Are Parabens Bad In Your Mascara?

It is very important to know and understand the impact of the ingredients in our beauty products. These are not things we should just be putting on our bodies without thought or consideration. To be a beauty expert also means to be informed and educated about beauty considerations. Ingredients being one of them.

That is why today we are discussing parabens and why you should avoid them in your mascara.

So, what are parabens?

Good question. Parabens are preservatives. They were placed in our beauty products beginning in the 1950’s as a way of preserving the shelf life that a product has. This would be to prevent any mold and bacteria that could grow in a product.

While preventing bacteria and mold is a good thing, there’s a better way to do so: use your products quicker. Do not force them to live longer.

How do I know if my product has parabens in it?

This is probably your next question. Some of the most common parabens to look for on your ingredients list are butylparaben, methylparaben, and propylparaben. You can assume that anything that ends in “paraben” is to be avoided.

But, why are parabens bad for me?

Parabens have been found to be able to live within the tissue of the skin. Therefore when we apply paraben using products to our eyelashes, they can penetrate and live in the skin. While this hasn’t been explicitly proven to cause cancer, it is alarming and detrimental and has in fact been linked to cancer. Parabens have been found to mimic estrogen and therefore impact our hormone functions and are linked to cancer as reproductive functioning in what is called endocrine disruptors.

Parabens are also dangerous for the environment because they are now being found in the bodies of marine mammals. We don’t yet understand all the impacts that parabens could have on ourselves or other creatures, but it certainly cannot be good for the environment. This is likely as related to wearing products with parabens while being in waters inhabited by other mammals, therefore putting them and our ecosystems at risk.

Why should I care about the parabens in my mascara, if it isn’t explicitly going to endanger me or others?

At GrayLane Beauty we believe in being responsible community members and makeup users. To use paraben-containing mascara puts you and the environment at risk. We believe your health should be more important than your vanity. This does not mean that you need to give up makeup products altogether or creating your perfect look because lucky for you there are incredible brands and products that do not contain parabens. You simply have to start reading the ingredients lists to be a little more informed.

A few of our favorite non-paraben mascara products are:

GrayLane Beauty Volume, Curl, Lengthen, Extend and Fruit Elixir - try them all or order your Discovery Set with three travel size tubes, assorted for you after taking our quiz.

What are some brands that use Parabens?

You’ll be surprised that the use of Parabens isn’t reserved just for value brands. Here we showcase the broad spectrum of mascaras that include Parabens in their mascara:

• Maybelline Full and Soft ($8.77)

• Lancome: Definicils ($27.50)

• Lancome: Hypnose ($27.50)

• Kevyn Aucoin: Volume ($28.00)

• Yves Saint Laurent; Volume Effet Faux Cils ($29.00)

Bottom Line?
Avoid mascaras that include Parabens. You can easily research this on-line - most mascara brands post the ingredients on their website and definitely include in their actual product either on the outer box or in the pamphlet that is included in the box. Here's a handy link to the Environmental Working Group (EWG) SkinDeep database of brands and ingredients. You can look up pretty much any ingredient in your mascara to find out how safe it is. 

What about you? Do you know of any additional brands that still use Parabens? Leave a comment in the field below!