beauty tip tuesday: Should you worry about Parabens?

We all long for beautiful, radiant skin.  So many products promise these results but are they always the healthiest choice in the long term?  Recently, there has been a lot of buzz about parabens, a common preservative found in many beauty products.  The question is, do we really need to worry about it?

I found an article in real simple magazine that answered a lot of my questions, so I thought I would share what I learned.

Typically, more than one form of the ingredient is used in a product: Here is what you should look for on the labels:

butylparaben, methyparaben, and propylparaben are the most common.

According to Arther Rich, Ph.D, a cosmetic chemist in Chestnut Ridge, New York, "About 85 % of cosmetics have them, they are inexpensive and effective."

In case you are wondering, parabens have been used in products to prevent bacteria growth since the 1950's.  In the 1990's however, parabens were deemed xenoestrogens-- agents that mimic estrogen in the body.  "Estrogen disruption" has been linked to breast cancer and reproductive issues.

Costumer concerns have prompted many brands to manufacture and label their products paraben-free.  Here are some Paraben-free products:

Aveda, Burt's Bees, John Masters Organics, Korres, Origins, and Dr. Hauschka.

New York City Dermatologist tells her patients that" so far there's no scientific evidence to support any link with any form of cancer.  Currently, the amount of parabens in any product is quite small."  The U.S Food and Drug Administration and World Health Organization consider the chemicals safe at low levels.

So, the bottom line is be mindful but don't have an all-consuming concern of these chemicals.  To put yourself at ease, choose products from the brands listed below and start reading the labels.  Or, play it really safe, use oil-based organic products that come in dark bottles.  

Check out:  Organicbeautyexpert.com for more information.

xo