Great question, L.J., as there is a lot of hype about parabens but not a lot of scientific backing to the cytotoxic claims. We respect our customers and their desire to have non-paraben preservatives in their face and body products, so all of our facial products and most of our retail products are paraben free!

     The truth is, parabens do occur naturally in plant sources such as barley, strawberries, black currants, peaches, carrots, onions, cocoa-beans, vanilla and in foods prepared from fruit such as grapes and fruit juices, yeast extract, wine vinegar and cheese. The have an anti-microbial property and that is why they are used in very small quantities in products — to prevent the growth of bacteria, yeast and mold in the lotions and potions we are spreading over our skin!

     The paraben controversy began with a very small study conducted in England in 2004. The study looked at the paraben level in 20 cancerous tumors. Although paraben was one of the many molecules detected in these cells, it does not prove that parabens cause cancer or that they are harmful in any way. As a matter of fact, they did not even compare the level in that tissue to the levels that naturally occur in healthy tissue! In addition, although parabens can act similarly to estrogen, they have been shown to have much, much less estrogenic activity than birth control pills, hormone replacement therapy and even the body’s naturally occurring estrogen!

     So why the hype? Unfortunately, sometimes companies use false information to differentiate their products and create consumer demand. At The Garden Spa’T, we do our research to avoid false claims and give you the information and high quality natural products you deserve, such as Eminence’s Tropical Vanilla Sun Cream SPF 32.

     For more information about parabens and other unsupported cosmetic claims, visit:
The American Cancer Society’s website.