The Problem With Phthalates

Most people love fragrances. Almost everything we touch, from cleaning supplies to personal body care, has a fragrance. We use them to feel and smell clean, appear healthy, more attractive and to appeal to the opposite sex. But, did you know a single fragrance has multiple chemical compounds, anywhere from 10 to several hundred? When you think of synthetic fragrances, think of chemicals. Phthalates (pronounced "tha-lates", emphasis on first syllable) are a family of chemical substances used in fragrance formulations. Phthalates are plasticizers commonly used in the manufacture of plastics. They are used as softeners and lubricants. PVC is manufactured using phthalates. So, why are phthalates in synthetic fragrances? Well, it is used to help scents evaporate more slowly and last longer. They look like vegetable oil, have little or no smell and are relatively cheap, all appealing to manufacturers. But, of course, that isn’t all they have to offer. Phthalates are hormone disruptors. That means, in a nutshell, they absorb into the body and attach themselves to hormone receptor sites, mimicking the endogenous hormones. Since the body cannot tell the difference between the artificial or chemical hormones and endogenous hormones, a message is sent to the brain to stop producing whatever hormone is being mimicked (often estrogen). The body is confused into thinking there is a sufficient supply of hormones and thus cuts back on hormone production.

Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) is a common phthalate used in fragrances including perfumes, lotions, shampoos, conditioners and detergents. One website, Scorecard.org (a pollution information site) listed dibutyl phthalate as a developmental toxin, endocrine toxin, immuno-toxin, kidney toxin, neurotoxicant, reproductive toxin, skin or sense organ toxin. How healthy and sexy does that sound?

Labeling laws regarding fragrance are somewhat loose in this country to say the least. Because these scent formulas are protected by law as “private information” for cosmetic companies, including companies that produce any soaps, shampoos or personal cleansing products, they are listed in such generic terms as “fragrance” or “perfume” without any information on chemicals used or the amounts used. And don’t be fooled by “fragrance-free” labels. This only implies that a product has no detectable fragrance. However, it may contain fragrance used to mask bad smelling raw materials. Phthalates are petrochemicals. We know they aren't good for us to consume and remember, consuming a product means more than just putting it in your mouth, if you are using it on you skin or hair, you are consuming it.

Once these petrochemicals are in our bodies they have a party that would make a frat hazing seem like Sunday School. They reportedly impair proper DNA expression, weaken the DNA repair process, accelerate gene loss, degenerate the body’s detoxification organs, and affect the blood/brain barrier - the brain’s primary line of defense. They affect the nervous system, immune system, the onset of child and adult cancers, neurological disorders, autoimmune disorders, asthma, allergies, infertility and miscarriage, learning disabilities, hyperactivity and ADD, the list goes on and on. The CDC has conducted studies and found phthalates in the urine of every person tested, with the largest amounts, (20 times higher) in women of child-bearing age. And it doesn't end there. Once these phthalates pass through our bodies via urine, or go down the drain as runoff from our showers, they return to the ecosystem. Water waste facilities cannot flush out such chemicals. We then re-consume them as drinking water. While the evaporation and precipitation process does help clean these chemicals from our drinking water, it cannot clean out all particulates. This is why we are seeing phthalates in the urine of such a high percentage of our population, in fact, everyone, according to the CDC.

So, what's a person to do? One easy step we can all do is make sure we are using chemical-free personal care products as much as possible. We can replace many of our chemically-ladened products with all-natural products. This was one reason I started making soap. I was looking for something safer for me and my family to use on our skin. Itty Bitty Soaps are all-natural and you will never find any synthetics or chemicals in them. NEVER.  That is our promise to you. Take a step towards true cleanliness, health and beauty, and do it today!