Parabens: Why We Don't Use Them and Why You Don't Want Us To

Parabens and Paraben-Free are becoming commonplace claims on many skin (and hair) care products including Hale Cosmeceuticals' entire line. What's the big deal about parabens? We formulate our products without them and that's what you should demand in your skincare products because parabens pose health risks.

Parabens Simplified

Paraben is a simplified name of parahydroxybenzoates, a family of preservatives. Parabens have bactericidal and fungicidal properties, so they have been added to many cosmetic products since the 1950s to minimize the microbial/pathogenic loads in creams, lotions, shampoos, etc.

The Problem with Parabens

Parabens are inexpensive and effective, but they are also potentially dangerous. There are two main concerns with parabens:

1. They are reactive with UVB. UV radiation can degrade the chemical structure, releasing free radicals into your skin, which damages the cellular matrix, speeding up the aging process and possibly increasing the risk for some skin cancers.
2. They are xenoestrogensthey mimic estrogen in the body, and estrogen imbalance is linked to a host of health issues, including breast cancer.
   
   

A lot of research about parabens insists that they are safe and they may be in the doses tested. The problem is that many different types of parabens are in a large number of product formulations, so a person is exposed to a lot of parabens in the course of a normal day, week, month, etc. The average cumulative exposure to parabens has not been adequately researched, and it is this cumulative, long-term exposure that is most likely to increase risks for serious health implications.

Our Alternative to Parabens

All Hale Cosmeceuticals products are completely paraben-free. Many of the active ingredients in our skincare formulas are naturally antimicrobial, and many of them use natural emulsifiers (like Vitamin E) to make them shelf stable. However, without chemical preservatives, it is important to observe best by dates printed on the product's packaging.

If it's time for you to reorder, please contact us. Our friendly customer service representatives are ready to help!