Parabens are a class of chemicals widely used as
preservatives by
cosmetic and
pharmaceutical industries. Parabens are effective preservatives in many types of formulas. These compounds, and their salts, are used primarily for their
bactericidal and
fungicidal properties. They can be found in
shampoos, commercial
moisturizers,
shaving gels,
personal lubricants,
topical/
parenteral pharmaceuticals, spray tanning solution,
makeup,
[1] and
toothpaste. They are also used as
food additives.
Their efficacy as preservatives, in combination with their low cost, the long history of their use, and the inefficacy of some natural alternatives like
grapefruit seed extract (GSE),
[2] probably explains why parabens are so commonplace. They are becoming increasingly controversial, however, because they have been found in
breast cancer tumors