Phthalates and Parabens:
Just Two of the Many Harmful Ingredients That Have No Part in
a Healthy, Natural Beauty Product

Chances are, most, if not all, of the beauty products you own contain phthalates and/or parabens. So, why are phthalates and parabens so harmful to your healthy lifestyle?

They're Called Hormone Disrupters.

The chemicals that are the most concerning at this point are called hormone disrupters. They're also called endocrine disrupters, hormone mimics, estrogen mimics, or xenohormones. These chemicals are found in just about everything you come into contact with. They get into your body through what you eat, drink, breathe and touch. Once in your system, they resemble hormones, so your body treats them like hormones. But, because they are not really hormones, they end up interfering with your body's normal hormonal processes.

They Cause Cancers and More.

These hormone disrupters are suspected of causing genetic damage, especially in children and unborn babies. They may also interfere with sexual development, and cause hormone-related cancers, such as uterine, breast and prostate cancer. The newer, natural beauty products do not contain hormone disrupters.

Phthalates are Everywhere.

The first very common group of hormone disrupters is phthalates. These are chemicals used in a whole variety of different beauty, household, and commercial products, most commonly to make PVC plastics soft or to give products a fragrance. Phthalates are so prevalent in our society that it is pretty much impossible to avoid exposure to them in one form or another.

Fragrance Usually Means Phthalates.

The word "fragrance" on an ingredient list usually implies that product contains a chemical soup containing phthalates. Sadly, just about every beauty product we buy these days is fragranced. I'm talking shampoos, soaps, nail polish, lotions, blush, lipstick, hairspray, deodorants, and tampons. While it would seem that these nice smells would be a good thing, in most cases that just isn't true.

Is an Unscented Product Safer?

Avoid products that list "fragrance" or"parfum"on the label. Unfortunately, a product labeled "unscented" may still contain fragrance chemicals. Manufacturers sometimes add certain chemicals to cover the scent of other chemicals, resulting in a product that does not have a noticeable scent but still contains phthalates or other toxic chemicals. But, never fear, you need not give up smelling good - most natural beauty products are fragranced with essential oils (it will say so on the ingredient list).

Parabens are Everywhere Also.

Parabens comprise another group of chemicals that act as hormone disrupters. Parabens are used as preservatives in a whole host of products. Just like phthalates, they can be found in all types of cosmetics and beauty products, such as shampoos, cleansing gels, lotions, personal lubricants and toothpastes (methylparaben, butylparaben and propylparaben are just a few).

Buy Paraben-Free Products.

It has taken some time for manufacturers to come up with healthy alternatives to preserve their products, but many natural beauty products now exist that use these safe preservatives. Look for and buy products that say "paraben-free" on the label.

Check Out These Websites.

Take the time to check out the Environmental Working Group's (EWG) Cosmetics Safety Database. This database contains information on more than 65,000 health and beauty products and has a printable list of what not to buy. Be sure to take this with you to the store.

Also, read the Green Guide's Dirty Dozen Chemicals in Cosmetics , which discusses the 12 chemicals that you should definitely avoid when buying cosmetics. On a more positive note, read about the top ten natural cosmetic ingredients for 2009 (lists ingredients found in natural beauty products that are actually good for you!).

Think About the Cumulative Effect
of All The Products You Use.

Manufacturers claim that the amounts of the unhealthy chemicals such as phthalates and parabens in their products are very small, and don't pose problems in such small amounts. If you only used one product, that may be true - but you need to consider the cumulative effect of everything you put into and onto your body in a day. Just think about how many products you use or come into contact with each day that contain these chemicals.

If you're a woman, you probably use 10 to 20 beauty products that contain phthalates and/or parabens. Add that exposure up, day after day, and you can see why these bad ingredients pose a real threat to your health.

Healthy Choices are Available!

Ten or twenty years ago you would have had a very difficult time locating healthy, natural beauty products. There were few manufacturers making phthalate- and paraben-free products, and even fewer stores carrying them. Today, many manufacturers are jumping on the bandwagon and offering more and more choices - and you can find many great, natural products in your local grocery and department stores, as well as online.

Visit www.safecosmetics.org/companies to find companies that are involved with the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, a pledge to remove chemicals linked to cancer, birth defects and other health problems.

To read about one of my new favorite companies and the fabulous all natural body products they produce (that never have, and never will, contain any unhealthy ingredients), please go to my page on Dr. Hauschka Facial Care, where I talk about my top 3 picks.

Remember to check back often - as this site grows, I'll be adding more information and reviews on other natural and organic cosmetics, natural and organic hair care, and natural and organic body care - from Dr. Hauschka as well as other great companies I've discovered. Healthy beauty is definitely part of a healthy lifestyle. Phthalates and parabens, we don't need you!

Return from Return from Phthalates to Natural Beauty Products.