Methylparaben is a chemical used often in a variety of cosmetics and skin care products because it acts as a preservative against fungal organisms. Interestingly, because it is an organic based anti-fungal treatment it has also been known to be found in certain pesticides to prevent, or rather slow, the growth of flies and other bugs.

It is organic in origin, though it can be synthesized in a lab. Naturally though, it can be found in many varieties of fruits, namely blueberries. As it is an organically based chemical it is considered safe by the Food and Drug Administration to be used as a preservative in small concentrations, whether its use is in our food or our cosmetics. Another bonus of it being organic in origin is that it is completely bio-degradable, so as far as most chemicals go, this one is far ahead of the game by not only being safe for us, but a far better chemical for the environment overall.

It is a very gentle and non-irritating chemical which is why it is so widely used in cosmetics. There are only very rare cases where a person is allergic to methylparaben, and in those instances it was always due to ingestion of the chemical as opposed to topical application on the skin. Even in those rare instances where an allergic reaction occurs the amounts of Methylparaben used was far over the acceptable limits found in our foods and cosmetics, meaning that for you to have any reaction at all to this particular chemical you would need to use at least 50 times the normal amount to see an effect, if any at all.

The true or full name for Methylparaben is actually methyl p-hydroxybenzoate. Technically this chemical is actually a member of a family of chemicals known as “Parabens” which are compounds that all possess anti-bacterial and anti-fungal abilities.