Something about Paraben August 14, 2009

Magazine/Issue: InStyle / WHAT’S HOT NOW (September 2007 issue, p.432)

 

“Parabens are one of the most ubiquitous types of preservative [in skin-care products],” says Christopher Gavigan, CEO of Healthy Child Healthy World (healthychild.org). “When they enter the body [through the skin], they appear to mimic the hormone estrogen, which plays a role in the development of breast tumors.” Gavigan recommends choosing paraben-free body washes, lotions and other cosmetics.

 

Personally I think certain parabens are more affecting than others (“Paraben” represents a group of preservatives with similar chemical structures. While they are similar, there are different parabens used in cosemtics, some more toxic than others.) There is also a question of quantity and duration of application. Cosmetics companies are allowed to used up to 1% parabens in their products. Some companies use up to that 1%, others use much less than that. The higher the concentration, the more our bodies will absorb the chemical. And the longer the parabens are left on the skin, the more time our bodies have to absorb.

 

Ultimately there aren’t enough studies to confirm or dispute the harmfulness of parabens.  At this point, whether to use paraben-free products is really a matter of personal taste.  But if you want to be on the safe side, there are plenty of paraben-free products available on the market.

 

And don’t forget, parabens can be found in food too…

 

 

"Makeup and Breakout" August 13, 2009

Magazine/Issue:  Allure / Body News (January 2006 issue, p.58) ~ by Kristin Cobb

 

Skin Experts often discourage women with acne from wearing makeup, but a new study shows that certain cosmetics can improve acne sufferers’ quality of life without aggravating their skin. Dermatology professor Nobukazu Hayashi and other researchers at Tokyo’s Women’s Medical University instructed 18 women to apply makeup formulated for blemish-prone skin (from a Japanese cosmetics line) as they began an acne treatment regimen. (Treatment, which varied by individual, consisted of oral antibiotics, topical antibiotics, chemical peels, or a combination of these.) After two to four weeks, the women in the study reported feeling more attractive and less embarrassed, anxious, and depressed, and despite the makeup, they had fewer breakouts than they had initially. Rather than covering acne with oil-based foundation, Hayashi recommends applying noncomedogenic makeup, which is designed not to clog pores.