Parabens in Cosmetics

Preservatives in lotions, shampoos and make-up.

56Moderate burden · out of 100

Cleaner swapProducts preserved with phenoxyethanol or sodium benzoate

How this score is built

100Start
81.6Chemical hazard 4 × 4.6−18.4
61.2Everyday exposure 6 × 3.4−20.4
56Persistence 2 × 2.6−5.2
ModerateThe band56 sits in 40–59.

What each input rests on

The three ratings behind the score, and the studies each rests on
Input	Rating	Evidence
Chemical hazard	4/10	unsourced input
Everyday exposure	6/10	Methyl and propyl paraben were detected in 99.1% and 92.7% of 2,548 NHANES 2005-2006 urine samples; women had higher concentrations than men, consistent with personal care product use. Urinary concentrations of four parabens in the U.S. population: NHANES 2005-2006 · Environ Health Perspect 2010 DOI 10.1289/ehp.0901560 · PMID 20056562 · Abstract, Results · read 2026-10-16 When 100 adolescent girls switched for three days to personal care products labelled free of parabens, urinary methyl and propyl paraben fell by 43.9% and 45.4%. Reducing Phthalate, Paraben, and Phenol Exposure from Personal Care Products in Adolescent Girls: Findings from the HERMOSA Intervention Study · Environ Health Perspect 2016 DOI 10.1289/ehp.1510514 · PMID 26947464 · Abstract, Results · read 2026-10-16
Persistence	2/10	unsourced input

Ratings are editorial. A study listed here supports the rating; it did not compute it. How the index is built

What this means for you

It scores as it does mainly because of how much everyday contact it involves. The longer-chain parabens are the ones regulators acted on: the EU caps propyl- and butylparaben at 0.14% and bars them from leave-on nappy-area products for under-threes, on weak oestrogenic-activity grounds. Methyl- and ethylparaben are better tolerated and still permitted at higher levels.

Evidence strength: moderate

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Lower-exposure choices

Fragrance-Free Basic SkincareMinimal · Personal Care

All 33 personal care entries, highest burden first →