Q: When makeup is "paraben free" what exactly does that mean?
A: Parabens are a class of chemicals widely used as preservatives by cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. Parabens are effective preservatives primarily for their bactericidal and fungicidal properties. They can be found in shampoos, moisturizers, shaving gels, pharmaceuticals, spray tanning solution, makeup and much more.
When looking for a good quality makeup it should be "paraben free" because parabens have been found in breast cancer tumors (an average of 20 nanograms/g of tissue). Parabens have also displayed the ability to slightly mimic estrogen (a hormone known to play a role in the development of breast cancer). No effective direct links between parabens and cancer have been established, however. Another concern is that the estrogen-mimic aspect of parabens may be a factor in the increasing prevalence of early puberty in girls.
So the next time you walk up to a sales representative for makeup be sure to ask them if the product is Paraben free. The good news it that most cosmetics are jumping on the paraben free bandwagon!
For more info on parabens go to The Good Human
