noticing the phrase “paraben free” and wondered what they are and why it’s so important to be free of them.
Parabens (para-hydroxybenzoic acid esters) are inexpensively manufactured chemicals used as preservatives to fight bacteria and fungus and maintain freshness in cosmetics and food. They are most commonly found in moisturizers, shaving gel, toothpaste, shower gels, foundations and shampoo.
There are scientific studies showing parabens are safe. There are scientific studies showing parabens are unsafe. The biggest argument for the avoidance of parabens is that the chemical substance can mimic estrogen. Various forms of estrogen have been linked to breast cancer and infertility.
There is no direct link between parabens and cancer. It’s a theory that I’m sure is being aggressively researched. As such, many have opted to select items that do not contain this preservative. Just to be on the safe side.
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