The problem with parabens

Increasingly, I'm asked about parabens and I'm very aware that people are worried by reports that these chemical preservatives, commonly used in skincare, toiletries and make-up, are bad for us; some scientists suggest they may even cause cancer. I'm unconvinced by the scant evidence so far. Parabens are in so many things (food included) that it's hard reliably to point the finger at beauty products. Second, research linking them to cancerous cells (parabens mimic oestrogen, a contributing factor in breast cancer) is unsatisfying, as it doesn't compare results with paraben levels in uncancerous cells. And given that some newspapers are just as ready to suggest that being a dog-owning working mother who wears bras and enjoys a biscuit will give me cancer, I'm even more reluctant to forgo my lipstick (frankly, it'll be the last thing to go).

Yet I'm irritated that parabens are still so rife when, in most cases, there are quality alternatives that won't cause people to fret. As ever, things boil down to profit (parabens are cheap), but some companies are beginning to spend a little extra to bin the chemical preservatives (M&S and Superdrug among them). Here are some of my favourite paraben-free brands. All are a joy to use and, most importantly, they work.

Read more here.