Parabens are chemical preservatives found primarily in cosmetics like deodorants, shampoos, face and body lotions, and makeup. They are antimicrobial agents, put in to help preserve the products and increase shelf life. You may see them included as metyl-, ethyl-, butyl-, iso- and/or propylparabens. Regardless of how they show up, these preservatives are considered to be toxic.
Parabens have been shown to act like estrogen in the body, and sustained, increased levels of estrogen are linked to hormonal cancers, such as breast cancer and prostate cancer, among others. Studies have shown that parabens can be absorbed through tissue and remain intact in that tissue (i.e. are not degraded and gotten rid of by the body).
These days, many brands are exclusively paraben-free. A few of the more common brands- and the ones I keep around- are Kiss My Face, Tom’s of Maine and Burts Bees. A more comprehensive list of paraben-free skin care companies can be found on the following website: https://thegoodhuman.com/name-brand-companies-making-paraben-free-skin-care-products.
Also, keep an eye out for paraben-free products by more “mainstream” companies. Aveeno, St. Ives and Nivea, among others, now have paraben-free products. I always recommend people take a minute to read the label, but we can also turn to stores like Target, who have taken out the guesswork by creating an easy search engine, and compiled a list of all of their paraben-free lotions and creams: https://www.target.com/c/body-lotions-creams-bath-beauty/paraben-free/-/N-5xtzdZ4yl9i