What Are Parabens and Sulfates?
And why should we be avoiding them?
And why should we be avoiding them?
Over the last several years, “paraben and sulfate-free” have become common words in bold on product labels: most often found on shampoo, conditioner, body wash, lotions and detergents.
It may seem effective to avoid these two ingredients and assume that a product is safe if it does not contain these two ingredients, but that is often not the case.
First, what are sulfates?
“Sulfates are detergents, or surfactants, commonly found in products like shampoo, body wash, face cleanser, and toothpaste (in addition to household cleaning products, like laundry and dish detergent). The most common sulfate-based ingredients found in personal care products are sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate.
Sulfates act on the hair surface to remove dirt, sebum, and other product residues, and they also have properties that enable lather," explains Pantene senior scientist Rolanda Johnson Wilkerson, PhD.
“Sodium lauryl sulfate is a degreaser in a sense. It allows for the food particles to be aided in their transition from our mouth, helping to achieve that ‘clean' feel. It gives that nice foaming action that we are known to get while brushing," adds Karen Fields-Lever, a dentist based in Chicago.
Sulfates, which have been used in personal-care products since the 1950s, are "the most commonly used detergents in the beauty industry," says cosmetic chemist Perry Romanowski.
Why should we avoid sulfates?
“The biggest issue with sulfates is that they can cause varying levels of skin and eye irritation, which (for the people who experience it) gets worse the longer the product is in contact with the skin. "Sulfates can often dry out the skin, and some people find they may lead to more acne when their skin is in frequent contact with sodium lauryl sulfate,” explains David Lortscher, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist and co founder and CEO of Curology. “This is typically less of a problem with body skin [versus face skin], so most people tolerate sodium lauryl sulfate in body washes."
Sulfates in toothpaste could also potentially be to blame for some symptoms inside your mouth. “Sodium lauryl sulfate can cause or irritate existing allergies, canker sores, and bad breath,” Dr. Fields-Lever says. And, she notes, "there are some professionals [who] feel sodium lauryl sulfate can be harmful to the mucosa [gums and cheeks] of the mouth."”
What are sulfates doing to your hair and skin?
“When it comes to hair products, the concern has to do with the state these detergents may leave your locks in. When used in shampoos, sulfates are very efficient cleansers—maybe a little too efficient—and can pull a lot of natural oil from hair and skin. They’re so good at cleaning that they can actually strip your hair of its natural oils and make it feel rough, dry, and brittle. They can also cause dryness and irritation on your scalp.
"It's a myth that sulfates will strip hair color," Romanowski says. "They don't strip the color any worse than any other shampoo detergent."
Lortscher also notes that hair-care products with sulfates may contribute to acne around your hairline or acne on your back (which is exposed to hair products in the shower), while toothpastes with sulfates may lead to skin issues in areas that come into contact with foam.”
Ultimately, it’s best to avoid sulfates if you already have dry skin or hair and are struggling with acne.
What are parabens?
Parabens (the most common are methylparaben, propylparaben, ethylparaben, and butylparaben) are chemicals commonly used as preservatives in many cosmetic products, including makeup, moisturizers, hair care, and shaving creams or gels.
Parabens can penetrate the skin and act like a very weak estrogen in the body": potentially turning on the growth of hormone-receptor-positive breast cancers. Parabens have been found in breast tissue and breast cancers, but this really doesn't mean much. Parabens have been found in many other tissues because of their wide use.
Harvard Health Publishing says that although estrogen plays a role in breast cancer, there's no evidence that people who use paraben-containing products face an increased risk. In 2004, however, a small study found traces of parabens in breast cancer tissue, reigniting concern about these chemicals.
Endocrine disruption is basically the disruption of the normal function of the hormone system, and our hormone system drives all of the functions of our body, so any alteration or disruption to the function of our body can alter growth, development, and reproduction, [and] brain function, for example. Parabens specifically mimic the hormone estrogen and could thus interfere with the production of that hormone.
Evidence has been presented that endocrine disruptors have effects on male and female reproduction, breast development and cancer, prostate cancer, neuroendocrinology, thyroid, metabolism and obesity, and cardiovascular endocrinology. Read more in this 2009 scientific statement.
“Because up to 70 percent of breast cancers express the estrogen receptor, there is a concern that parabens may contribute to the development of breast tumors,” says James G. Wagner, associate professor of pathobiology and diagnostic investigation.
How can we avoid iffy ingredients and err on the side of caution?
You can scan and look up your products on the ThinkDirty app as well as the EWG SkinDeep database. Each platform provides a rating and comprehensive list of ingredients and each of their individual risks and side effects, plus lists from other countries where the ingredients are banned.
As a general rule, we like to stay away from products rated higher than a 3 on both platforms, and avoid products with ingredients which are banned in Europe and in Canada. Both countries have much more rigorous standards for ingredients in consumer products. Another solid standard can be found in Whole Foods banned ingredients list for cosmetics and also for food.
If a product is sulfate and paraben-free, can I assume it’s safe?
Unfortunately not. An excellent example of this is found in Pantene’s Sulfate Free Curl Shaping Cream: this ranks as an 8 on ThinkDirty, with a rating of 10 being the most toxic.
The most problematic ingredient here is fragrance (see: the fragrance loophole) which can contain up to 4,000 undisclosed ingredients under the guise of this singular ingredient name. The second most problematic substance here is PEG-2M, which is an ingredient found on the Whole Foods banned cosmetic ingredients list, and it is also a prohibited substance in the EU.
Another example: Redken’s Sulfate-Free Frizz Dismiss Shampoo: ranked at 8 on ThinkDirty. This product has a plethora of toxic ingredients, starting with Parfum (another word for fragrance, yet again masking thousands of undisclosed ingredients), Laureth-9, multiple types of PEG, BHT (an endocrine disruptor), and Methylisothiazolinone which has been linked to eczema and respiratory issues, is banned from Whole Foods and Sephora, and listed as an Environmental Defense Canada Toxic Ten ingredient.
Even products that appear to be natural based on their label or brand name are often not. Take Nature’s Gate Sulfate Free Conditioner: an 8 on ThinkDirty, solely due to fragrance. The rest of the ingredients have been derived from vegetables and seed oils for the most part, but when you’re throwing thousands of undisclosed ingredients into the product, it no longer remains safe.
Simply search “sulfate free” on the ThinkDirty app and scroll through. There are dozens and dozens of products full of other concerning substances, even when they’re free of the ingredients currently trending as problematic.
The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (an EWG partner) created a voluntary agreement called the Compact for Safe Cosmetics. Companies that signed the compact agreed to make their products "free of chemicals that are known or strongly suspected of causing cancer, mutation, or birth defects." The compact is now closed to new companies, but the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics is developing a new program. Until that program launches, visit the Skin Deep website to see companies and products that are in compliance with the Compact.
We hope that this information was helpful in breaking down what parabens and sulfates are, and why they aren’t the only ingredients we should be avoiding. Ultimately, we need cosmetic reform and the onus should not be on the consumer to make safe choices for the benefit of their health. Until then, we’ll be here providing resources so you’re able to make safe and informed decisions. Be well!