Are Parabens Hiding In your Beauty Products?

Paraben preservatives have long history of use in personal care products because they prevent the build-up of mold, fungus and bacteria in leave-in and rinse off products, effectively extending the shelf life of these products beyond 6+ months. To avoid parabens, it’s important to read labels and avoid ingredients ending in the word “paraben” including: methylparaben, ethylparaben, butylparaben, isobutylparaben, isopropylparaben and propylparaben. Parabens are easily absorbed through the skin, can affect reproductive function, and increase the risk of cancer in both men and women. Please see https://www.ewg.org/what-are-parabens for more detailed information.

As consumers have become more aware of the risks associated with paraben exposure, manufacturers have started to replace paraben preservatives with other chemical preservatives like the following:

Today, most of the hair care products used in hair salons, schools, gyms, and homes are owned by global beauty conglomerates - such as L’Oreal (Garnier, Fructis, Kérastase, Redken, Matrix, Pureology), Unilever (TRESemmé, Dove), Estée Lauder (Aveda, Bumble & Bumble), Procter & Gamble (Pantene, Head & Shoulders, Herbal Essenses), Johnson & Johnson (Neutrogena, Aveeno, Rogaine), Hankel (Deva Curl, Schwarzkopf), Coty (Wella, Nioxin, Sassoon, Clairol), Avon, Colgate-Palmolive, & Revlon. Each time a beauty brand is acquired or relabeled, it goes through a value engineering process to make it is less expensive to produce. Each new formulation is designed to increase the profit margin and extend the products’ shelf life. The net result is to reduce the quality of ingredients by replacing natural (and more expensive ingredients) with cheaper synthetic and chemical ingredients.

When you visit The Organic Stylist, you to can relax knowing that I only use 100% clean, organic, and natural products, to give you healthy, eco-friendly hair care solutions, free of harsh chemicals and toxic ingredients. Schedule a consultation to learn more and get all your questions answered before your service.

Take Back Your Power - Buy Healthier Beauty Products

Recently a number of clients have asked me if I’m aware of the Deva Curl Class Action Lawsuit alleging hair loss? The short answer is yes. However, I do not use Deva Curl products (owned by Henkel) because they have never met my personal standards for clean beauty products. Deva Curl has been acquired twice since it launched "No-Poo” in 2002. Every time a company goes through an acquisition the entire product line goes though a systematic and organized cost reduction process that affects ingredients, manufacturing, and distribution. This means that every ingredient is evaluated for its effectiveness against a less expensive alternative, without sacrificing performance. In the beauty world this means substituting cheaper, synthetic, and chemical ingredients (like parabens and silicones) to replace more natural ingredients. It is therefore no wonder that the cheapest beauty products, sold by the largest companies, are the least expensive and most harmful to our health.

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Henkel Beauty Brands

Henkel also owns Deva Curl.

So what’s the big deal?
The short term cost savings you might find yourself attracted to in the drug store beauty aisle is most likely being offset by long term costs to your health. Please be aware that almost all drug store brands are masters of deception - they tell you a marketing story while finding every possible way to reduce their manufacturing costs and streamline their ingredients to the cheapest possible sources. Then they mask the stink of their synthetic and chemical ingredients with perfumes, hoping that your nose will override your critical thinking skills.

How can I do better?
Support small businesses who are trying to make the beauty world a safer place. Let me help you make better hair care choices by visiting my Recommended Products page, and use the Think Dirty App to scan your products and learn more about ingredients you don’t understand.

See image below for 7 big brands that own more than 182 global beauty brands.