All About Parabens

In the United States, consumers have grown more aware of the foods they eat, and there has been a huge push toward ingredients that are natural or organic. However, food is not the only thing our bodies ingest... What about our skincare?


Many skincare products claim to work wonders for your skin but are packed with harsh chemicals and parabens. If you have read our blog on 7 Common Ingredients In Skincare To Avoid, you should already have an introductory idea on the parabens that exist in many creams, cleansers, and soaps. However, you may not know exactly what parabens are.  

Parabens are a group of synthetic products used as preservatives. You can find them in beauty products, food products, and medicine. They extend a product's shelf-life, and prevent the growth of fungus and mold.*

That’s the positive side about the presence of parabens in product-- Everything else is not positive at all…

Parabens affect the body’s hormone production and can be known endocrine-interrupters. Parabens mimic estrogen. The body perceives parabens as an influx of estrogen. This is why, according to the U.S. department of Health and Human Services, exposure to parabens can lead to breast cancer.*

While the long-term effects of paraben exposure to humans is not known, we do know that parabens are not fully absorbed into the body. Research has found parabens in the skin, breasts, and urinary tract.* Exposure to parabens can also have an adverse effect on pregnancy, and for men, paraben exposure can decrease testosterone and sperm production.* Researchers even think some parabens may be used as a contraceptive.

Despite evidence that parabens are very clearly harmful to the body, parabens are still legal in US foods and beauty products. However, the European Union has banned them. Thus, the European Union has shown that parabens are unnecessary. 

We’ve already created better preservatives. We’ve created safer methods for stopping the growth of mold. Parabens are only used today because they are easy and cheap to produce.

Noche Y Dia prides itself on being 100% paraben-free and cruelty-free. Noche uses glass bottles and the best ingredients. Our promise is to always deliver skincare that saves skin from within and never includes harsh chemicals.

For more information on parabens, you can visit any of the sources below.