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Parabens on Cosmetics
Not just paying attention to the expired date, to know about the ingredients of a product is also a common characteristic of smart customers. They have a higher awareness of safe ingredients on a product, especially on cosmetics products they used daily. One of the ingredients is preservative called parabens. What is paraben? Why do people concern about the safety of this preservative substance?
The usage of parabens as a preservative has started since the 1920s, it was as an alternative compound to other preservatives which caused more negative impacts on health. In that era, research shown that parabens are non-toxic compound, that is easily absorbed and will perfectly excreted from the body. However, it was before the information from various research about the negative side of paraben to health when it used continuously in the long term occurs.
The hypothesis then linked to parabens characteristics that could resemble natural ‘estrogen’ and potentially cause endocrine glands disorder, men’s reproduction dysfunction, and skin cancer. Another result shown that long-chain of this preservative (isopropyl and isobutyl paraben) has potency in affecting the increase of breast cancer proliferation.
The public’s concerns towards parabens in cosmetics eventually received a response from Regulatory Agency. In 2014, because of the lack of data for the reassessment process, Europe commission released a restriction to five parabens compounds, which are isopropyl paraben, isobutyl paraben, phenyl paraben, benzyl paraben, and pentyl paraben. Soon after, Europe commission significantly reduce the maximum concentrate of propylparaben and butylparaben to the amount that allowed, which is 0,4% to 0.14%. Further substance limitation is given to baby diapers products because the baby’s skin problems will susceptible increase the penetration to the skin.
The usage of parabens on cosmetics as a preservative is regulated in Indonesia National Agency of Drug and Food Control Regulation (BPOM) No: 18 year 2015, about Cosmetics Ingredients Technical Requirements which control ingredients that permitted for cosmetics with particular dose and requirements. BPOM adopted its regulations based on the ASEAN Cosmetic Directive (ASEAN) and the European Commission Regulation (EU).
On the other side, public concern has push cosmetic manufacturers to be more aware of its customer's needs. Including PT Martina Berto Tbk. As one of the unit businesses of Martha Tilaar Group, the company wants to develop safe cosmetics products without parabens as the preservative. The parabens free products. This step is an implementation of the Clean Beauty movement from Martha Tilaar Group which focusing the cosmetic business on three value: Clean Ingredients, Clean Skin, and Clean Environment.