As an ongoing part of my series, I decided to do my first article on parabens, since they are probably one of the most widespread chemicals in a lot of the things we use today.
So what exactly are parabens and what do they do?
They are chemicals that manufacturers use in order to prevent microbial growth and prolong the shelf-life of the product. Parabens can be found in a lot of personal care products and cosmetics people use on a daily basis, such as lotion, eyeliner, deodorant, etc.
Why are they bad?
There have been research articles published that show how parabens are linked with tumor growth, endocrine disruption, and reproductive toxicity. Parabens have been found in numbers of breast cancer cells, and they have also been found to change the ways hormones are supposed to work in your body. Hormones are important for many bodily functions, such as metabolism regulation and also maintenance of the reproductive system.
How can I avoid this chemical?
While you probably can't completely avoid this chemical, there are ways you can minimize exposure to parabens. When you go shopping for new personal care products or cosmetics, check the label before purchasing them. Common parabens that are used include: methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben. Basically, pay attention to anything that ends in -paraben.
Another option is to make your own personal care products and makeup. It may sound time-consuming or difficult, but you actually probably have most of the ingredients sitting somewhere in your kitchen right now! We've posted a couple of DIY personal care products and will be posting more in the future, so watch out for our new posts! A lot of recipes can be found on Pinterest as well.
As always, please let us know if there is anything we can do more of on our blog! If there are any recipes or subjects you would like us to expand on please don't hesitate to email us at loveleaf.beauty@gmail.com. Thanks so much for reading this!
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