5 Preservatives That May Harm Your Health
99% of cosmetic products today contain preservatives. Their primary purpose is to extend the shelf life of personal care products by preventing the growth of microorganisms, as well as to stop undesirable alterations of the product’s formula. While it is true that they make our lotions & potions stay fresh and usable longer, it is also true that some preservatives carry hidden risks for human health – risk that are often overlooked by the average consumer.
If you don’t want to put your health at risk, allow us to share with you a short list, containing 5 preservatives that we strongly recommend avoiding.
Triclosan
In a recent study, traces of triclosan were found in 75% of urine samples and 97% of breast milk samples analysed, which only confirms that this particular preservative is industry’s “favourite” antibacterial ingredient. Sadly, even though troclosan is indeed effective in suppressing bacteria growth, its safety is questionable…
Triclosan has long been suspected of interfering with thyroid and reproductive hormones, but some recent studies reveal that its harmful effect on the human body doesn’t end there. The newest concerns related to triclosan were raised after it was found to cause liver fibrosis in laboratory mice. Mice that were exposed to triclosan for eight months were more susceptible to developing liver scars, compared to those that were not exposed to the chemical. Doesn’t sound like something we’d like to put on our skin…
Parabens
I bet that when I say “preservatives” the first word that comes to your mind is “parabens”.
Since parabens naturally occur in certain foods, many manufacturers manipulate with this fact and claim that parabens are easily metabolized and have no undesirable effects on human health. The truth is slightly different, though…
Synthetically produced parabens, found in cosmetic formulas, bypass the normal metabolic processes that take place in our bodies, and enter our bloodstream intact. Once there, they exhibit oestrogen-mimicking behaviour, which has been associated with increased risk of breast cancer. In a study conducted in 2004, traces of parabens were detected in 18 out of 20 breast tumour biopsy samples.
Butylparaben has been shown to interfere with male reproductive functions, having a negative impact on the testosterone levels and sperm counts in men, while methylparaben (often added to sunscreen) reacts with UVB rays and increases skin’s sensitivity, leading to DNA damage and premature aging. How ironic is that?
Phenoxyethanol
Even though, phenoxyethanol is not as widely used as it was 5 years ago, it can still be found on the ingredient lists of many personal care products like hair serums, hair sprays, body lotions, facial creams, toners and cleansers .
Prolonged exposure to phenoxyethanol is associated with allergic reactions ranging from mild hives to life-threatening anaphylaxis. Products that contain over 1% phenoxyethanol can trigger eczema outbreaks and worsen the overall condition of your skin, leading to severe dryness and hypersensitivity. Things get even worse when phenoxyethanol is used in conjunction with parabens, as the former actually increase the risk of allergic reaction – yet another reason for you to avoid both of these chemicals.
BHA and BHT
Butylated hydroxyanisole and butylated hydroxytoluene are closely related synthetic antioxidants that are often found in lipsticks, moisturizers, and liquid foundations.
As far as their health-threatening properties are concerned, it would perhaps be enough to say that the EU prohibits the use of BHA, the State of California requires all products containing BHA to wear a warning label that it is carcinogenic, while many other regulatory bodies have flagged both chemicals for future assessment.
Both BHA and BHT have been listed as hormone disruptors that cause liver, thyroid and kidney problems after long-term exposure. Similarly to parabens, BHT may mimic oestrogen and have serious reproductive repercussions.
Being poorly degradable and bioaccumulative, BHA is considered very toxic to aquatic organisms, and environmentalists warn about its increasing detection in water samples. By infiltrating our water supply, BHA doesn’t only pose a threat to water-inhabiting organisms, but also to the environment, and to our health.
Formaldehyde-Releasing Preservatives
Decades ago, formaldehyde was blacklisted and destined to be phased out from cosmetic products for good, because of its carcinogenic effect. Sadly, the ban on the use of formaldehyde didn’t affect the use of formaldehyde-releasing preservatives like DMDM hydantoin, diazolidinyl urea, imidazolidinyl urea, methenamine and quaternium-15.
Recently, several studies reported that concentrations lower than 0.2 percent were safe for human use - green line for manufacturers. As you can guess, instead of completely eliminating formaldehyde-releasing preservatives from their products, many companies simply lowered their concentration. While this may reduce their harmful effect on the human body, we doubt it eliminates it. Even in low doses, these chemicals continuously release small amounts of formaldehyde, which eventually add up and damages your health.
In conclusion, it’s worth mentioning that many countries have banned some (or all) of the above-mentioned preservatives and their use in personal care products is prohibited. Others have set concentration restrictions and/or require for them to be clearly identified on the labels. Unfortunately, in spite of that, the market is still flooded with products loaded with ingredients with questionable safety. This only shows us that at the end, it is up to us, as consumers, to educate ourselves and choose our products wisely.
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