Ingredient

Methylparaben

Korean label: 메틸파라벤

The most common member of the paraben family of preservatives — the methyl ester of p-hydroxybenzoic acid (a compound that also occurs naturally in some plants and insects).

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What it does

moderate evidence

It is added in small amounts (regulated to a maximum of 0.4% in the EU) to stop bacteria, mould and yeast from growing in water-containing cosmetics, which keeps a product safe to use over its shelf life. It is inexpensive, colourless, odourless, stable and effective, and is most active against fungi.

Benefits

Reliable broad-spectrum preservation that keeps products safe from microbial spoilage
Particularly effective against mould and yeast, often paired with other parabens for fuller coverage
Well-studied, well-tolerated by most skin, and stable across a wide pH range
Readily metabolised: absorbed parabens are converted to p-hydroxybenzoic acid and excreted rather than accumulating

Side effects

Allergic contact dermatitis is possible but uncommon
Subject of an endocrine/estrogenic safety debate: a 2004 study detected parabens in breast-tumour tissue, which fuelled concern, but it did not show parabens cause cancer and could not prove a source
Methylparaben specifically shows little to no binding at estrogen/androgen receptors in lab studies, and regulators (US FDA, EU SCCS, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review panel) consider it safe at the low levels permitted in cosmetics