Why You Should Choose Paraben Free Skincare Products

Choosing the right products plays a huge role in your skin's health. Paraben free products can help keep your skin at its healthiest. Here's why.

What are Parabens? 

Parabens are a type of chemical that are widely used as preservatives in products such as cosmetics, moisturisers, lotions and shampoos. The ingredients were used to prevent bacteria growth in skincare products, especially for products that filled in jars or pots. 

Health Risks of Parabens? 

Is paraben a health risk? The answer is yes, both inside and outside of your body. Let’s have a look at how parabens risk our health.

Endocrine Disruption

Parabens have a similar chemical structure to the hormone oestrogen, and they were marked as endocrine disruptors. Thus, this endocrine disruption can disrupt human’s hormones, such as early puberty in girls, and even male breast growth. Parabens will also alter thyroid hormone levels, leading to possible adverse health effects.

Harm fertility & reproductive organs

Parabens were linked to fertility issues as well, as their chemical structure is similar to that of the human hormone oestrogen, thus disrupting our own hormone’s functioning. Parabens affect both female and male reproductive development, leading to decreased fertility. These disruptions may potentially lead to reproductive complications in thmother,er whicaffectts birth outcomes and developmental issues in children.

Increase risk of cancer

As mentioned, parabens alter thyroid hormone levels, which might affect our health, hence, there is a possibility that our risk of being diagnosed with cancer increases, especially for women. Parabens disrupt humans' hormones, and they are associated with breast cancer in certain forms. It can be found in a female hormone named oestrogen, which causes growth and division in normal and cancerous breast cells; parabens have also been found in breast tumours recently.

Skin Irritation

This situation occurs more in people who used to have sensitive skin. Parabens trigger skin irritation due to allergies, especially with skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, or a pattern of contact dermatitis. Parabens can be absorbed quickly by the skin; thus, they could easily cause harm or damage to sensitive or damaged skin.

Benefits of Paraben Free Skincare

As parabens dangers our body, thus choosing over paraben free skincare would benefit us avoiding consuming hazardous substances.

Healthier Body

We know that parabens are always linked with cancer, especially breast cancer in women, and fertility issues for both men and women. Thus, we have to be really cautious on what we consume. By applying paraben free skin products, definitely, we’ll get a healthier body than consuming products with parabens. 

Youthful Skin

Paraben is a deceptive ingredient where collagen is reduced in the body. Hence, it is crucial to avoid anti-aging creams with methylparaben as one of the ingredients, while starting using paraben-free skin products such as paraben free face moisturizer, paraben free skin essence. These products could bring you a youthful skin than paraben skincare.

Avoiding Allergies

The symptoms of being allergic over parabens are blotchy and red patches, raised bumps, and excessive itching. This is because parabens tiggers skin irritation and shows the allergy symptoms mentioned before. To avoid allergies, choose products with ‘paraben free’ labels such as paraben free skin essence, paraben free face serum and paraben free face moisturizer will help you to avoid allergies, especially people with sensitive skin type.

Support for Sustainable Products

Consuming paraben-free products is a form of support for sustainable products as well. By renouncing to purchase chemical products, you are forcing the manufacturers to go for more sustainable products such as paraben-free materials in disguise. Thus, it also saves our mama earth from environmental pollution.

 

Tips for Choosing Paraben Free Products 

If you’re looking for paraben free skincare products, remember to check the product label. The label of the skincare products will always state ‘free from parabens’, ‘0% parabens’.

Paraben is listed as:

• Methylparaben
• Isopropylparaben
• Isobutylparaben
• Parahydroxybenzoate – synonym of parabens
• Be careful, as some of the ‘natural’ and ‘organic’ products still contain parabens.
• Stay away from products containing fragrance

Natural Alternatives to Parabens 

Despite parabens, there are a lot of human and environmentally friendly natural alternatives to use as preservatives in products.

Vitamin E (Tocopherol)

Tocopherols are natural antioxidants that stabilise skincare products by reducing oil oxidation or discoloration. Through stabilising, the shelf life of formulations can be extended. Although Vitamin E is not a preservative, it also reduces the likelihood of microbial growth.

Grapefruit Seed Extract

Through extracting from grapefruit’s fruit peels, pulp and seeds, phytochemicals are produced which were proven to have antimicrobial effects for products. The fruit itself is environmentally-friendly and non-toxic as well, so grapefruit extract can be used as a preservative, antioxidant, and antiseptic in skincare products.

Glycerine (Derived from Flaxseed)

Preventing water loss being its unique properties, glycerine is an ingredient that was derived from flaxseed through separated fatty acids in oils. Glycerine was commonly used as a preservation tool by reducing the level of free water in products, thus making them less able to support microbial growth. Besides, glycerine is mostly organic and palm oil-free.

Rosemary Extract

Rosemary extract is a powerful antioxidant that naturally occurs in rosemary's components. The extracted components are mostly used in skincare products such as toning mists and moisturisers that contain high oxidation risk formulations. It also has antimicrobial, antibacterial, and antifungal properties within the extract.

The rosemary extract contains:

• Rosmarinic Acid
• Carnosic Acid
• Carnosol

Radish Root Ferment

Fermented radish root is a probiotic-based preservative with lactic acid bacteria that provides broad-spectrum protection by acidifying the environment, thus acting as a defence mechanism.

 

Environmental Impact of Parabens 

Chemicals always harm the environment, and parabens are no different. Parabens is always connected to water pollution, as when we rinse off products containing parabens, the water waste will eventually flow into the ocean, and affect marine animals. Hormonal disruptions were found in sea creatures and mammals through pollution caused by parabens. In addition, laboratory tests have found that low levels of butylparaben is able to kill coral as well.

Make the Switch 

In short, parabens are harmful for both humans and the environment. Choosing the right products benefits on reducing pollution and health concerns. For instance, products such as paraben free face serum, paraben free skin essence, and paraben free face moisturiser offer a lot of benefits to people with skin concerns, especially those with sensitive skin types.