It’s Movember! Yes, we spelled it right. During November, people with facial hair are encouraged to go without shaving to raise awareness about men’s health issues like prostate and testicular cancers and suicide. Participants grow out their beards, mustaches, sideburns, and beyond for the entire month. At the end of the month, participants either shave or decide to live their truth and keep their new facial hair. For those who do shave off their grown-out facial hair at the end of the month, it’s a celebration of Movember beard goals and a culmination of fundraising goals. 

Are you growing out your facial hair this month? Whether you’re planning an end-of-month shear in honor of Movember or simply keeping up your razor routine, we encourage those who opt to shave to choose toxic-free products for their shaving needs.

Many shaving creams or shave gels contain chemicals such as parabens and phthalates. Most of us carry a body burden of these chemicals, at least partially from using personal care products. Parabens are commonly-used as preservatives, while phthalates have multiple uses, including as a solvents or fixative to extend the life of scents in fragrances. Phthalates have been associated with serious health effects in animal studies and there is evidence to suggest they are endocrine disruptors, and can interfere with hormone systems in the body. This can affect reproduction and development, especially for sensitive populations like children and people of childbearing age. The health effects of exposure to low levels of parabens are less clear. 

In Movember, a month dedicated to men’s health awareness, shaving with chemicals that can possibly be bad for your health seems silly, right?   

When shopping, take the time to read the labels and choose the least hazardous products available. The safest products will have the EPA Safer Choice label on them, even if the product has CAUTION on the label. You can find a list of Safer Choice certified products by visiting the Safer Choice website. When you are in the market for shaving cream you could consider using The Environmental Working Group's database of easy to navigate ratings for a wide range of products and ingredients on the market.