The preservative I avoid at all costs
There are a lot of really nasty ingredients out there and there is NO one regulating what skin care lines or cosmetics are putting into their products! š±Ā Yeah, pretty scary considering our skin is our biggest organ and what we put onto our skin, absorbs, then gets dumped into our bloodstream, and becomes available to interact with hormones or other receptors! Think of birth control patches!? They prevent pregnancy, and all they do is touch the skinš³.
So now you are wondering what is the number one preservative I avoid and why!? Jk you already know which one! Parabens dun dun dun.
It comes in names such as methylparaben, propylparaben, ethylparaben, butylparaben, etc. (you get the idea, it will have some chemical moiety in the name before saying paraben haha). Paraben is a preservative (made to prevent bacteria, fungus, mold growth) and is used in literally everything: toothpastes, lotions, serums, wipes, pharmaceuticals, typical grocery type processed foods, and other personal care products including baby lotions and washes!
Such as these: (that Jergens lotion I have used for years so Iām so sad about this haha)
This means when I am buying personal care products. I specifically avoid all products that have parabens added to them because we are already being exposed to them daily in foods and items that we are unaware of, and all of this can add up cumulatively and build up in your bloodstream, possibly causing a profound effect. Why take the risk when there are literally a thousand products available without it?
This is not an organic approved messageš. Nor am I trying to scare anyone! I just wanted to educate and spark your mind to go and hopefully take a closer look at your productās labels. Also, do not fall for every claim on skin care products. We are NOT regulated and can claim ānaturalā, āorganicā, āveganā, blah blah blah very easily. KNOW YOUR INGREDIENTS, know your worth š. If you have questions about an ingredient, ask me and Iāll research for you! One of my favorite tools to use is theĀ Skin Deep Cosmetic Database. Obviously there are a lot of other ingredients that I try to avoid but I wanted to focus on my least favorite.
Happy label reading friends!
Love,
Pharmacy Mommy