What are Parabens?

There has been a lot of talk about parabens! They are chemicals that are used as preservatives which prevent the growth of bacteria and fungus. They can be found in cosmetics, shampoo, conditioners, lotions, cleaners, toothpastes etc and even in food. They are efficient, cheap and increase the shelf life of products. Sounds good! But unfortunately they can be easily absorbed through the skin, circulatory and digestive systems where they mimic estrogen. They act to disrupt our hormonal balance and have been associated with not only endocrine disruption but cancer as well. Check out your everyday personal care products to see if they have been laced with Methylpararben Propylparaben Ethylparaben Butylparaben Benzylparaben Next time you are shopping for products, check the labels and try to avoid parabens.