After reading this story from 2012 and this 2018 article about makeup causing early menopause sent me into total obsessive freak-out mode, I decided to do a beauty re-haul and educate myself on endocrine disruptors. Tbh, I’ve loved refreshing my products (Violet Grey and Sephora both carry great clean beauty lines), but it was a little bit challenging because I never want crunchy-granola items that are less effective than my regular products and I don’t want to smell like a natural foods store. When it comes to beauty, I just refuse to settle.
Let me preface by saying this is a huge subject to take on, I’m not a scientist, and I’m focusing only on cosmetics here not any processed foods, toys, building materials, medical devices, etc that contain either parabens or phthalates. Personally, I’ve been trying to avoid these in my beauty routine as their effects on our health are still unclear in the long term and are continuing to be studied worldwide. So here we go!
A paraben is any of a group of compounds used as preservatives in pharmaceutical and cosmetic products and in the food industry. They were introduced in the 1950s to improve safety and quality control in mass produced items, blocking bacterial and mold growth and extending their shelf life. Methylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben, and ethylparaben are a couple of the most common ones you’ll see on ingredient lists.
Phthalates are various salts or esters of phthalic acid used especially as plasticizers and in solvents (say what?) . You’ll find phthalates in nail polish, hairspray, perfume, lotions, etc. They give products durability and uniform texture - like helping nail polish to not crack or giving flexible hold in hairspray. Like parabens, there are a many different types, but they all end in the actual word “phthalate” like diethylphthalate (DEP).
For the last 20 years, studies have been carried out examining whether parabens were linked with breast cancer as well as looking into the possibility for endocrine disruption based on urine samples. A 2004 breast cancer study did not indicate that parabens are cancer causing, but did say that the “body burden” of these preservatives had not been thoroughly examined and that that they can seep into our skin and remain in breast tissue.
Under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act), cosmetic products and ingredients, other than color additives, do not need FDA approval before they go on the market but they must be properly labeled. This was part of the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act (FPLA), which requires a declaration on packaging of ingredients for goods sold to retail consumers.
The CDC and FDA have both reviewed the effects of phthalates on human health and declined to issue any decisive warnings. “Human health effects from exposure to low levels of phthalates are unknown… More research is needed to assess the human health effects of exposure to phthalates,” the CDC states. Keep in mind that phthalates are harder to track, since they’re often just listed under the umbrella of “fragrance.” Like I mentioned with ingredients found in chemical versus mineral sunscreens, the European Union has taken a stronger anti-phthalate stance than the United States.
Many beauty companies have rolled out paraben- and phthalate-free product lines, and instead are using alternative natural preservatives and fragrances like essential oils and botanicals, vitamins, sodium benzoate, and glycerin. For example, lemon and rosemary essential oils have natural antibacterial properties as an alternative to paraben preservatives. While these products are safe and effective alternatives to parabens, they often have a shorter shelf life and can be more expensive to produce so the retail price is generally higher too.
Like I mentioned earlier, this is a topic that could be discussed at great length (environmental & marine effects, safety concerns, the EU vs US approach, unscented vs fragrance-free, hundreds of scientific studies…) but we’re just scraping the surface here. If you prefer to play it safe (and I do!), it’s pretty simple now to seek out paraben- and phthalate-free beauty products. Many popular cosmetic brands have rolled out green or natural lines that are widely available in stores and online. Also shopping local, small brands can be a solid option but keep in mind that your products will have a shorter shelf life and you have to trust the seller. If you have any great product recommendations or resources, let me know!