Monday, December 8, 2014

Choosing Paraben Free Beauty Products

By Claudine Hodges


Searching for ethical and healthy cosmetic products has never been easier. Manufacturing companies are starting to respond to consumer demand and are producing more and more paraben free beauty products. Initially smaller, artisan companies were the only ones making them and it was often difficult to buy them but that is no longer the case.

People are trying to avoid parabens as they have become controversial. They are a type of preservative added to thousands of personal health and beauty items. From deodorant to toothpaste, sunscreen and make-up all of the contained parabens. That was until scientific research suggested they may be more harmful than was previously thought.

Concerns have arisen most around breast cancer as traces of these chemicals have been found in tumors. Research has yet to confirm whether they play a role in the development of cancer and what that role might be. Parabens have been classified as safe by many Governments around the world but there are a growing number of consumers who want to see more research and are avoiding them until it is done.

There has also been some work which suggested a link between these preservatives and the endocrine system. This system regulates and produces hormones. These are vital for good health and regulate many functions in the body from hunger to tissue function and reproduction. Some research has indicated that parabens may affect the production of estrogen.

In recent years scientists have become increasingly worried by the lowering fertility rates in developed countries. Some have suggested that hormone disrupting additives to food and cosmetics could play a role in this. Parabens would fall into this category but so far there is not sufficient evidence to ban them and they approved by most governments around the world. There is also growing concern over the fact that our bodies are exposed to thousands of chemicals every day. Most have not been tested in conjunction with the others and so many people are trying to avoid them wherever possible.

When choosing cosmetics which are labelled paraben free it is also necessary to think about what has been added instead. Some producers are just replacing them with other harmful chemicals with long lists of side effects. Some people have done research into these chemicals and so it is useful to check online to see what is being said. However, it can be a minefield and we are not all chemists.

It is worth doing some research to find out exactly what is in the cosmetics we use. There are totally natural alternatives but large scale producers are unable to use them as they do not extend the shelf life for long enough. At the moment the best way to find all natural products is to buy ones which have a shorter shelf life and buy small amounts and use them straight away.

Paraben free products are increasingly popular and this is leading big companies to get in on the sales bonanza and produce cosmetics without them. However, in some cases they are just using other unhealthy chemicals in their place. Fresh products with a short shelf life are probably the safest and the easiest way to be sure that a product is totally free from harmful chemicals.




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