We had a very inspiring brainstorming session last week; everyone was coming up with great ideas for articles. My idea was: Doctor Josselin. Why? Because we are bombarded with beauty terms that sound very interesting and most of the time we don’t have a clue what they mean. Let me explain it to you. I will tell you in ordinary easy to read English just what’s in your shampoo or cream.

What are parabens?

May once heard, “This product is totally paraben-free.” And she didn’t know if this was a good thing or a bad thing.  Mind you this was quite a while ago. May now knows all about parabens. And it’s really all very simple. Beauty products that contain water need preservatives in order to preserve them. They also keep funguses and bacteria at bay. So they’re kinda important.

Parabens or paraben free?

Many scientists think you run a higher risk of attaining skin problems if you use a product that contains preservatives. Parabens have been researched to see if they are harmful but there doesn’t seem to be a lot of proof. You can be sensitive to them and suffer from red spots, itchy skin or a rash. If you have sensitive skin your best choice would be paraben-free.

It’s a fact that a lot of cosmetics contain more parabens than needed. You might need to add more to a jar because you put your hands in but a tube doesn’t need quite as much.

THE RUMOUR

Parabens have turned into a bit of a thing. They can penetrate the skin and be absorbed into the tissue. The direct negative effects have yet to be proven. I think it’s best to decide for yourself if you want to use products that contain parabens or go for the paraben-free option.