Parabens are preservatives used to keep health and beauty products fresh by preventing the growth of harmful bacteria. These compounds are amongst the most commonly used cosmetic preservatives in the world and have a long history of safe use.

Parabens are the most common preservative used in food and cosmetics. They have been extensively studied and determined to be safe for usage in personal care products by expert scientific panels and governmental regulatory agencies. None of the extensive research carried out on parabens has indicated a potential risk of harm to human health and parabens remain amongst the safest of preservatives in today’s cosmetic products. Parabens are also naturally occurring in many foods that we enjoy as part of a healthy lifestyle. These include cucumbers, carrots, onions, blueberries and cherries. In the United States, methylparaben and propylparaben are recognized as safe by the FDA. The Food and Drug Administration is a federal organization responsible for protecting public health by ensuring the safety, efficacy, and security of human and veterinary drugs, biological products, and medical devices, our nation's food supply, cosmetics, etc. Other independent groups, the American Cancer Society, the FDA, and Cancer Research Centers, have looked for many different causes for cancer but have never found any evidence of risk from parabens.