What are parabens?
Welcome to Paraben-Free & Me
Women use an average of 12 different personal care products (PCPs) in their everyday lives, exposing them to approximately 168 different chemicals (Mercola, 2015). Parabens are one of these chemicals found in makeup, moisturizers, and haircare products.
Used as both a synthetic preservative and fragrance ingredient, they possess antimicrobial properties, preventing mould and bacteria growth (Stoiber, 2019). They are made from petrochemicals, meaning that they are derived from petroleum and other fossil fuels.
They are the most common preservative used in PCPs because they are stable within a wide range of temperatures and pHs, water-soluble, and do not alter the consistency or colour of the products (Bleddzka et al., 2014).
When applied to the skin, parabens are absorbed into the body and directly enter the bloodstream, bypassing the metabolic processes that break them down (Soni, 2005). When products containing the toxin are used every day, consumers face direct and constant exposure, resulting in high concentrations in the body.
Parabens are also found naturally at low concentrations in foods such as barley, strawberries, carrots, and vanilla (Vince, 2004). Since they are ingested, they are metabolized and broken down, reducing the level of parabens found in the blood. In this case, they do not have much of an effect on the body.
There are six types of parabens typically found in PCPs: methyl-, ethyl-, propyl-, isopropyl-, butyl- and isobutyl paraben (Stoiber, 2019). The short-chain parabens (ie. methyl- and ethyl-paraben) are often combined when used in PCPs, while butyl-paraben is typically found on its own.
References
- Błędzka, D., Gromadzińska, J., & Wąsowicz, W. (2014). Parabens. from Environmental Studies to human health. Environment International, 67, 27–42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2014.02.007
- Mercola, J. (2015). In Beware of chemicals in beauty & personal care. Bhoomi. Via https://bhoomimagazine.org/2015/12/31/beware-of-chemicals-in-beauty-personal-care/
- Stoiber, T. (2019). What are parabens, and why don’t they belong in cosmetics? Environmental Working Group. https://www.ewg.org/what-are-parabens
- Soni MG, Carabin IG, Burdock GA. (2005). Safety assessment of esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid (parabens). Food Chem Toxicol 43 (7): 985-1015.
- Vince, G. (2004). “Cosmetic chemicals found in breast tumours.” New Scientist. https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn4555-cosmetic-chemicals-found-in-breast-tumours.html
Week recap
Parabens are a synthetic preservative used in personal care products. They are associated with adverse health effects including, endocrine disruption, risk of breast cancer, and early fetal and infant exposures.
Week 1 recap