Paraben Free Beauty - 3 Reasons To Avoid Parabens

Paraben Free Beauty - 3 Reasons To Avoid Parabens

6 minute read

Hello and thank you for stopping by! 

My name is Lara and today we are talking about an important issue that impacts women across the globe... parabens in your beauty products!

Our discussion today is about how many of the daily self care products we use contain something called parabens. Which ones? Well, your favorite moisturizer, night cream, makeup remover and even your mascara may contain this chemical preservative. 

Sounds harmless enough, right? Think again...

Do parabens cause cancer? 

What are parabens?

The "parabens" in our conversation today does not mean "happy birthday" in Portuguese!

The "parabens" that we are discussing are a group of synthetic compounds commonly used as preservatives in a wide range of health, beauty and personal care products.

Parabens are not only found in cosmetics but also shampoo, toothpaste and other personal care products that we use every day. Parabens go by many names including:

  • Benzylparaben.
  • Butylparaben.
  • Ethylparaben.
  • Isobutylparaben.
  • Isopropylparaben.
  • Methylparaben.
  • Propylparaben

One problem is that parabens mimic estrogen and have been linked to breast cancer risk among other serious health problems!

This article will cover 3 reasons why you should be concerned about this ingredient and urgently avoid it.

Parabens List

1. Parabens are hormone-disrupting chemicals that have been linked to breast cancer, infertility, and other reproductive issues.

This might be enough to stop reading now and check everything in your cabinet... (we'll wait.)

Hormones regulate the body's growth, development and function of organs as well a variety other things like moods or sex drive (and I personally like my current sex drive, thanks!).

Disrupting these hormones can have serious consequences on your health such as cancerous cells developing in breast tissue. A study by the University of Reading in England found a connection between high levels of paraben preservatives and an increased risk for developing tumors.

That's not all...

The Environmental Working Group found that breast cancer cells are more sensitive to the effects of parabens, when compared with healthy tissue. This implies a higher risk for developing malignant growths in women who use products containing these preservatives.

I love my beauty routine, but I am fairly confident you would agree that no "look" is worth risking cancerous tumours for, right?

In fact, when surveyed young women agree that they would switch to a different product if it meant reducing their risk for getting cancer! Seems obvious, but many aren't aware of these issues.

2. Parabens can be absorbed through the skin.

Whoa! This chemical group is in some moisturizers and it can be absorbed through our skin??? The fact that parabens can be absorbed through the skin is troubling because this can cause contact dermatitis (skin inflammation) when applied topically for extended periods of time. 

Dermatitis is not fun and, it's not just a rash. It can cause dry skin, redness and itching. If you're someone that already has sensitive or compromised skin, dermatitis outbreaks are made worse by paraben reactions because they make our immune system work overtime to clear up infections while trying to heal itself from damage.

I want my immune system focused on fighting other types of illnesses in the world at the moment... not my Mascara for Zoom calls.

Looking at a specific example, Methylparaben, is believed to affect the hormones in women by lowering levels of progesterone and increasing estrogen.

So, what does that mean for you and me? It means we could be more at risk of breast cancer because our estrogen levels are higher.

Some research on parabens have found a link between Paraphenylenediamine and Parkinson's disease (PD) when applied topically to skin over extended periods of time.

3. Some people may be allergic to parabens which could lead to rashes or breakouts.

Ever notice your skin breaking out randomly? It could be from the parabens in your beauty products.

The most common allergic reaction to a chemical is an irritation of skin, eyes or lungs. Allergic reactions can range anywhere between mild and severe; some people will experience hives while others may have difficulty breathing after coming into contact with these chemicals for just minutes. It can get ugly!

A study conducted by the Department of Dermatology at the University Hospital Zurich has shown that there is a direct correlation between the use of cosmetics with high concentrations of parabens and an increased risk for developing lasting skin allergies.

The most common reactions are skin irritation, lung difficulty and eye redness- just from coming into contact with the chemicals for minutes!

The risk of developing lasting allergies is higher if you use cosmetics that have high concentrations on parbans such as sunscreen or moisturizer; And remember: even though your body absorbs small amounts at all times when exposed - because they're so pervasive everywhere now--it's still important not only minimize exposure but also avoid them where possible.

 Keep your cosmetics paraben free

Conclusion

Not knowing which of our beauty and skin care products contain these chemicals can make the level of parabens in your life relatively unknown.

Here is one step we can all take to avoid it... parabens are found in a lot of beauty products, so it is important to read labels and avoid anything that contains them.

If you're not sure if something does or does not have parabens then check out the Environmental Working Group website for their "Skin Deep" database where they list all ingredients. 

You can enter the names of ingredients and read resources on what they are.

Sorry for scaring you but, there is some good news! Clean beauty companies are just as aware of these chemicals as health conscious consumers. This is why LashLuxury is committed to providing our customers with a gentle, powerful and safe formula and does not contain any parabens whatsoever.

Want to try our lash serum? Order it now with code CLEAN15 when checking out at our store: www.LashLuxury.ca.

I hope this was informative and valuable to you. We appreciate your time and interest in clean beauty cosmetics that work!

 

Chat soon,

Lara Roosevelt

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