What exactly are Parabens?

Lets start with the fancy shmancy talk.
World English Dictionary: Any ester of parahydroxybenzoic acid, some of which are used in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals and have been found in breast cancer tumours.

~Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009~

Medical Dictionary: Either of two antifungal agents used as preservatives in foods and pharmaceuticals:
a : METHYLPARABEN
b : PROPYLPARABEN

~Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2007 Merriam-Webster, Inc.~

Now that that is out of the way.... How many times have you read paraben free? Or heard someone talk about it and didn't have the first clue as to why it was so important. So here's my 411 for you.
They are preservative, bactericidal, and fungicidal ingredients used in a wide variety of household items. They can be found in shaving gels, shampoos, toothpaste, moisturizers, and even some food products. Because they have such a low cost and there are not effective natural alternatives they are in a lot of products we use on our bodies. So, why then, you ask is it a problem to use them? Because studies have shown that they can mimic estrogen, which is linked to the development of breast cancer.
To be fair studies have shown that the link, if there really is one, is weak. However, that being said, I'm not about to put these in or on my body OR on my clients. Professional skincare products will not have them in their ingredient list. Most reputable companies have taken them out of their products as well.
Here are some ingredients to look for on your labels:

Butylparaben
Ethylparaben
Methylparaben
Propylparaben

Don't hesitate to turn the package over and take a look for yourself.
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