Could Fairtrade beauty products contain parabens or synthetic ingredients?
Parabens are ingredients that are used as preservatives in many beauty products. While some parabens occur naturally in fruits such as blueberries, they are often created synthetically in beauty products and foodstuffs to lengthen their shelf life. Some organisations have argued against their use, suggesting that there may be unintended health dangers, and indeed the use of synthetic parabens is prohibited in organically certified beauty products. However, the EC has examined the safety of using parabens and issued a Cosmetics Directive which permits the use of parabens and sets the maximum concentration at which they can be used. This directive also covers all ingredients (both natural and synthetic) which may or may not be allowed in beauty products. Fairtrade standards are consistent with the EC Directive and do not currently prohibit the use of parabens. It is therefore the responsibility of manufacturers to decide whether to include parabens in their formulation or not, and to ens
