The Truth About Parabens!

9/15/2020

We've all been there - standing in the cosmetic aisle of the grocery store, reading labels and wondering what all those ingredients and fancy words and promises really mean. Skin care companies hire excellent marketing firms to create product descriptions that make their products sound amazing. This can make it so hard to know what products are really safe for your skin, unless you actually educate yourself. Here at the Secret Garden, we don't want to keep secrets from our customers! One of the most common beauty product claims is "Paraben Free". But what does that mean?? Look no further, we've got the answers to your questions!

"Paraben-Free"

What are "parabens"? Parabens are a group of chemical preservatives that are often used in cosmetics and beauty products to lengthen their shelf life. These chemicals made their first debut in the 1920s and after nearly 100 years, there is still no FDA regulation on the amount of parabens that are safe in products, despite commonly known side-effects.

Product pump used for filling bottles and pouches

Why should I avoid parabens? Parabens and their effects on your health, have been further explored in the last decade. Parabens can mimic the hormone estrogen and can accumulate in the body when used frequently. No matter your sex, products containing this chemical can throw off your body's natural hormone balance and cause havoc! There are theories linking long term paraben exposure to breast cancer in women as well as disturbing pregnancies and menstruation cycles. There is also a known environmental impact connected to parabens as they can contribute to coral die offs and accumulate in harmful levels in sediments and fish tissue.

Soap & Oil

What should I look out for? Parabens can be found in liquid and powder foundations, sunscreen, blush, face creams, shampoo, conditioner, shaving cream, lipstick, lip balm and more. Next time you're shopping for cosmetics, keep an eye out for products that are "paraben-free" or contain "0% parabens". Avoid products that have methylparabens, propylparabens, butylparaben, isopropylparaben, isobutylparaben, or parahydroxybenzoate in the ingredients list as these are all within the paraben family.

Here is the good news in all of this:
ALL of our Secret Garden body products are paraben free!
Offering products that are enjoyable, high quality and most importantly safe, is our number one priority. We are all too familiar with the anxiety you feel when you realize you have no idea what's actually in your beauty products! We hope that you will find comfort in our products and make them a part of your daily routine!