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ETHYLPARABEN
Score:
Data: Fair
- Other Concerns
- Functions
- About the Chemical
- Synonyms
-
Use restrictions (low) and Endocrine disruption (moderate)
Cancer 
Cancer: Ingredients linked to cancer in government, industry or academic studies or assessments.
Developmental & Reproductive Toxicity
Developmental and reproductive toxicity: Ingredients linked to developmental and reproductive toxicity, a broad class of health effects that range from infertility and reproductive organ cancers to birth defects and developmental delays in children.
Allergies & Immunotoxicity
Allergies and immunotoxicity: Ingredients linked to harm to the immune system, a class of health problems that manifest as allergic reactions or an impaired capacity to fight disease and repair damaged tissue in the body.
Products with this Ingredient
| foundation | 205 products |
| moisturizer | 68 products |
| mascara | 49 products |
| concealer | 49 products |
| daily use with SPF | 37 products |
| eye shadow | 30 products |
| facial moisturizer/treatment | 29 products |
| body firming lotion | 26 products |
| hair styling aide | 22 products |
| sunless tanning | 20 products |
| eye liner | 18 products |
| facial cleanser | 16 products |
| around-eye cream | 16 products |
| bronzer/highlighter | 15 products |
| styling gel/lotion | 15 products |
| anti-aging | 15 products |
| serums & essences | 14 products |
| blush | 12 products |
| mask | 10 products |
| conditioner | 8 products |
| BB cream | 8 products |
| styling mousse/foam | 6 products |
| recreational sunscreen | 6 products |
| lip liner | 6 products |
| shampoo | 5 products |
| facial powder | 5 products |
| shaving cream | 5 products |
| hair treatment/serum | 5 products |
| makeup remover | 4 products |
| makeup primer | 4 products |
| exfoliant/scrub | 3 products |
| setting powder/spray | 3 products |
| hand cream | 2 products |
| hair color and bleaching | 2 products |
| baby lotion | 2 products |
| foot moisturizer | 2 products |
| brow liner | 2 products |
| detangler | 2 products |
| baby sunscreen | 2 products |
| 2 products | |
| hair spray | 1 products |
| skin fading/lightener | 1 products |
| after shave | 1 products |
| lip gloss | 1 products |
| lip balm | 1 products |
| hand sanitizer | 1 products |
| cuticle treatment | 1 products |
| hair relaxer | 1 products |
| body oil | 1 products |
Endocrine disruption
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Human endocrine disruptor - strong evidence | European Commission on Endocrine Disruption |
| One or more studies show significant wildlife and the environment disruption | European Commission on Endocrine Disruption |
| A review article reports parabens cause endocrine disruption in animals. | Boberg J, Taxvig C, Christiansen S, Hass U Possible endocrine disrupting effects of parabens and their metabolites. Reprod Toxicol. 2010 Sep;30(2):301-12. Epub 2010 Apr 8. |
| One or more studies show weak endocrine disruption | Byford JR, Shaw LE, Drew MG, Pope GS, Sauer MJ, Darbre PD Oestrogenic activity of parabens in MCF7 human breast cancer cells. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2002 Jan;80(1):49-60. |
Allergies/immunotoxicity
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| A review article reports parabens cause skin allergies. | Harvell, J, M. Bason and H. Maibach. Contact Urticaria and its Mechanisms. Food Chemistry and Toxicology 32(2): 103-112. 1994. (Table 2: Substances identified as capable of causing contact urticaria). |
| Parabens listed as one of the agents capable of causing contact urticaria by immunological pathogenetic mechanism. | Harvell, J, M. Bason and H. Maibach. Contact Urticaria and its Mechanisms. Food Chemistry and Toxicology 32(2): 103-112. 1994. (Table 2: Substances identified as capable of causing contact urticaria). |
Use restrictions
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Determined safe for use in cosmetics, subject to concentration or use limitations - any | Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments |
| Safe except for diaper ointments used on very young children. | Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety SCCS) 2011. Clarification on Opinion SCCS/1348/10 in the light of the Danish clause of safeguard banning the use of parabens in cosmetic products intended for children under three years of age. October 2011. http://ec.europa.eu/health/scientific_committees/consumer_safety/docs/sccs_o_069.pdf |
Data gaps
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Risk assessment method deficiencies and data gaps - Maximum reported "as used" concentration is basis of safety assessment by industry safety panel (Cosmetic Ingredient Review, CIR) - implicit safe concentration limit in product | Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments |
| 193 studies in PubMed science library may include information on the toxicity of this chemical | NLM PubMed |
Ecotoxicology
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Not suspected to be an environmental toxin | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Informational
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Industry or government recommendations for safe use: restrictions on concentration, impurities, product types, or manufacturing methods - any | Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments |
Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Classified as not expected to be potentially toxic or harmful | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Persistence and bioaccumulation
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Not suspected to be persistent | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
| Not suspected to be bioaccumulative | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Data Sources
- EU (European Union)- Strategy for Endocrine Disrupters 2007. Commision on endocrin disruption requested by the European Parliament in 1998.
- Boberg J, Taxvig C, Christiansen S, Hass U Possible endocrine disrupting effects of parabens and their metabolites. Reprod Toxicol. 2010 Sep;30(2):301-12. Epub 2010 Apr 8.
- Byford JR, Shaw LE, Drew MG, Pope GS, Sauer MJ, Darbre PD Oestrogenic activity of parabens in MCF7 human breast cancer cells. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2002 Jan;80(1):49-60.
- Harvell, J, M. Bason and H. Maibach. Contact Urticaria and its Mechanisms. Food Chemistry and Toxicology 32(2): 103-112. 1994. (Table 2: Substances identified as capable of causing contact urticaria).
- Harvell, J, M. Bason and H. Maibach. Contact Urticaria and its Mechanisms. Food Chemistry and Toxicology 32(2): 103-112. 1994. (Table 2: Substances identified as capable of causing contact urticaria).
- CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review). 2006. CIR Compendium, containing abstracts, discussions, and conclusions of CIR cosmetic ingredient safety assessments. Washington DC.
- Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety SCCS) 2011. Clarification on Opinion SCCS/1348/10 in the light of the Danish clause of safeguard banning the use of parabens in cosmetic products intended for children under three years of age. October 2011. http://ec.europa.eu/health/scientific_committees/consumer_safety/docs/sccs_o_069.pdf
- NLM (National Library of Medicine). 2012. PubMed online scientific bibliography data. http://www.pubmed.gov.
- EC (Environment Canada). 2008. Domestic Substances List Categorization. Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) Environmental Registry.
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EWG provides information on personal care product ingredients from the published scientific literature, to supplement incomplete data available from companies and the government. The ratings below indicate the relative level of concern posed by exposure to the ingredients in this product - not the product itself - compared to other product formulations. The ratings reflect potential health hazards but do not account for the level of exposure or individual susceptibility, factors which determine actual health risks, if any. Learn more | Legal Disclaimer
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