PROPYLPARABEN
- Other Concerns
- Functions
- About the Chemical
- Synonyms
-
Use restrictions (moderate), Endocrine disruption (high), and Ecotoxicology (low)
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 | 143 products |
lipstick | 103 products |
moisturizer | 89 products |
eye liner | 81 products |
brow liner | 71 products |
facial powder | 54 products |
mascara | 52 products |
lip gloss | 51 products |
concealer | 45 products |
moisturizer with SPF | 39 products |
eye shadow | 38 products |
bronzer/highlighter | 33 products |
facial moisturizer/treatment | 31 products |
body firming lotion | 28 products |
facial cleanser | 27 products |
blush | 26 products |
lip balm | 19 products |
beach & sport sunscreen | 19 products |
hair styling aide | 18 products |
lip liner | 17 products |
hand cream | 17 products |
hair color and bleaching | 16 products |
conditioner | 15 products |
styling gel/lotion | 14 products |
mouthwash | 12 products |
makeup primer | 11 products |
exfoliant/scrub | 10 products |
foot moisturizer | 10 products |
serums & essences | 10 products |
hair treatment/serum | 10 products |
anti-aging | 9 products |
mask | 9 products |
sunless tanning | 8 products |
around-eye cream | 8 products |
toners/astringents | 8 products |
makeup remover | 7 products |
after sun product | 7 products |
shaving cream | 7 products |
lip balm with SPF | 6 products |
shampoo | 5 products |
setting powder/spray | 4 products |
body wash/cleanser | 4 products |
3 products | |
eye makeup remover | 3 products |
baby lotion | 3 products |
fragrance for women | 3 products |
baby sunscreen | 3 products |
after shave | 2 products |
hair spray | 2 products |
tanning oil | 2 products |
shaving cream (men's) | 2 products |
body oil | 2 products |
glitter | 2 products |
skin fading/lightener | 1 products |
cuticle treatment | 1 products |
foot cleansing | 1 products |
hand sanitizer | 1 products |
bar soap | 1 products |
lip plumper | 1 products |
baby oil | 1 products |
hair relaxer | 1 products |
BB cream | 1 products |
damaged skin treatment | 1 products |
Endocrine disruption
Concern | Reference |
---|---|
The European Chemicals Agency classifies a closely related chemical as a substance of very high concern due to endocrine disrupting properties and associated effects on male fertility. | European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) 2020. Substance of very high concern (SVHC). |
Human endocrine disruptor - strong evidence | European Commission on Endocrine Disruption |
The European Commission SCCP reports this substances causes endocrine effects in animals. | SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE ON CONSUMER PRODUCTS SCCP Extended Opinion on the Safety Evaluation of Parabens Adopted by the SCCP by written procedure on 28 January 2005 |
One or more studies show significant wildlife and the environment disruption | European Commission on Endocrine Disruption |
Increased VTG concerntration, mRNA expression of VTG-1, VTG-2, CHG-L, CHG-H and ERa in male medaka | {Inui, 2003} |
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. |
Propylparaben produced a positive uterotrophic response in vivo, approximately 100,000 times less potent than 17 beta-estradiol. | Routledge EJ, Parker J, Odum J, Ashby J, Sumpter JP, 1998 "Some alkyl hydroxy benzoate preservatives (parabens) are estrogenic.," Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 1998 Nov;153(1):12-9. |
Developmental/reproductive toxicity
Concern | Reference |
---|---|
The European Chemicals Agency classifies a closely related chemical as a substance of very high concern due to endocrine disrupting properties and associated effects on male fertility. | European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) 2020. Substance of very high concern (SVHC). |
The cauda epididymal sperm reserves and concentrations decreased in a dose-dependent manner and the difference was significant at dose of 0.10% and above. | Oishi S, 2002 "Effects of propyl paraben on the male reproductive system." Food Chem Toxicol. 2002 Dec;40(12):1807-13. |
Allergies/immunotoxicity
Concern | Reference |
---|---|
A review article reports propylparaben causes allergies in people. | Soni MG, Burdock GA, Taylor SL, Greenberg NA Safety assessment of propyl paraben: a review of the published literature. Food Chem Toxicol. 2001 Jun;39(6):513-32. |
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 |
---|---|
Restricted in EU cosmetics (concentration limit 0.19% for butyl and propyl parabens) | Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) OPINION ON Parabens, COLIPA n P82 December 2010. http://ec.europa.eu/health/scientific_committees/consumer_safety/docs/sccs_o_041.pdf |
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 |
Ecotoxicology
Concern | Reference |
---|---|
Results suggest an antiestrogenic potential of propylparaben tested in vivo in juvenile zebrafish (Danio rerio). | Mikula P, Dobsikova R, Svobodova Z, Jarkovsky J, 2006 "Evaluation of xenoestrogenic potential of propylparaben in zebrafish (Danio rerio)." Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2006 Dec;27 Suppl 2:104-7. |
Not suspected to be an environmental toxin | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
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 |
903 studies in PubMed science library may include information on the toxicity of this chemical | NLM PubMed |
Multiple, additive exposure sources
Concern | Reference |
---|---|
Designated as safe for general or specific, limited use in food | FDA Food Additive Status |
Designated as safe for general or specific, limited use in food | FDA Everything Added to Food |
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
- European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) 2020. Substance of very high concern (SVHC).
- EU (European Union)- Strategy for Endocrine Disrupters 2007. Commision on endocrin disruption requested by the European Parliament in 1998.
- SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE ON CONSUMER PRODUCTS SCCP Extended Opinion on the Safety Evaluation of Parabens Adopted by the SCCP by written procedure on 28 January 2005
- {Inui, 2003}
- 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.
- Routledge EJ, Parker J, Odum J, Ashby J, Sumpter JP, 1998 "Some alkyl hydroxy benzoate preservatives (parabens) are estrogenic.," Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 1998 Nov;153(1):12-9.
- Oishi S, 2002 "Effects of propyl paraben on the male reproductive system." Food Chem Toxicol. 2002 Dec;40(12):1807-13.
- Soni MG, Burdock GA, Taylor SL, Greenberg NA Safety assessment of propyl paraben: a review of the published literature. Food Chem Toxicol. 2001 Jun;39(6):513-32.
- 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).
- Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) OPINION ON Parabens, COLIPA n P82 December 2010. http://ec.europa.eu/health/scientific_committees/consumer_safety/docs/sccs_o_041.pdf
- 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
- Mikula P, Dobsikova R, Svobodova Z, Jarkovsky J, 2006 "Evaluation of xenoestrogenic potential of propylparaben in zebrafish (Danio rerio)." Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2006 Dec;27 Suppl 2:104-7.
- EC (Environment Canada). 2008. Domestic Substances List Categorization. Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) Environmental Registry.
- NLM (National Library of Medicine). 2012. PubMed online scientific bibliography data. http://www.pubmed.gov.
- FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) 2006. Food Additive Status List. Downloaded from http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/%7Edms/opa-appa.html, Oct 16, 2006.
- FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration). 2008. EAFUS [Everything Added to Food]: A Food Additive Database. FDA Office of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.
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