Many of the ingredients in commonly used beauty, personal care, and cosmetic items could be causing you harm – allergic reactions, dry skin, irritation, redness…
Worse, many of these ‘problematic’ ingredients could also be responsible for more serious health concerns, as many are known as “endocrine disruptors” which can interfere with normal hormone production.
Endocrine disruptors are substances found in the environment, consumer products (such as cosmetics), and food. These chemicals can impact female and male reproductive organs, breast development, breast cancer risk, prostate cancer risk, thyroid function, metabolism, diabetes risk, and adrenal function.
Numerous studies support the mounting evidence of the biological and hormonal impact of these compounds on our health.
These endocrine disruptors range from things like plasticizers, surfactants, pesticides, carcinogens, PEG compounds, BHT, BPA, and phthalates to things like petroleum-based products, triclosan, and (of course) – parabens.
Educating yourself on the ingredients contained in the products you use daily is a powerful tool in ensuring your well-being, as many people turn a blind eye to ingredients that may very well be causing them harm.
How to Spot Parabens in Consumer Products and Personal Care Items
Chemicals in this category typically have “paraben” in their name, and you can look out for this when purchasing personal care items. Methylparaben, butylparaben, isopropyl paraben, and propylparaben are among the most prevalent.
Most “natural” cosmetics and personal care items will proudly state that they are free of “parabens, phthalates, PEG,” and other contaminants, but it is always important to double-check labels and ingredient lists for any problematic formulations.
In the products mentioned – cosmetics and personal care products, parabens are added to extend the shelf life of these products by acting as anti-microbial and anti-fungal agents.
You might think that a small amount is a non-issue, however, it is evident that these compounds bioaccumulate in the body, and can cause harm even at low doses. Especially considering these are products most people use every day, the capacity for repeated lifelong exposure exists and is a threat to your health and well-being. In varying studies, most urine samples taken from adults in North America contain parabens regardless of the demographic or age group.
Paraben-Free and Natural Products
Parabens and other harmful ingredients can most often be easily avoided by switching the types of products you use to more naturally derived alternatives.
This can range from the cosmetics you use to shampoo, to toothpaste, and even which deodorant you apply every day.
Parabens may be the most important endocrine disruptor to address, as they tend to be the most prevalent in personal care products, and are much more easily hidden compared to other compounds, like BPA.
You also likely use the products they hide in every single day.
While you can see that a bottle is plastic (and may contain BPA or fluorocarbons) or easily avoid thermal receipt paper – if you aren’t checking the ingredients in your products, you may not be aware you’re absorbing parabens through the skin from countless every-day-use products.
Shampoo, conditioner, body wash in the shower, toothpaste when you brush your teeth, the deodorant or perfume you put on, and any cosmetics or make-up you apply. All of these potentially can contain hormone-disrupting ingredients that can harm the body in multiple ways. These products are also all being applied directly to the skin in most cases, and as such is easily absorbed.
There are thankfully now many natural, paraben-free skincare, cosmetic, and personal items on the market today, from well-established brands that forego endocrine-disrupting compounds in favor of naturally derived ingredients, like botanical extracts, essential oils, and fatty acids.
Paraben and Phthalate-Free Personal Care Recommendations
Our recommendations for all-around great paraben-free personal care are lines such as Dr. Bronner’s for body wash and daily use, who use minimal and ethically sourced ingredients to formulate products that can be used for countless things from dishwashing, to body wash, to shampoo and conditioner, all in one product.
Alaffia, Carina Organics, and Acure are great options for shampoo, conditioner, and hair-care needs, while Sukin, Skin Essence, Weleda, and Andalou Naturals provide a huge range of available products for any skin type, skin issue, or step in your daily skincare routine.
Annemarie Borlind and Mineral Fusion offer high-end formulations for cosmetic lines that compete with reputable, commercially available brands, while still being eco-friendly, safe, and paraben/phthalate-free.
