Beauty

[Imadickens]

How much do you worry about natural ingredients in skin care and cosmetics? I used to love Philosophy skin care, but they still use parabens in many products. I spoke to a rep who told me they were phasing bad ingredients out, but Purity and Hope in a Bottle are two that still have them. I asked my derm about it and he urged me to avoid them, so I do. I just don't understand why good companies don't stop using them! Maybe if more people complained...

[JeanLouiseFinch]

@Imadickens 

I have no clue why your dermatologist advised you to avoid them, but parabens really aren't the bad guys some people portray them to be and they don't deserve the bad rap they've received.  Parabens are preservatives in cosmetics, shampoos, conditioners, deodorants, etc.  If they're removed, what will replace them to make products last?  

As for natural ingedients, on the surface it sounds like they'd be a safe choice, but that isn't always the case either.   

[Kachina624]

I don't use a lot of cosmetics but spend 0 time worrying about the ones I do use. 

[GCR18]

I use the philosophy products you mentioned.  It's not an issue for me.

[HappyDaze]

The preservatives are the least of my issues with Philosophy Purity ingredients.

[Irshgrl31201]

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@HappyDaze wrote:

The preservatives are the least of my issues with Philosophy Purity ingredients.

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I know, right @HappyDaze? 

To the OP no, I do not worry about natural ingredients and as a matter of fact there as many natural ingredients which can cause more problems than synthetic or chemical. Parabens are not bad for the skin.

[juperier]

As others have said, "natural" ingedients are not automatically better. It doesn't take long to come up with many that I sure wouldn't want to put on my skin. And that list is even longer if you consider individual allergic reactions.

As far as parabens, from what i've learned from some VERY knowledgeable chemists is that there's a bit of fearmongering involved. Same with many other "bad" ingredients. It's not nearly as simple as "safe" or "unsafe."  For starters you need to consider the percentage used. People have died from drinking too much water in too short a time period. But that doesn't mean you or I are going to die from drinking a single cup of water. Then there's the potential issues with whatever you use as a replacement. It could be less effective and/or have a worse safety profile. But the hype isn't there so we think we've made a better choice.

[Harpa]

Well, "bad" is relative.

But, what would you rather eat, synthetic or natural?

Depends, too, on the source of the paraben; they can be sourced from natural plants.

I just don't like when there are so many in there that you can hardly get to the actives & emolients.

Many of the oils are their own natural preservative. But don't forget, natural can deteriorate just as quickly, if not more so.

[KingstonsMom]

I stopped buying Philosophy when they sold the company and now do animal testing.

[suzyQ3]

I'm rather surprised that a derm would warn a patient about parabens. There is no conclusive scientific data to warrant such advice.

I pay little to no attention to all the "natural" hoopla. I do, though, avoid fragrance and irritants in skincare as much as possible.

I actually feel bad for all these companies that now have had to jump on the fear-mongering bandwagon for the sole reason of staying competitive.