Paraben free?

Jul 8, 2011

Brianna C.

I haven't seen anything like this, so I hope this isn't a repost!

I've watched videos from MissJenFABULOUS and others where they talk about parabens and how they can affect us. I've also done a little bit of research into it (not much, haha). But I'm wondering if anyone out there has found some really good paraben free products. I looked through my collection and was seriously shocked at how many things I own that include those chemicals. I know some people consider it to just be a 'hype' or that avoiding parabens is not important. I just want to know if any of you have any good products.

Thanks in advance!

Jul 8, 2011

Holly M.

I have been trying to switch to paraben free products. Its is hard because most products have them in it so I decided to find lotions that are paraben free. I mean lotion actually sinks into your skin while makeup kinda sits on top of your skin so I figured lotions would be a better start. ok...
Brands that I have found:

Treehut products- they sell these at Ulta and walmart and maybe target

Ahava- Ive seen these products at ulta, target might be carrying them now also

Lavanila- Sephora

Aveda products are paraben free. You can get them at aveda salons or online

eos shaving cream- Bought at target

Hemps- ulta has them. Ive been using the Touch of summer gradual tanning lotion. its pretty good, it dont streak.

I might have more laying around but those are the ones I use most. Hope that helps a bit.

Jul 8, 2011

Tina L.

I try to avoid parabens if I can, but it seems like they are just everywhere. I wish companys would seriously consider stop using them, there's no need to fill our bodies with chemicals, right? :)

Origins make really nice products without parabens! And there are other not so great things they don't use as well, you can read more about it on their website. They are a bit expensive though :(

Jul 8, 2011

Keren K.

I'm in the middle of completely switching over to paraben-free products. I try to purchase cosmetics very gradually, so I don't have a long list yet... but I will soon enough, hopefully!

Favorites that I've found so far:
Maybelline's The Falsies mascara (all-time favorite!!!)
Clinique Superbalanced Makeup & Acne Solutions Liquid Makeup (these aren't my *favorite* foundations, but they're pretty good)
Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer
Maybelline Khol Express eyeliner
ALL Ahava skincare products
Most/all Yes to Carrots skincare products
Skintimate shaving lotion
Secret deodorant

I unfortunately will not be repurchasing some of my all-time favorites after discovering that they have parabens... which is sad, but it's nice to be sticking to something at least. I don't live in the US so I have a smaller variety of beauty products available to me, but I've done a far amount of research online and there are definitely great products out there that are paraben-free and not necessarily more expensive. I know that all tarte products are formulated without parabens, and I've heard great things about them from SO many people quality-wise. I have also yet to encounter a Bare Escentuals, Bare Minerals, or Buxom product that contains them. As for skincare, like I said above Ahava is gold -- but Boscia is paraben-free as well. I haven't gotten a chance to try them yet but hope to soon! Next time I'm in the states! :)

Also, nikkiphillipi on Youtube tends to do great videos reviewing paraben-free and natural products. Check her out! :)

I hope this helps a little... if anyone else is also in the process of going paraben-free then I'd love to hear from them :D

Jul 8, 2011

Cristina L.

Thank you so much for the hopeful comments!!
I also will be doing the good, healthy, switch! so with this tips I can get started!!!
It´s difficult but not impossible!!! The only concerns in the market it´s to SELL no matter how harm they do to our bodys or to the animals!
I'm also researching on real Cruelty Free cosmetics and I'm very surprised as well!, so I will stop buying makeup to companies at their own or buying to third parties ingredients that are tested on poor, little, inofensive animals..  

Jul 8, 2011

Keren K.

@Christina L: I know. The worst are the companies that claim to be "organic" or "all-natural" and get you thinking, these can't be bad for me! There's such little awareness about parabens that it's scary. :O Hopefully more and more people will slowly start switching over to paraben-free products though, and the companies will get the message!

Jul 9, 2011

Cristina L.

Yeah! I think in the near future, that's what
it's going to happen!!!! And there will be a
mayor change if we all step by step make
a diffrence and aware people that they don't
have a clue about what r they buying!!
:D 

Jul 9, 2011

Keren K.

I definitely hope so!!!! :)

Jul 9, 2011

Gracey W.

The Yes to line (Yes to Carrots/cucumbers/blueberries) are paraben free, and I'm pretty sure Origins is paraben free too! 

Jul 9, 2011

Shelly T.

Parabens are SAFE; they're preservative agents. If they weren't safe, most companies wouldn't be using them in their products, and they would've been long banned by now. There is simply NO scientific evidence backing up the claims made by various groups; it's nothing more than vapid scaremongering.

http://personalcaretruth.com/2010/09/the-12-most-maligned-cosmetic-ingredients/
(There's also a ten-part series about parabens on the same site.)

Jul 9, 2011

Soma S.

Holly M. - I LOVE TREEHUT BODY BUTTERS! Honey and Almond is my favorite scent thus far... I have the Hawaiian Kakui Nut, but I'm so confused by the smell! It's floral, sweet... with a hint of bananas? It's much thicker than the Honey and Almond one, but the Honey and Almond one sinks into your skin faster w/o the stickyness of the Kakui Nut one.

