One of my main motivations for starting this blog was to empower people with information about what’s truly going on with the cosmetics and personal care industry. It’s honestly so fun to review products and show you the best non-toxic makeup out there, but I want you to know why you need to pay attention to the ingredients you’re putting on your body. After all, no one else is regulating what goes into most products and knowledge is power when it comes to your health.
PARABENS
I’m sure you’ve heard about Parabens here and there or even seen products labeled “paraben-free”. So what’s the big deal with them anyways and why are the used in products? Let’s start with why they’re even used. Where there is water, there is bacteria, mold, fungus, etc. Not pretty stuff! Many products like lotions, shampoos, body wash, liquid foundation, or other cosmetics (even some medications) have water in their formulas and a preservative is necessary to prohibit the growth of all the nasties I listed above. That way your face wash stays nice and fresh and doesn’t mold over.
The problem is, despite parabens being so widely used, they are far from proven safe. They have been linked to breast cancer and are a known hormone disrupter that can affect your estrogen levels. They’ve also been linked to reproductive toxicity, immunotoxicity, neurotoxicity and skin irritation. Children and pregnant women are particularly at risk. The studies couldn’t prove unequivocally that the parabens caused the breast cancer, but the fact that completely intact parabens were found within breast tumors shows that our metabolism can’t break them down and that they can migrate into deep into our tissues. Cancer, neurotoxins and infertility? No thank you.
Parabens can also found in some medicines. I was faced with a true dilemma when my youngest was diagnosed with GERD, which is basically the severest type of reflux. She screamed because she was hungry but as soon as she took one sip of milk, she’d pull off and scream because of how painful it was to swallow. After a string of medicines, we finally found one that somewhat worked (at least she could eat) but it contained parabens. What nut job puts that in infant medication? I felt I had no choice, so I continued to give her the medication until she grew out of her condition. However, I’m still angry that after the research that’s been done, it was considered a “safe ingredient”.
So where does the FDA stand on all of this?
“The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) does not authorize FDA to approve cosmetic ingredients, with the exception of color additives that are not coal-tar hair dyes. In general, cosmetic manufacturers may use any ingredient they choose, except for a few ingredients that are prohibited by regulation.” –www.fda.gov
Really awesome to know they’re looking over what goes into our products! (insert big thumbs down)
So what do you need to look for? Ethylparaben, butylparaben, methylparaben, propylparaben or any ingredient ending in -paraben. Flip over those bottles and read your labels. Be your own advocate for your health! xo
