You know by now we love research and speak in facts first, so we wanted to take you on a deep dive into the ingredients that get a bad rap; think parabens, silicones, and sulfates.

Turns out, when used correctly or used in place of harmful or non-regulated organic ingredients, they may actually be better for you.

Let’s break it down.

parabens

Parabens have developed a bit of a reputation. People commonly associate parabens with being health troublemakers, being worse for you than natural preservatives, and wreaking havoc on the environment.  

For a quick overview: parabens are a category of compounds derived from PHBA (a type of acid) used in personal care products as preservatives. They are identical to naturally-occurring parabens found in numerous fruits and vegetables, and they prevent the accumulation of harmful mold, yeast, and a broad spectrum of bacteria from forming in your products.

myth: parabens are bad for your health 

Despite the rumor mill, FDA scientists maintain that there is no clear evidence to suggest that the parabens used in cosmetics have an adverse effect on human health—phew. 

This myth originated from a study found in 2004 that reported the presence of parabens detected in low levels in cancerous breast tissue. But here’s the catch: it was NOT found that they cause breast cancer. 

Think about it this way: if you’re not feeling well, maybe you make yourself a bowl of chicken soup. If someone decided to study how often people eat chicken soup, they might find a positive relationship between chicken soup and people feeling sick, i.e. that the two often occur together. But it is not correct to conclude that chicken soup CAUSES one to be sick! Likewise, the presence alone of a compound does not indicate that it causes a harmful effect. In the science world, this is known as correlation vs. causality.

Numerous health and regulatory bodies, including the FDA, CDC, and CIR (and even the researcher who published the 2004 paper!) have stated that, based on the current body of research, there is no conclusive evidence that these parabens have carcinogenic activity or any other adverse effects on human health.

myth: natural preservatives are better  

Maybe you’re more into the organic way of life. And we hear you, but in some cases, especially when it comes to products going on and around your body, natural or organic isn’t always better. The newer, more natural replacements of parabens generally preserve products for a much shorter time and unfortunately work against a smaller range of bacteria. Even more, the natural preservatives found in paraben-free products may actually be more harmful than their paraben counterparts as, in comparison, they are far less researched, do not follow the same strict regulations, and can even be more allergenic. Yikes.

myth: parabens are harmful to you and the planet 

But what about the environment, you ask?! Aren’t parabens bad for our planet? Parabens are ultimately biodegradable and widely considered non-toxic to animals, especially in the concentration used in cosmetics, food, and pharmaceuticals (remember—they are a highly effective class of preservatives and so are typically used at levels less than 0.1%). 

They have been detected at varying levels in some wastewater, but during the wastewater treatment process are effectively eliminated and harmful effects have not been demonstrated. 

Fun fact: Studies on parabens and their by-products are ongoing, making them some of the most widely-studied ingredients in cosmetics!

silicones

This is a big one in the hair world. So many haircare products are advertised as silicone-free, so much so that most consumers believe silicones will always have a negative impact on our hair and the environment.

myth: silicones are bad for the planet 

Fun fact: did you know silicones are actually degradable? The term “BIOdegradable” means that something is decomposed by microBIOLOGICAL organisms like bacteria. Degradable substances, on the other hand, break down into simpler compounds in stages. Silicones are degradable and can complete a full cycling pathway—meaning they are also sustainable! Silicones are based on the element Silicon, which is the main component of quartz sand. They will eventually break back down by water and UV from sunlight into carbon dioxide and silicates. The size of the silicone impacts how long they take to break down. Overall, silicones have a pretty low cost to the environment and are generally recognized as safe by scientists.

myth: silicones are the primary reason for hair surface buildup

That’s not necessarily true—It’s also not fair to talk about silicones in an overarching way. There are different types: water-soluble, non-soluble, volatile, and elastomer silicones—and all of them have different characteristics. Volatile or evaporative silicones evaporate off hair within minutes or hours of application. Water-soluble silicones can wash off during rinsing, and non-soluble silicones, though trickier, can be removed with the cleansers in good clarifying shampoos. While this latter type can’t be removed with water alone due to its higher affinity to hair, the right system of surfactants can tackle these more resistant silicones. 

As we’ve learned, buildup comes from a combination of factors, so it would be unfair to blame silicones alone.  

sulfates

Ah, good ‘ole sulfates. Much of the misinformation surrounding sulfates’ supposed negative effects come from the rise of “sulfate-free” shampoo. The sulfate-free label perpetuates the idea that sulfates are bad for consumers. Sulfates are a type of surfactant that is often found in shampoo. Surfactants are the source of the lather in shampoo and have two key sites: an oil-attracting site that binds the natural oils in your hair (or oily-type things from your products) and a site that attracts water, allowing oil buildup on (and in) your hair to be rinsed out with water.