A Paraben Free Face

[Behold my paraben-free face collection. Don't judge my ugly bathroom tiles!]

Early last year, my sister converted me into a Paraben-Fearing Natural-Goods Addict. You can google scientific articles that argue the dangers or relative safeness of parabens, so I will just give my quick explanation.

Parabens are chemicals used commonly in beauty products and some food products. If you look on the ingredients list, you might see the following words + paraben: ethyl, benzyl, butyl, isobutyl, propyl. For example ethylparaben is one. You can google a full list of them easily. I believe that the use of chemicals (in general and specifically parabens) in our environment and in products we ingest and use definitely can have negative effects on our health, especially over time and in large amounts. One of the arguments that parabens are OK is that products don't have an unsafe amount of it. BUT, why risk it? There have been some that argue that there is a linkage between breast cancer and parabens, but what really changed my mind is something simple and ... vain. I don't have super thick hair, but I have always had a good thick ponytail's worth of hair. As I've grown older, my hair has thinned a little, and I'm like a hawk about how much hair I lose in the shower. Proven fact: when I use shampoo with parabens (Pantene, Herbal Essences, all of those), I shed about 5x more per shower than when I use paraben-free products. That's scary!!! Imagine how unhealthy it is for you, if it does that do your hair! Imagine how much worse it is for you to ingest it or even to have it absorbed through your skin. SCARY. If you're a guy who is worried about thinning/losing hair, I don't think it would hurt to stop using your Pert Plus 2-in-1 and get your butt over to Whole Foods.

Oh, what? Whole Foods?


Yup, ever since my conversion into the paraben-free lifestyle, I've been incredibly lazy and just gone to Whole Foods, where the products have little pretty pictures when they're paraben or chemical free, etc. It's brainless and safe. Also I like that they don't differentiate between men's and women's products. That's so stupid! Men, you still need to wash your faces! Men, you also get eye wrinkles! Women, your hair can also thin! Whole Foods doesn't even know I exist, but I am now going to commence giving them free advertising.

For the face:

• derma e makes some good (award winning) stuff, but Whole Foods doesn't carry everything at the same time. I currently use the Hyaluronic Acid Night Creme, but I just finished up the one in the orange and white box (that's the official name). Both smell so so good.
• John Masters Organics rose and aloe toning mist. Out of everything, this seems the priciest. Just bc you put it in a fancy spray bottle!!!
• derma e Ester-C Serum. It's for post-toner but pre-loation. You have to do all three, or else your face will melt off... or so I've been taught by my mama.
• Finally, my favorite: Mychelle Sun Shield as my everyday face sunblock. IF YOU LEARN ONLY ONE THING IN 2012, LET IT BE THAT YOU MUST WEAR SUNBLOCK EVERY DAY. Even if it's winter. Even if you're a man. Even if you're in an office.  Before this sunblock, I was always searching for nongreasy sunblock that doesn't make you smell like sunblock. This is the one. Wear it, everyday.
• I forgot to take a picture of the face wash I use. It's also by derma e.

[The only time you will ever get to peep into my shower]

 For the showa:

• I use body wash from JASON. I'm not sure if I had to capitalize everything or if that's just their packaging. As you can read, no parabens or sulfates. Oh yea, sulfates are the other bad chemical that I forgot to mention. Whoops.
• This is the 2nd time I'm using Avalon Organics' Biotin B-Complex Thickening shampoo and conditioner. It makes my limp Asian hair a little bit more voluminous. Also it foams better than other organic shampoos.
• Right before this shampoo, I tried Shikai shampoo, which was okay. 
• The very first time I tried paraben-free shampoo, I used the generic Whole Foods brand (365?) shampoo and I hated it. It made my scalp super dry. Also, there was no foam.

The thing about parabens is that they won't foam up as much. Some people don't like this, but it's bc you've been conditioned to think that foam = clean. You know you love the instant foaming hand wash as much as me!! However, you have to expect that a lot of the products (face wash, shampoo) won't foam as much as your old stuff. BUT there are still some products that have reasonable foam (Avalon).

Even though I watch every penny, I don't think it's unreasonable to pay the higher cost. Just skip a movie date ever 3 months, and you're set. Better than facing premature baldness!!!

Disclaimer: I can't remember if all, or which of these products are paraben-free, but they're all from the natural health products from Whole Foods.