The Truth about Parabens!?

The National Organic Program prohibits chemical preservatives in products that are labeled “organic.” So what are chemical preservatives such as methyl, propyl, butyl and ethyl parabens doing in personal care products labeled “organic and natural?”

There are many delightful organic foods that contain no preservatives. Read the labels on your organic honey, maple syrup, vinegar, olive oil, sugar, raisins, peanut butter and wine. These foods are considered by the FDA to be “self-preserving” and contain no preservatives. This means that, because of certain inherent qualities, these foods are naturally stable and not overly susceptible to contamination from bacteria.

True castile soap (liquid or bars – Acne Attack, Fennel, and our Hemp Glycerin Soap) has an excellent shelf-life of up to eighteen months (normal conditions 11 months) and require no preservatives. Wouldn’t you prefer body care products that are fresh (like the food you eat) rather than several years old?

A self preserved soothing or massage oil such as our Hemp & Avocado line can have a shelf-life of up to 18 months preserved only with Vitamin E…naturally occurring in plants.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in their report “Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products in the Environment: Agents of Subtle Change?” reported that the chemical preservatives called parabens—methyl, propyl, butyl and ethyl (chemically known as alkyl-p-hydroxybenzoates)—displayed estrogenic activity in several tests. This means that these chemicals mimic your body’s own hormones and can have endocrine-disrupting action when they are rubbed into your body or washed down the drain into your drinking water. These disruptors interfere with your body’s endocrine system: your hypothalamus, your ovaries, and your thyroid—virtually every system in your body. The EPA also stated that “continual introduction of these benzoates (parabens) into sewage treatment systems and directly to recreational waters from the skin leads to the question of risk to aquatic organisms.” Scientists in Europe found other endocrine disrupting body care chemicals in the bodies of fish that humans are eating, and in human breast milk. A 2004 study in the UK concluded that, through the research of 20 breast tumors detecting the presence of minute amounts of parabens, it is evident that parabens are in fact not completely metabolized in our system. This may provide some evidence concerning the link to breast cancer, due to increased estrogen levels.

Dr. Elizabeth Smith has written that “It is a known medical fact that estrogen stimulates breast cancer” and that “anything absorbed through the skin may be as high as 10 times the concentration of an oral dose.” This is what stimulates Naturally You Skin Care in the work we do! NY Skin Care prides itself on ceased use and careful consideration of ingredients that may potentially have complications on our health.

Endocrine disruptors, and more specifically broad spectrum parabens, are transported into the body, daily, via absorption through the skin and hair follicles when using personal care products.

Now that we know that we absorb toxins through our skin, isn’t it important that body care products that claim to be organic or natural should be as pure as the organic and natural foods that we eat?

www.naturallyyouskincare.com

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