Question on parabens

[utopia]

I read the info on parabens and I respect this. But....try to find makeup w/o parabens! Very little foundation except the powder minerals which dry my mature skin greatly not to mention settle into lines. UGH. What about using the big name liquid foundations which do contain the parabens? Thank you!

[sisley]

hi,

yes i also have same problem as yours
as i found so many 'nasty' chemicals in my old cosmetic list of ingredients
(even in those expensive ones)
now i m using certified organics, they are beautiful and save

you can check this useful link
url greenorganic.mionegroup.com/en/category/4

[NeverOverTheHillCosmetics]

Please everyone, before you start believing that "parabens" are the worst chemical possible, listen to the truth. I am a cosmetic chemist by profession, member of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists, California Chapter. I have multiple U.S. Patents on cosmetic raw materials and formulas, many published articles, and I won the "Young Scientist" award in 2001 from the California SCC Chapter.

The following information was written by Mr. Anthony Dweck. He is a distiguished botanist and cosmetic chemist from the UK....and, he is also a personal friend of mine. I have met him many times at trade shows in Europe, and we always have a wonderful chat about cosmetics. You can "google" his name and find even more information on this topic. The link to the full article can be obtained from me in an e-mail if requested.

Parabens: Is The Danger Real?

As skin care products become more organic and natural, preservatives are needed to prevent the ingredients from spoiling. If a product is labeled “parabens-free,” it does not mean that it is preservative-free. There must be a preservative in products that contain natural or organic components to allow for shelf life, or the products will rot.

Parabens have a 50-year history as effective preservatives. This track record is the reason that many scientists and medical professionals absolutely believe that parabens are the best option for skin care formulations. Unfortunately, the newer preservatives have no track record, and may have unknown, or even worse, consequences.

But what exactly are Parabens, and why are they getting so much negative criticism?

First of all, parabens are actually derived from nature. In fact, ALL plants produce some natural preservative, often p-hydroxybenzoic acid. Certain plants, such as cucumbers, carrots, and olives, actually produce parabens to protect themselves from attacks by microorganisms. (Bach M et al, Plant Physiol, 103(2), 1993); (Aziz N et al, Microbios 93(374), 1998); Smith-Becker J et al, Plant Physiol, 116(1), 1998); (Dweck A, “Natural Preservatives”, Cosmet Toilet, Aug 2003).

This makes sense, since destruction by bacteria of a natural organic product is the same, whether the bacteria attacks a plant in the wild, or a botanical ingredient in a bottle.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, “The best preservatives for sensitive skin are those containing parabens.” (2002 Prof Zoe Draelos, Summer Scientific Meeting, New York, AAD, 2002).

In fact, two common parabens, Methylparaben and Propylparaben, which are used widely in cosmetic skin products, are also used to preserve spices, black and green teas, beer, fruit juices, jams, and wine.

The US Food and Drug Administration, and other national agencies worldwide, have also approved parabens as a direct food additive in amounts ranging from 0.0001% to 0.10%. When we EAT vegetables that contain parabens naturally, they obviously enter the human body, are digested, and are eliminated in the urine. (Metcalf D, et al, Food Allergy: Adverse Reactions to Foods and Food Additives, Blackwell Scientific Publications, 1991).

We now live in an age where scare tactics and misleading information are used to market products. Frightening information, whether accurate or not, always gets headlines. Unfortunately, the more frightening and negative, the bigger the headline.

But remember, if a product is termed “parabens-free,” it does not mean it is preservative free. Every skin care product that has natural ingredients must have a preservative. If it is not a paraben, then it has to be another preservative. But the new preservatives have not been used nearly as long as parabens. In time, we may find out that these newer preservatives have serious side effects and consequences, which we do not know as of now.

In summary, remember:

1) Parabens are a naturally derived preservative. Plants produce parabens, naturally, to protect themselves from bacterial deterioration. We use them the same way to protect our skin products.

2) Parabens are a safe, FDA approved food preservative with a 50-year track record, and are used in almost all food items to prolong shelf life.

3) All skincare products must contain some type of preservative prevent bacterial growth, and to ensure shelf life. It is better to use parabens, which is a naturally derived, FDA approved preservative that has been used in food items for over 50 years, than a new, untested preservative with no long-term track record. Why take a chance on a new preservative that, in the future, may be shown to have dangerous side effects?

4) Skincare products that do contain parabens usually have them in minute concentrations.



Hope this helps put an end the the "paraben misinformation" that is running wild on the internet.

John

[NeverOverTheHillCosmetics]

No sooner did I post my information on parabens.... and another new technical article comes out supporting parabens safety:

New data on parabens suggests no adverse hormonal effect on the body

This article, written by Katie Bird on November 18, 2009 describes a new study performed in Sweden using parabens. Once again, the study proved that parabens have no adverse affects whatsoever on the human body. The study confirms that parabens are one of the best preservative systems that can be used in personal care and cosmetic products.

The article expresses the desire to put an end to the runaway misinformation about parabens that is being spread on the internet, and consequently by word of mouth.

Since I cannot post the link here, feel free to send me a private message or e-mail and I will give you the link so that you can read the entire article.

John

[pauljay]

I understand what you are saying but I am not so sure about it, as the FDA even state:

"The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act1 (FD&C Act) does not authorize FDA to approve cosmetic ingredients, with the exception of color additives that are not coal-tar hair dyes."

and also:

"FDA is aware that estrogenic activity in the body is associated with certain forms of breast cancer..."

Parabens cause estrogenic activity in the body though! and the only testing in on lab rats.

I think it is better to stick with natural alternatives such as grapefruit seed extract if you ask me.


Paul Jay Collins
Natural Health Coach

[vencasand]

i agree with never over the hill. parabens must be safe. they are used to preserve day to day medication for infants in specialized pediatric hospitals. i know because i make some of these medications made to save the infants lives. these are used in such small quantities i can't see how they can hurt a product for topical use. again everyone is different and have different reations to everything. i am not a famous doctor, i am not a scholar, but i do know what i am taliking about.