Does the word ‘phthalate’ fill you with fear? Well, I’m here to help you understand what phthalates are, where you might find them, and if you really need to avoid them. The questions about phthalates have spiked recently, due to a study that linked phthalates to ‘an early death’.
Well, you don’t need to worry too much about that study. Because the phthalates they used, weren’t what you would find in a cosmetic. Phthalates are a big group of chemicals that we use for everything from construction materials to plastic and yes, some of those are potentially hazardous to our health.
Globally, there is only one phthalate used in cosmetics now, according to studies by the FDA, and that is diethyl phthalate, which is found in some fragrances. It has a solid safety profile when used as expected in cosmetic products. You will see a lot of scaremongering articles, particularly from beauty brands, referencing phthalates that simply would never, and have never been used in cosmetics. Almost all of us are exposed to phthalates regularly, and that’s mostly through food as they leach through from plastic packaging.
And as for our products? They are phthalate free. We use only three fragrances, rather than essential oils, which are made and standardised in a lab, from natural sources and they’re certified natural. And, they are phthalate free.
This is quite a complex topic, because phthalates are a large group of chemicals. This is why we cannot put out a blanket statement that states all phthalates are hazardous.
If you are interested in learning more, there are some great resources here:
- https://ec.europa.eu/health/archive/ph_risk/committees/sccp/documents/out168_en.pdf (please note, this references historical animal testing so please exercise care when reading.)
- https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/may/23/phthalates-everyday-products-toxics-guide
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21315328/
- https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetic-ingredients/phthalates-cosmetics
