So in my loot of Christmas goodies last December, my mom happened to give me a travel size bottle of a new line of moisturizers from O. P. I . Great! I needed a little something for my granny hands and it fit perfectly in my purse. Ever have that? Suddenly you look down and notice that due to neglect or (in my case) neurotically incessant hand washing--- your skin looks about ninety. Amidst the scales and cracking flesh, suddenly my mesh ring doesn't look so Tiffany's. So you can imagine my elation at a lotion that not only smells great but soaks completely into my skin...and works! My skin instantly feels renewed and soft. Not sort of soft and still a little dry-over-the-knuckles because its gonna take a month of concentrated attention to even begin to heal the pain. I'm talking instantly soft, instant gratification---immediate difference! Of course after lathering it on eight times, I turn the bottle over to inspect the ingredient list.
First off I have to say I'm totally disappointed. O. P . I ' s AVOJUICE skin quenchers is a fabulous collection of moisturizing jems---except for one thing. They contain parabens! And what are parabens anyway? Most of us have heard a little about them and know they're supposed to be bad...right? right? I mean bad enough to keep me from using this delectable elixir from the Avocado gods? >>>le sigh<<< Bad enough for me---yes. For you? who knows?
Parabens are synthetic preservatives found in some cosmetic and pharmaceutical products. They are widely used for their bactericidal and fungicidal properties. Parabens can be found in everything from deodorant (which is applied very close to the breast), shampoos, and makeup to personal lubricants, gels, moisturizers and lip balm. Here's where the controversy comes in : they have been found---in low concentrations-- in breast cancer tumors. Parabens have also displayed the ability to mimic estrogen, a hormone known to play a role in the development of breast cancer. While no direct evidence has been found to casually link the two, several cosmetic companies and consumers are steering away from the use of parabens altogether. Thus we have my fate : a life without the heavenly softness of AVOJUICE skin quenchers. Due to a long history of Ovarian and Breast Cancer in my family, I'm opting to stay away from anything that might welcome cancerous tumors into my life or boobies. Prevention to SAVE THE TATAS! If you wish to start scanning your future purchases to avoid the use of parabens, start looking for these terms in the ingredients list : Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, and Butylparaben.
Below is a screen capture taken from the Wikipedia definition of Paraben. It contains a small blurb on the subject of the possible links between parabens and breast cancer. Its informative and good to stay in the know!
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