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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UCD chapter.

The beauty products you use are important to your health. What you decide to put on your body will be absorbed into your skin, and, later, end up in your bloodstream. So if you haven’t thought about what ingredients are in your beauty products before…now is a good time! However, diving into the world of natural beauty products can be tricky when you aren’t sure what you should be avoiding. 

For now, let’s focus on parabens! 

There seems to be a rise of skin and hair care products that publicize on their bottles their product is “paraben-free”. What really are these nasty little things called parabens?

Parabens are a “group of synthetic compounds” that are used in countless beauty products as a type of preservative. The beauty industry has been using them in products for over 50 years. Check your bottles now, ladies- if you see the ingredients methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben, or isobutylparaben, that product has parabens in it. 

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We want to avoid these bad chemicals because, unfortunately, they have become linked to skin irritation and immunological, neurological, and reproductive problems. 

In addition, they may be tied to cancer. In 2004, a British study found five parabens in breast cancer tissue from 19 out of the 20 women studied. This proved no immediate causal relationship but showed that parabens were being absorbed into the skin and not being metabolized by the body. 

Parabens interrupt hormone function by mimicking the hormone estrogen. An increase in this hormone can promote breast growth and the growth of tumors in breasts. 

The link between these chemicals and breast cancer is why it’s recommended we switch to healthier alternatives. 

Image Source: Pexels

Nowadays, it is quite easy to find products without parabens. Healthy preservative alternatives are being adopted by many natural and organic beauty companies worldwide. You can even find some preservative-free products with shorter shelf lives, and realistically, a shorter shelf life shouldn’t be an issue because you’ll be using the product before it even expires. 

Moving towards using paraben-free products will result in you living an healthier life overall and lower your risk of medical issues resulting from beauty products. 

Another bonus- most of the natural and organic beauty companies that make paraben-free products don’t use animal testing, are vegan, are environmentally conscious, and incorporate many more natural ingredients, ditching the toxic chemicals generic brands still use. You’ll feel great supporting these companies and love their products!

It’s time to trash your chemical-filled products and make the switch to healthier ones. There are endless paraben-free beauty products out in the world for purchase. It’s time to make this change in your life. Your body will thank you later! 

Sources: ELLE & Scientific American

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Courtney is a senior at the University of California Davis where she is earning her degree in Communication, with minor in English. Courtney is a member of Alpha Delta Pi and is from Santa Barbara, CA. She is an avid reader, Netflix and Hulu watcher, beauty enthusiast, and is a big foodie!
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