The debate over paraben free hair products
The concerns over parabens as preservatives began in 2005 with the study published by Philippa Darbe, PhD in the Journal of Applied Toxicology. This study showed concern over the concentration and accumulation of paraben-like substances found in breast cancer tissue.
This lit a firestorm of debate over the use of parabens as preservatives in all products - food, toothpaste, detergents, and personal care and beauty products.
The debate continues to linger with supporting evidence and studies supporting the safety - or lack thereof - of the use of parabens as preservatives. The one "full truth" aspect of each of these debates is that preservatives are needed - especially for hair products or their shelf life could be reduced to days.
Effective alternatives
The alternatives for a paraben free shampoo are many and some have shown to be more effective than others. Researchers have tested and evaluated several key organic or natural-based compounds which you will see in the better, upper-end products:
Grapefruit seed extract
Vitamin E
Germall Plus
Potassium Sorbate
Sorbic Acid
The best paraben-free shampoo generally uses a combination of several of these ingredients. Vitamin E is often found in reparative shampoos and grapefruit extract is common for helping protect color. So, looking for botanical extracts as primary ingredients can be a key for finding a natural-based product, but also one that improves the health of hair and scalp.
New product development
Many manufacturers whose products are natural-based, sulfate-free or paraben-free have developed formulations to take advantage of a combination of these ingredients. Why? Because it is necessary to maintain "shelf-life"...dispelling the idea that "organic" products do not contain preservatives. Simply, if they didn't, it's unlikely their products would even make their way to your home of the store shelves.
Sulfate-free brands such as Sfree®, promote a variety of products - moisturizing shampoos, clarifying shampoos and light-weight conditioners that use alternative preservatives. Their reviews have been exceptional - often surpassing the results from paraben-based products.
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