Parabens are particularly effective preservatives, which are also very well-tolerated. That’s why they are most frequently used worldwide, not only in protecting cosmetics but also in household products, pharmaceuticals and foods. And they’ve been used like this for over 80 years. NIVEA uses parabens in around 30 per cent of its products, primarily in body care, sun protection and face care products. Like all ingredients used by NIVEA, parabens are added only where it makes sense. The classic NIVEA Creme, for example, does not usually need any preservatives as its oily recipe protects it naturally from bacteria and mould.
Parabens are constantly criticised by consumer protection bodies, the media and natural cosmetic producers. It is alleged that parabens are stored in the human body, disrupt the hormone system, cause cancer and limit our reproduction abilities. These fears have, however, proved unfounded. The European Commission and its scientific advisory committees, as well as the independent US assessment commission, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR), have repeatedly confirmed that parabens pose no risk to our health.
According to these studies, all parabens absorbed by our bodies are broken down quickly. Parabens are generally well-tolerated. Like all ingredients, they can trigger allergies in isolated cases, but this happens more rarely than with other preservatives.