The claim "paraben free" has begun to show up on many personal care product labels.  But what exactly is a paraben and why is it a good thing that it's not in my shampoo?

There are 4 common types of parabens that you will typically see listed on a label: methyl, propyl, butyl and ethyl. All of these parabens are a type of preservative that are used in everything from personal care products such as deodorant and shampoo to, less often, the coating on dried meat products and even some cereal and potato chips. A known endocrine disruptor and possible breast carcinogen, this preservative is worth paying attention to.

In 2004 Researchers at Reading University warned women to avoid deodorants after finding traces of paraben in breast tumors. And in 2002 British researchers found that "parabens have the ability to mimic oestrogen in the body", which they claimed "could play a role in falling sperm counts, and in the rising incidence of breast cancer in women."

Of course because parabens are so widely used in the cosmetic industry there has been a lot of controversy surrounding this topic. And, as usual, the favorite claim from the industries using this inexpensive preservative is always "but we use so little of this in our products it can't possibly be impacting anyone." The problem is that the average person uses 15 products on their skin each day. Look around your bathroom and you'll be surprised that 15 is a pretty conservative number, especially for women. So multiply .04% times 15 times 365 days in a year and those parabens add up.

Which Brands Can I Trust?

Unfortunately, it generally depends on the product not the company. One company may make two shampoo products, one with parabens and one without. It is definitely worth reading labels and checking your favorite products on the Skin Deep Cosmetics Safety Database. This website is devoted to independently testing all personal care products and educating the consumer on the various chemicals and toxins that those products contain.

As far as major brands that one can trust. The answer is that there are few. Just this year Arbonne, as a company, has gone "paraben-free." Companies such as Jason and Nature's Gate are generally paraben free but it's always worth double checking. Again, nothing beats doing your own research because even if a product is paraben free it doesn't mean that it's toxin free. Claims such as "all natural" and "organic" don't make a product "safe." Parabens, pthalates, alklyphenols and many more can all be contained in a product that displays such labeling.

Cost

It is true that the products with better ingredients and fewer chemicals generally cost more. However, if you do your research and know what you are willing and unwilling to accept you'll be amazed at the deals you can find. Even Target is carrying Weleda, Burt's bee's and many more of these "alternative" brands. I often shop at grocery-outlet type of places. These are stores that buy merchandise at a highly discounted rate from stores that have gone out of business or are close to expiration. I find screaming deals at these stores on personal care products that I could have spent loads of money on. Last week I saw Zia facial cleanser for $5.99 at the grocery outlet store and then went to my favorite grocery store and saw the exact same product for $23! Online is also a great place to comparison shop. With coupons and free shipping good prices are out there.

I Don't Have Time For This!

It's so easy to feel overwhelmed. One rule that I always keep in mind is that less is more. The fewer ingredients the better. A long list of unpronounceable ingredients is usually a red flag for me. I also always go to the end of the list. This is where many of the offenders, such as parabens are listed.

You may want to take it slow. Choose one personal care product, such as shampoo, that you want to research and make a change. Go to the Skin Deep Website, look at the ratings and read up on the toxins. You may decide that your guidelines are going to be that a product is paraben free and fragrance free. Great! Feel good that you are making a dent in the amount of toxins that you are exposing yourself and your family to. You don't have to do it all at once!

 Resources:

Food navigator.com

Environmental Working Group

Wikipedia