Parabens: a poison or not?

Used in cosmetics and food since the 1920s, synthetic parabens are effective preservatives used to stabilize products and prevent bacteria and fungus from developing. Nowadays, parabens are suspected to be bad for your health. Although European regulations control the doses of parabens in beauty care and food products, these measures have not been enough to restore confidence in them. Consumers are now turning increasingly towards natural or organically-certified products.

Identifying parabens

Let’s not forget that parabens do exist in their natural form, notably in vanilla, white wine and blackberries. However the parabens that are used for industrial purposes are synthetic parabens, or esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid.

They are generally listed in the composition of industrial cosmetics. 

The most common are:

• ethylparaben,
• methylparaben,
• butylparaben,
• propylparaben,
• isopropylparaben.

In food products, the parabens are listed under the codes E214 to E219.

Parabens in question

In 2004, a medical study found paraben in cancerous tissues and mentioned a possible link between parabens and breast cancer. As no comparison was made with healthy tissues, AFSSAPS, the French agency that controls the safety of health products, agreed that the use of two parabens in cosmetics could be continued provided they complied with the dosage regulations.  But the shadow of doubt was cast over parabens, because on the other hand, according to several research studies, the propyl-, butyl- and isobutyl-parabens proved to be estrogenic. 

The relationship between paraben and breast cancer may still a subject of controversy, however the allergy-inducing effects of parabens have been proved. It is contact-related allergy, although it was considered for a long time as an allergy to the cosmetic itself. Nowadays, people subject to allergic reactions are delighted by the development of paraben-free moisturizing creams.

As for methylparaben, Tokyo University’s medical school has shown that it accelerates skin-aging when skin is exposed to the sun.  All this makes you think twice.

No wonder “paraben free” labels are proliferating.

Paraben-free industrial cosmetics

Given the uncertainties and potential health dangers, the cosmetic industy is revising its formulas as a precautionary measure. A “paraben-free” ethic has seen the light of day.

However, without parabens, how can you keep creams made with a lot of water from growing moldy?

To preserve these bacteria-sensitive cosmetic preparations, manufacturers must either add more oil to “encircle” the water molecules, or to mix it with benzyl alcohol, dehydroacetic acid, vitamin E for its antioxidizing action and essential oils, for their antiseptic properties.

If they are oily products, such as massage oils, all you have to do is to add an antioxidant, such as vitamin E, to prevent any alterations.This attempt to use natural preservatives has resulted in the arrival on the market of products that are slightly more expensive than the other ones.

Certified organic or 100% natural products
have “built-in” preservatives

“Paraben-free” is the privilege of certified organic products, pure and 100% natural.For food, other than sterilization, curing and salting, vitamin E or lemon juice are enough to « naturally » protect the preparations from contamination by bacteria.

For cosmetics, we have on hand essential oils which have always played the role of a preservative thanks to their aseptic properties. In some cases, certain natural essential oils may provoke an allergic reaction, but the health-risks stop there, unlike parabens.

Organic or natural beauty care products from Morocco, such as argan oil l’huile d’argan, ghassoul le ghassoul and black soap savon noir, have the tremendous advantage of having naturally high antioxidant content. It’s good for preserving and good for the skin. In addition, these natural products benefit from the antiseptic properties of the essential oils which they traditionally contain. In sum, Morocco, the age-old specialist in beauty care products and the hammam, has kept its traditional production alive with a varied range of natural cosmetics that don’t need parabens to last.