Jots and Thoughts

Phthalates (pronounced “thal-ates”) are esters of phthalic acid (or benzene-1,2-dicarboxylic acid, to the chemically inclined). They include di-ethyl phthalate (DEP), di-isobutyl phthalate (DIBP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), and di-n-octyl phthalate (DOP), to name a few.

Commonly used as plasticizers to make plastics more flexible and easier to process, phthalates occur in a wide range of products such as vinyl shower curtains, upholstery, plastic toys, paints, adhesives, and yes, cosmetics too. (BTW, that new car smell that some of us find so pleasant - that’s probably phthalates at work.) In the realm of cosmetics and personal care, phthalates are used in nail polish to render it chip resistant, and in hairsprays to create pliable coatings so your beautifully styled hair won’t feel crunchy. The presence of phthalates in these products should be indicated on the ingredients list on the label. They could be hidden, however, if they are used in fragrances as solvents or fixatives. Manufacturers are not required to disclose the ingredients of fragrances because of their proprietary nature; hence, the consumer would only see “fragrance” on the ingredients list. (To be fair to the cosmetics industry, phthalates are also “hidden” in a host of other products that do not require an ingredients label, such as shower curtains, intravenous bags, and plastic bottles.)

So what’s the danger? 

Because of their ubiquitous nature, we are constantly exposed to and consequently harboring phthalates in our bodies. A study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in 2000 found metabolites associated with phthalate exposure in every single of the 289 people tested, with the highest levels recorded in women of reproductive age [1].

This finding is particularly worrisome, as phthalates have been shown to be reproductive and developmental toxins [2]-[5] and may contribute to what is known as “testicular dysgenesis syndrome”: increasing incidence of birth defects of the male reproductive tract such as undescended testis, and lower sperm count [6]. (Phthalates are believed to inhibit testosterone synthesis during the critical period of fetal development when masculine traits are beginning to form.) While a lot of attention has been focused on the "demasculation" of boys by phthalates, women are not immune to their effects. Phthalates are implicated in premature puberty in girls [7], and in animal studies, they appear to suppress estradiol production, prolong estrous cycles, and cause anovulation (no egg released in the cycle), a common cause of infertility [8]. Furthermore recent studies suggest that prenatal phthalate exposure may be linked to lower birth weight in newborns [9] and disruptive behavior in offspring [10].

What’s being done? 

The use of a number of phthalates in cosmetics has been banned in the EU, Japan, Taiwan, and other countries. No such restrictions exist yet in the U.S. where the FDA has not taken regulatory action, citing insufficient evidence of causality. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR; a trade  panel that reviews cosmetics ingredient safety) has asserted that phthalates are safe as used in cosmetics, the argument being that they are used in much smaller quantities than doses shown to cause adverse effects (yes, but there are risks of bioaccumulation from repeated exposure). Phthalate chemical producers cite the decades long history of use as evidence for their safety and say any alternative would be less tested and less safe. Their stance is not surprising; however to maintain the status quo in light of mounting evidence that phthalates are not benign would be a huge disservice to us and our children . 

Changes are coming, albeit slowly. Congress has banned the use of three types of phthalates (DBP, DEHP, and BBP) in children’s toys effective March 2010. Pressure from environmental and consumer advocacy groups has caused several cosmetics companies (OPI, Orly, Sally Hansen) to reformulate their nail polishes without phthalates. The EPA announced in its Chemical Action Plan in December 2009 that it will evaluate the risks of 8 phthalates “because of their toxicity and the evidence of pervasive human and environmental exposure to these chemicals.” [11] EPA intends to add them in autumn 2010 to the Concern List under the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act “as chemicals that present or may present an unreasonable risk of injury to health or the environment.”

We talked about parabens in an earlier jot, and if we were to compare these two suspected endocrine disruptors, we would put phthalates as higher risk (rest assured they are both excluded from our products). We are mindful that they may be hidden in fragrances; hence we use only phthalate-free fragrances in our bath and home scent lines. Products that are expected to linger on the skin, e.g. lotions, lip balms, and deodorants, are scented with natural essential oils, absolutes, and oleoresins. These are all natural fragrances that we invest a considerable amount of effort and expense into procuring and using. We are also in the process of reducing (and eventually eliminating) the use of shrink wrap in our products. You may find changes in the packaging of some of our products in the weeks ahead as we remove shrink wrapping and add tamper-evident paper seals. While the shrink wrap does not contact the products directly (and should not transfer to you), we feel we should not potentially add to the phthalate load in the environment. 

At home, we have switched to fabric shower curtain liners and are happy to realize that they can be laundered and reused. We also avoid storing and heating food in plastic containers, and our cars, because of their age, no longer have the new car smell.

References: 

The link to breast cancer is more tenuous. While estrogenic activity is associated with certain forms of breast cancer, and estrogenic suppression is important in the treatment of these cancers, it has been argued that the estrogenic activity of parabens is 10,000-to 100,000-fold less than naturally occurring estradiol (a form of estrogen) and also less than that of phytoestrogens naturally found in foods, e.g. flavonoids in soy.

FDA has also pointed out that current studies have not established causality between parabens and breast cancer. Considering the low levels used in cosmetics, “FDA believes that at the present time there is no reason for consumers to be concerned about the use of cosmetics containing parabens. However, the agency will continue to evaluate new data in this area.” (see FDA statement issued on March 24, 2006)

Our Thoughts 

Although there is no direct evidence linking parabens to breast cancer, there is similarly no evidence that permits us to conclude with certainty that parabens are safe. Their long-term health impact is unknown at this point. We understand that such research is difficult and lengthy in undertaking, and while we sit tight and wait for new data, we believe it is prudent to not unnecessarily expose ourselves and our customers to potentially hazardous chemicals. And yes, while we understand that it is frequently the dose that makes the poison, and one might argue that parabens are used at such low levels to pose no harm, we need to remember that they are often used in combination – a product may contain more than 1 type of paraben bringing the total concentration closer to 1% – and are ubiquitous in household and personal care products such that one’s exposure could add up quite quickly. Research has also shown that repeated applications of paraben-containing product may increase the quantities of parabens crossing the skin barrier (El Hussein, 2007).

1. Darbre, P.D. et al. Concentrations of parabens in human breast tumours. Journal of Applied Toxicology. 24 5–13 (2004)