TREE HUT is fantastic because you get a body butter BETTER than the BODY SHOP's for a fraction of the price. $5-6 at Ulta VS. $10+ @ THE BODY SHOP? Do we really even need to think about this? =P

My vote is for Honey & Almond... but pick up whichever, and you won't be disappointed!

Jul 9, 2011

Brianna C.

@Holly M. and Soma S. TREE HUT! I love that brand! A long time ago I got the body butter in Brazillian Nut...and recently I rediscovered the stuff at Ulta. They just had regular Shea body butter but they had Brazillian Nut body scrub. So good!


@Shelly T. Hmm. I've seen some reports where parabens are actually directly linked to breast cancer and other things so I'd rather not take the risk, and like Mandy, I like to at least be familiar with what i'm putting on/in my body.

Jul 10, 2011

Holly M.

@Soma S and Brianna- I have the Tree Hut coconut lime body butter, It smells so yummy :) The body shop stuff is nice but its FULL of crap I cant say. 

Jul 10, 2011

Shelly T.

Brianna, were any of those reports backed up with legitimate scientific evidence?

I should admit I've read similar -- more like they're linked to breast cancer, not an actual cause of it -- but given everything I've read recently, I'm not so sure now.

More linkage...

http://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/productandingredientsafety/selectedcosmeticingredients/ucm128042.htm

And I quote...

<<A study published in 2004 (Darbre, in the Journal of Applied Toxicology) detected parabens in breast tumors. The study also discussed this information in the context of the weak estrogen-like properties of parabens and the influence of estrogen on breast cancer. However, the study left several questions unanswered. For example, the study did not show that parabens cause cancer, or that they are harmful in any way, and the study did not look at possible paraben levels in normal tissue.

FDA is aware that estrogenic activity in the body is associated with certain forms of breast cancer. Although parabens can act similarly to estrogen, they have been shown to have much less estrogenic activity than the body’s naturally occurring estrogen. For example, a 1998 study (Routledge et al., in Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology) found that the most potent paraben tested in the study, butylparaben, showed from 10,000- to 100,000-fold less activity than naturally occurring estradiol (a form of estrogen). Further, parabens are used at very low levels in cosmetics. In a review of the estrogenic activity of parabens, (Golden et al., in Critical Reviews in Toxicology, 2005) the author concluded that based on maximum daily exposure estimates, it was implausible that parabens could increase the risk associated with exposure to estrogenic chemicals.>>

Another link for you...
http://personalcaretruth.com/2010/06/parabens-and-this-and-that/

And really, the amount of parabens (synthetic preservatives) in any makeup product is extremely minute (according to the FDA, parabens are safe at concentrations up to 25%; most products use concentrations of .01 - .3%). Most times, they're among the last ingredients listed. (The higher something is on an ingredient list, the more of it the product contains. But even then...)

To add, there is no evidence in regards to chemicals in cosmetics accumulating in the body over time... because it doesn't happen. Our bodies are designed in such a way to flush them out.

Jul 12, 2011

Rebecca L.

Have you thought of making some of your own products? I love making my own because I know EXACTLY whats going in to them. If anyone is interested I have quite a few DIY recipes on my website www.bebeautifulblog.org.

Some examples include a chocolate and orange body wrap, strawberry facial scrub, ginger and lime body scrub, aloe and honey toner amongst many others! :)

Jul 17, 2011

Sarah K.

This is all great information! Thanks so much everyone! :)

Aug 6, 2011

Onyx F.

Whether or not parabens are safe, it's always best to be able to recognize what you put on or in your body. Also, be aware that the human body isn't always capable of flushing out all toxins. We wouldn't have limits on certain types of vitamins and such if that were the case. I'm of the mind, with the amount of things that have parabens in them that a person uses every day, it adds up. If you aren't comfortable using an ingredient... or even in some cases are paraben sensitive, such as myself... then don't use the product. I'm very grateful to see that more and more people, as well as companies, are recognizing a need for "simpler" ingredients.

I tend to stick with more natural products. For moisturizing, while my skin is still damp, I use coconut oil, shea butter, or the like. I also use coconut or olive oil to remove my makeup. For cosmetics I stick with mineral makeup for the most part. I've found that Tarte and Korres and great mainstream brands that don't contain parabens. With anything else, I just make it a point to know the ingredients.

I like this particular site for reference: http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ 

Aug 11, 2014

April B.

For the posters commenting that paraben is safe and has no real effect on people, please be aware that more people are being diagnosed with paraben allergies. I am one of those people at the late age of 43, was finally diagnosed with paraben allergies. It is part my job to do research both pros and cons of parabens and the effect they have on our bodies especially for me with the allergy. While paraben is not considered a hazard chemical or even deadly, he links of paraben being found in breast cancers and other sources is showing that our bodies are rejecting the paraben. Some people are able to fight the rejection and do well with it, others not so much. People like myself, where the body is rejecting it, is reacting to the parabens. I also discovered that blueberries create natural parabens. Interesting thought. I highly advise people with sensitive skin or have any form of problems when it comes to cosmetics and beauty supplies, avoid the products with paraben. Just because Jill does well with paraben products doesn't mean all bodies are handling the preservative well. I cannot even express the difference it has made in my life being paraben free. Even the foods have affected me.