Q&A: Are the preservatives in cosmetics safe?
I've noticed that lots of cosmetics and personal-hygiene products contain the preservative methylparaben. Is that substance safe? —Cherry Hill, N.J.
It is generally thought to be safe, though research is ongoing. Methylparaben and related substances, known collectively as "parabens," are frequently used as preservatives in shampoos, lotions, makeup, and other products. While they are generally considered safe to use on skin, they can in some cases cause irritation to the skin or eyes or allergic skin reactions. In addition, some limited evidence suggests that certain types of parabens may mimic the effects of estrogen, but whether there are any health implications of those findings is still under evaluation. So unless the preservatives irritate your skin or eyes, there’s currently no convincing reason to avoid them.
This article first appeared in the April 2008 issue of Consumer Reports on Health.
Posted by: Cute Easy Hairstyles | May 5, 2009 1:38:59 PM
When I check the ingredients of shampoo or lotion, there are so many names of chemicals that I don't even know what they are. Why do they have to contain methylparaben? What does it exactly do? I tend to have allergic reaction from cosmetics with full of chemicals. I'm using all natural and organic products, but they are not cheap...
Posted by: Organic Cosmetics | Apr 11, 2009 5:42:47 PM
Generally they are known to be safe. However you can not always be sure. I always prefer to go for organic cosmetics. :-)
Posted by: Pharmaceutical tubes | Jan 2, 2009 3:38:36 PM
It would be reasonable to assume that we don't need to ask the question, are our cosmetics safe? Safe cosmetics should be taken for granted shouldn't they? After all, we have a government and corporations that look after our interests?
Sadly no. Neither the government or the major cosmetics companies take steps to ensure that our cosmetics are safe, and as a result there is a whole range of dangerous cosmetics and skin care products on the market which contain dangerous ingredients including lead, 1,4-dioxane and paraben.
Doesn't the FDA do something about this? Sadly again, no. The FDA does not test or examine cosmetic products to establish that they are safe for human use and don't contain harmful ingredients, and even admit to this on the FDA website. The government does not act in our best interests by ensuring that the cosmetics that millions of American women use every single day are safe to use, and as a result we have dangerous cosmetics on the shelves of our major department stores.