Parabens and synthetic preservatives in cosmetics

Cosmetics without parabens and other irritating synthetic preservatives are becoming increasingly popular. No wonder, as they are suspected of not being entirely harmless. Some have even been banned from production. But why have they fallen into such disrepute and how can we make our cosmetics last longer without irritating substances?

1. What are parabens?
2. are parabens harmful to health?
3. cosmetics without parabens - are there natural preservatives?
4. are cosmetics without parabens the solution? My conclusion

1 What are parabens?

It is becoming increasingly common to see the words "without parabens" on the packaging of cosmetic products. But what are parabens actually? Parabens is a collective term for a group of certain chemical preservatives, namely the esters of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid. Parabens are used to extend the shelf life of cosmetic products as well as food and medicines.

Without preservatives, cosmetic products containing water would quickly deteriorate, as fungi and bacteria feel at home in cosmetic products containing water and would multiply quickly without preservatives. The pathogens could pose a risk to people with a weakened immune system. In order to prevent a germ party in cosmetics, preservatives are needed, like bouncers.

Parabens have a fungicidal and antimicrobial effect. This means they prevent the growth of potentially harmful pathogens. You can recognize them on the list of ingredients by the fact that they end with "paraben". Commonly used parabens in conventional cosmetics include methylparaben and ethylparaben.

Parabens have been used as preservatives for decades. The group of parabens does not include the preservative Sodium Benzoatewhich is obtained from the sodium salt of benzoic acid. Just like parabens, the preservative has an anti-bacterial and anti-fungal effect. However, sodium benzoate is also suspected of not being entirely harmless to health.

Some other synthetic preservatives in cosmetics are:

• Formaldehyde
• Benzyl alcohol
• Chlorobutanolum
• Zinc pyrithione

2. are parabens harmful to health?

It is no coincidence that more and more manufacturers are doing without synthetic preservatives such as parabens. Parabens can be absorbed through the skin and thus enter the body. The chemical structure of parabens is similar to that of the female sex hormone oestrogen. This is why some parabens, such as Butylparabensuspected of having a hormonal effect, i.e. disrupting the hormone balance.

Studies carried out on animals, contrary to our convictions, indicate that the fear is not unfounded. An enlarged uterus was observed in female rats following the administration of butyl paraben. The parabens Butyl and Propylparaben led to a reduced sperm count and altered testosterone secretion in male rats.

Many consumers were also unsettled by a British study from 2004, which linked parabens in deodorants to breast cancer. As other studies have come to different conclusions and there are still no long-term studies on parabens, a final assessment of the potential health risks of these synthetic preservatives is still pending.

However, many manufacturers prefer to use alternatives, as many consumers have become skeptical of such preservatives. However, some alternatives to parabens - such as a higher proportion of certain alcohols - are more likely to cause skin irritation or allergies than parabens, which are classified as safe by the European Cosmetics Regulation Ethylparaben and Methylparaben.

If you want to be on the safe side, use natural cosmetics without parabens or other irritating preservatives.

3. cosmetics without parabens - are there natural preservatives?

We also use ingredients with a preservative effect for the shelf life of our natural cosmetic products. However, we do not use irritating preservatives such as parabens or sodium benzoate - for good reason, as you can see from what you have read. We use the following ingredients to ensure the hygienic safety and longer shelf life of our cosmetics:

Pentylene glycol is a bivalent, odorless and colorless alcohol. Its antimicrobial properties make this "good alcohol" an effective medium to make cosmetics last longer. Pentylene glycol also has moisturizing properties and ensures that Actives can be better distributed on the skin's surface. Pentylene glycol is contained in our products, for example in our AHA peelingthe Aloe Vera gel, the Vitamin C seren and included in our Rosewater (👇).



Pure oils have a long shelf life even without preservatives, as they do not contain any water. Our Almond Oil, Argan Oil or Jojoba Oil therefore do not contain any added preservatives.

Antioxidants that protect the skin, such as tocopherol (vitamin E), also delay the rancidity of an oil. It is contained in our Cleansing Oil , for example.

Propanediol is obtained from corn sugar and has an antimicrobial and moisturizing effect. It is contained, for example, in our Deodorant Spray included.

We rely on amber glass and clever solutions such as pump dispensers to protect the product from degrading UV light and oxygen.

Please make sure to close the cap tightly immediately after use to protect your cosmetic products from oxidation as much as possible Protect. Store your creams and other products away from heat and sunlight.

4. is paraben-free cosmetics the solution? My conclusion

Whether cosmetics without parabens are the better choice per se is a controversial question. After all, not every alternative is better tolerated. The EU Cosmetics Regulation has classified certain parabens as safe. They may be present in a product in a clearly defined proportion. However, due to a lack of long-term studies, many consumers remain critical and prefer to buy cosmetics without parabens.

However, because fungi and bacteria spread quickly in cosmetics without preservatives, many manufacturers resort to cheap alternatives such as short-chain alcohols like ethyl alcohol or alcohol denat, which can dry out the skin.

The controversial preservative sodium benzoate is also contained in some products labeled "Cosmetics without parabens". Although this synthetic preservative cannot yet be conclusively evaluated, it is suspected of causing allergic reactions or harmful effects on health.

Even natural cosmetics do not necessarily contain pure nature. On the one hand, because natural cosmetics are not a protected term. This also applies to certified natural cosmetics: the seal must be studied carefully, as the criteria of the associations for awarding a seal vary greatly. Benedikt explains more about this and why we decided against such certification in the Interview. Essential oils with an antimicrobial effect are also used in some natural cosmetic products to improve shelf life. However, these can cause allergic reactions.

It is therefore worth taking a closer look. Because there is a lot of uncertainty and unease when it comes to parabens and chemical preservatives and we place particular value on the high compatibility of our cosmetics, we have looked very closely at the issue of preservatives and opted for the alternatives mentioned above. You can tell how long the product will keep after opening by the symbol on the amber glass packaging: a small open jar with a number indicates the minimum shelf life.

I hope this article will help you to find your way through this, admittedly somewhat confusing, beauty jungle and decide for yourself what you want to put on your skin. Have a good time and keep shining!




Sources:

https://junglueck.de/blogs/wissen/alkohole-in-der-kosmetik-die-dosis-ist-entscheidend

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12004923/

https://academic.oup.com/toxsci/article/152/1/244/2579219

https://www.buzer.de/gesetz/487/a6088.htm