Its a question I asked a friend, a barista, and my dad.
For example, two of the most common paraben alternativesmethylisothiazolinone and methylchloroisothiazolinonearent gentle.
Theyre a nasty group of materials.
Theyrestrong irritants to the skinandcan probably harm tissue, says Phifer.
Parabens are relatively safe.
On the other end of the spectrum, some brands are under-preserving products, resulting inmoldy concealersand rancid powders.
board-certified dermatologist atMedical Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgeryin New York
The study didnt conclude that parabens caused the tumors or that the parabens caused harm, says Phifer.
It just noted that the parabens were there.
But the fact that youre talking about humans and possible risks to health puts people up in arms.
This information made its way to the public and sent people into a tizzy.
The fear went deeper when the European Union (EU) introducedparaben bans in 2014.
More research is needed to better understand the actual level of risk in humans.
Parabens are completely fine and safe to use.
In fact, theyre really great preservatives.
The reason we moved away from them was because of consumer perception.
board-certified dermatologist atMedical Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgeryin New York
Furthermore, chemists have found ways to avoid the absorption of parabens into the skin.
What weve tried to do is start using the larger paraben molecules, says Phifer.
But, many brands wont even try that because they know the consumer is so resistant to parabens.
Oftentimes theyre not even putting paraben-free on the label because its impliedcustomers just are not having it.
Parabens are completely fine and safe to use, saysDesiree Stordahl, director of applied research & education.
In fact, theyre really great preservatives.
The reason we moved away from them was because of consumer perceptionpeople didnt want them.
For those with sensitive skin, some of these preservatives are harsher than others, she says.
Between 2013 and 2014, MIT and CMIT allergies peaked inEurope.
AndMIT was named the Contact Allergen of the Year in 2013by theAmerican Contact Dermatitis Society.
Intense itchiness turned into raw, painful welts.
It turns out Im very, very allergic.
That creates the entry for organisms and other things that could become problematic, says Dr. Garshick.
For example, Wickes recently used a pressed powder that had a three-month expiration date.
I dont know anyone who uses an entire press powder in three months, she says.
Thats where you’ve got the option to run into infections, says Dr. Garshick.
Now what?
Wickes thinks thats because theres no visual benefit to reintroducing parabens.
Customers are willing to take a risk if it means a result, says Wickes.
Im gonna use it anyway.
Ultimately, it seems the ingredient-fearmongering surrounding parabens created a host of solutions to a problem that didnt exist.
The only proven risk of parabens comes down to skin allergies.
But say youre allergic to lavenderyoure not going to lead a campaign to globally ban lavenderyoull simply avoid it.
The same can be done for parabens.
At the end of the day, no ingredient is perfect, says Dr. Garshick.
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