Parabens are chemical compounds that are added to skincare products and cosmetics to retain cosmetic properties and prevent decay, decomposition and growth of bacteria. These are essential constituents to skincare products since these products are highly vulnerable to contamination without parabens. These ingredients are added in very small levels usually from 0.01 to 0.3%. There have been increasing concerns over the use of parabens however skincare products typically contain very low levels.

The major concerns about parabens are that they cause breast cancer, and other allergic reactions. Even though some research studies revealed that there was a high concentration of parabens in breast cancer tumors, there exists no scientific explanation for any relationship between cancer and parabens. Moreover, these studies did not compare non breast cancer tumors with breast cancer tumors. Additional research carried out in 2005 also demonstrated that regular exposure to parabens does not make one vulnerable to breast cancer or other allergic infections.

It is very easy to determine whether your skincare products include parabens as all Parabin references end in 'paraben'. Another way is to read the ingredient list of the product. If you have serious concerns about paraben products then you may opt for paraben free products but bear in mind that these products will decay more quickly and have a considerably shorter life span. Always be conscious of the expiry date especially if you are using paraben free cosmetics and skincare products as they are more vulnerable to decay and can themselves decompose into harmful chemicals.