We're living in a  world where information and knowledge is right at our fingertips.  Big and small companies alike, as well as the people that are in direct contact with consumers as said company's representatives, are well aware that an increasing amount of the general public are savvy buyers.  We are no longer depending on a sale person's knowledge and what information they choose to share about a product to cash in on a sale.

I made this article with people who like being that customer that is powerful with knowledge in mind.  Today I am discussing PARABENS and SODIUM LAURETH SULFATE.  What I am about to share with you is based on my personal research of the two and I highly suggest that you do your own as well.  I am not an organic freak and I am not trying to convert anyone into anything.  I am simply sharing information.  Food for thought.  You make your decisions : )

So, let's begin!  Unless you are an all-organic consumer, you may not have been aware of some of the potentially harmful ingredients that may be in your every day products such as shampoos, conditioners, cleansers, lotions and shaving gels just to name a few.  You should walk to your bathroom right now and grab a bottle of shampoo or cleanser and come back to read the answers to the following questions.

WHAT ARE PARABENS?
As stated in our Beauty Dictionary , Parabens are inexpensive preservatives often used in many different kinds of products and food to prolong shelf life.  Although studies on this have been dismissed due to poor findings of cells, Parabens have been identified around many cancerous breast tumors.

HOW CAN I TELL IF A PRODUCT CONTAINS PARABENS?
Look at the ingredients listed on the back of your bottle or product box.  Parabens are listed as:  butylparaben, isobutylparaben, methylparaben, isopropylparaben, propylparaben, ethylparaben, and we're sure there's more.

WHAT IS SODIUM LAURETH SULFATE?
It is a synthetic cleansing agent that easily penetrates the skin and may cause irritation.  This ingredient has also been associated with cancer.  You will find this ingredient on probably 90% of cleansers and shampoos and often listed as the very first ingredient.  It is also referred to as SLS.  This ingredient is NOT to be confused with the very similarly named Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate.

WHAT IS SODIUM LAURYL SULFOACETATE?
This ingredient is a foaming agent obtained from coconut and palm oils.  It can be used on both skin and hair and is non-irritating.  It dissolves easily with water because it is hydrophillic.

So!  Because SLS is found on way too many products (quite frankly, it's kind of hard to avoid it!), we'll skip that list of brands and share with you some of the few that use parabens instead.

HIGH-END BRANDS THAT USE PARABENS IN THEIR PRODUCTS:
ANTHONY LOGISTICS FOR MEN (SLS)
BIOTHERM
BLISS
FREDERIC FEKKAI (SLS)
FRESH
KIEHLS (SLS)
MOLTON BROWN
MUSTELA
PHILOSOPHY
TERAX
THYMES

...and the list could go on for a while.  But now you're able to identify these things on your own.  More and more brands are letting their clients know that their products are free of parabens and synthetic ingredients because they know how savvy we are and they are trying to tell us that they're pro-health!  It's a great selling point.  Like I said, do more research and choose your products wisely.

Hope this was as useful to you as I intended it to be! 

 A new video tutorial!  This time around I wanted to show you how it is that I do my eyelashes using Fresh Supernova mascara.  My technique allows for a much fuller look once you're done, so check it out!  If you'd like to see other videos, visit our channel and subscribe!