To Paraben or Not To Paraben

That is the question…

Not all beauty products are created equal. People are quite conscious of what we put on our skin and hair. With so many ingredients we are told are bad for our health, we are hyper-alert to paying much more attention to labels. Parabens are one of the most commonly flagged as harmful ingredients.

Parabens are preservatives used in cosmetic beauty products that assist in prolonging their shelf life and help prevent bacteria from growing inside the containers. They have been a standard in the beauty world for more than half a century. However, studies have shown that parabens can be absorbed through your skin and into your body and have even been found in the breast tissue. Although there is no conclusive evidence that parabens cause cancer: particularly breast cancer; they do indeed penetrate your skin and are believed to affect hormones by disrupting estrogen levels. Boosted levels of estrogen have been discussed in medical academia as a potential cause for tumors.

Parabens also pose potential harm to our environment as well. Recent tests show that parabens have been found in aquatic mammals, most likely from products containing them that have made it to the environment through our water waste systems. Yet, the gray area of conclusive evidence is a slippery slope as there is no definitive evidence with the studies thus far.  Parabens are generally safe when used at low levels.  As with many things, nothing to excess is always a best practice.

That being said, read the ingredient list if you are trying to avoid parabens. You need to know that parabens are listed with many different names like, butylparaben, ethylparaben isopropylparaben, isobutylparaben, methylparaben and propylparaben just to name a few.  They can even have unsuspecting names like alkyl parahydroxy benzoates too.

There are many newer alternative paraben-free preservatives now available, with more being developed all the time, that do not cause the potentially adverse side-effects. However, many of these can cause sensitivities.  Look for labels that say “hypo-allergenic” as many paraben-free preservatives keep the product preserved but can cause acute sensitivity. If you are looking for paraben-free options, look for products that use ingredients like plant-derived essential oils, extractions, and decoctions. These natural preservatives keep bacteria, yeast, and mold from growing naturally. The PHYTO Brand products are filled with botanical power and the highest concentration of essential oils to treat the scalp and hair as well as preserve the formulas.

PHYTO regularly uses natural preservatives in our formulas:

Ethylhexylglycerin is a synthetic and plant-derived compound that comes from grains used in the PHYTOCYANE Range

Sodium benzoate is naturally derived from fruits and roots and can be found in the PHYTONOVATHRIX Range

Benzyl alcohol naturally derived from almonds and apricot kernels are used in the PHYTOELIXIR Range

Salicylic acid derived from willow bark is in the PHYTOSQUAM Range

Glycerin derived from vegetable sugar alcohols used in the PHYTOJOBA Range

Sorbic acid derived from potato starch used in the PHYTOLIUM Range

Regardless of what you choose: be it paraben or paraben-free preservatives, it is a good habit to alternate your beauty regimen for the best results. Follow the PHYTO Beauty Rx: Maintain your scalp and hair daily by hydrating it and introduce a treatment to nourish and restore your hair when necessary with botanical potions and preservatives for healthy and beautiful hair, NATURALLY.

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