What's the deal with parabens?

What are parabens?
Parabens are a class of synthetic chemicals used in preservatives for cosmetics.  Their anti-fungal properties stop the spread of bacteria and increasing the shelf-life of products.  They are known to be effective and low-cost which explains why they are widely used by many cosmetic brands.  Recently, there has been much controversy regarding the health risks on the long-term use of paraben containing products.  In many inconclusive studies, there seems to be an indirect correlation to breast cancer, endocrine disruption, and reproductive problems.  Even though, there is no restriction on the use of parabens in cosmetics, there are heavy restrictions on the production and labelling of product ingredients.  In the past years, consumers are becoming more concerned of the potential risks associated with the long-term use of products.  Instead, they actively search the market for natural alternatives which exclude parabens, aluminum, mineral oil, and so forth.  Due to the vast reduction in demands, cosmetic companies are responding by promoting natural or organic product lines that are "paraben/chemical-free".

Natural alternatives 
When shopping for natural skin care products, consumers should look for "paraben-free"labelling and checking the list of ingredients.  For more information on how to check the labelling, click here.

In cosmetics, parabens are being replaced by grapefruit seed extract, vitamin E and essential oil as natural preservatives.  Some "paraben-free" deodorants contain caster seed oil which absorbs and neutralizes odour.  Alum (potassium alum) is an organic compound known for reducing bacteria growth.  Due to its large molecule, it is impossible to be absorbed through the skin.  It is also biodegradable and free of toxins, making it one of the main ingredients for natural deodorants.


 While many consumers can take a breather knowing that the natural, "paraben-free" products are completely  safe, but how effective is the natural alternative compared to the previous?  Here is a testimonial of one consumer on the use of "paraben-free" deodorant:

"On the stick my new deodorant smelled like honey drizzled over fresh-cut hay. On my armpit it smelled like a child caked in sweaty, urine-drenched baby powder."

In terms of perspiration, natural deodorants do not prohibit or suppress sweat production.  The body odour caused by perspiration is simply masked by the scent, and the rate of bacteria growth is reduced.  Therefore, even though natural and "paraben-free" deodorants do not get absorbed through the skin, they do not last just as long and have to be used more frequent to achieve desirable results.  Also, everybody has different body scent that when interacts with a fragrant and sweats, will produce a completely different scent.  Some might turn out smelling great, while others with the same scent might turn out repulsive.  It might be a good idea to test out which essential oil extract will produce the best outcome when combined with your body scent.  Try testing a small area for a few hours and see if that turns out alright.