Is makeup with parabens safe to wear daily during pregnancy?
No. A 2025 mouse study linked paraben exposure during pregnancy to reduced ovarian reserve across three generations.
What's actually in it
Parabens (methyl-, ethyl-, propyl-, butyl-) are preservatives used in foundation, concealer, eyeshadow, blush, and mascara. They mimic estrogen. Skin absorbs them, and they show up in urine within hours. Pregnant women apply makeup to the same spots daily for nine months.
Daughters of women exposed to parabens during pregnancy develop in a hormone environment shaped partly by those parabens.
What the research says
A 2025 study in Nat Commun exposed pregnant mice to propylparaben and found reduced ovarian reserve in daughters, granddaughters, and great-granddaughters, through DNA methylation changes passed down the line. A 2025 human cohort study linked parabens to altered satiety hormones in young children.
Swap for paraben-free makeup, or skip non-essentials during pregnancy. EWG Skin Deep and Made Safe rate products on ingredient safety.
The research at a glance
| Study | Journal | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Transgenerational inheritance of diminished ovarian reserve from prenatal propylparaben. | Nat Commun | 2025 |
| Paraben exposures and satiety hormones in preschool children. | Environ Res | 2025 |
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