Alright, W3LL Divas. It's time to focus on the big daddy of chemical preservatives: parabens. While developed with the best of intentions, to give our beauty products a longer shelf life in the stores and our bathroom cabinets, the side effects of this ingredient have become too numerous to ignore. It's such an inexpensive preservative that it has become so widely used in the cosmetic industry- it's almost a given on any brand's ingredient deck. You probably have many products at home that contain parabens, unless of course you are one of those savvy women who take the time to seek out paraben-free products, like all of the products at W3LL PEOPLE.
It's so common that we see parabens in our products that we become desensitized to it. We assume that anything that shows up so frequently must be safe or regulated… think again. The FDA, like with all cosmetic chemicals, does not investigate, research or even acknowledge the health effects of parabens, even though they are found in up to 90% of all beauty products. Water is the only ingredient that is more widely used in the cosmetics industry. It doesn't end there either. This nasty chemical is also found in baby products. So, not only are we, as grown adults, adversely affecting our health on a daily basis, our young children are not free from it either. Parabens can disrupt endocrine and hormone production, leading to early puberty in both boys and girls.
How toxic are parabens, you ask? It's actually quite a bit troublesome when you break it down. Not only does this chemical cause skin irritations, dermatitis and skin toxicity, it is also directly linked to breast tumors and high estrogen levels, which can also contribute to breast cancer. A 2004 study by the Journal of Toxicology found that 18 out of 20 breast tumors contained significant concentrations of parabens within the tumor itself. They could trace this chemical's presence in the body directly back to products that women were applying topically. Pretty gross. There are also studies that show how parabens have an accumulative effect in the body and can amplify the toxic effects when used on a daily basis.
October being breast cancer awareness month, it is particularly important to become informed on not only what we are putting in our bodies, but also with what we are putting on our bodies. Indirect consumption of parabens is no less harmful than if you chose to ingest it with your daily vitamin. Pretty scary when it comes down to it. Fortunately, consumers are becoming more and more aware of the effects of this toxic ingredient and are making conscious choices to avoid parabens at all costs. At W3LL PEOPLE, we think it's definitely worth it! Connect with us on Twitter or Facebook and tell us your favorite paraben-free product.