What are Parabens?

Fact: parabens are in 85% of personal care products, including deodorant, toothpaste, hair care–and other products you likely use every single day. But what are parabens, why are they bad, and how can you avoid them? In this blog, written by the folks at EarthHero , they’ll break down the history of parabens–starting with their historic usage as an anti-bacterial agent to extend the life of everyday products, to the potential impact of these chemicals on your health (and our planet!)

To put it simply, a paraben is any group of synthetic compounds that are used as a preservative in a product containing water (which happens to include most processed foods, and personal care products!) That also means that parabens can hide in your products under a whole slew of hard-to-read names–from methylparaben to isobutylparaben, and many more. But by learning about what these chemicals are, the impact they can have on your body, and how to avoid them, you can protect yourself from the dangers of parabens. Read more about this chemical on EarthHero’s Simply Sustainable Blog: What are Parabens?