ilumina Organics: Chemical Alert

What you should know about Phthalates

At ilumina, the health and well-being of new mothers and their babies is our primary concern, so all of our products are PHTHALATE-FREE.

From the Food and Drug Administration:

What are Phthalates?

Phthalates are a group of chemicals used in many products such as toys, vinyl flooring and wall covering, detergents, lubricating oils, food packaging, pharmaceuticals, blood bags and tubing, and personal care products, such as nail polish, hair sprays, soaps, and shampoos.

Which Phthalates are used in cosmetics?

The principal phthalates used in cosmetic products are dibutylphthalate (DBP), dimethylphthalate (DMP), and diethylphthalate (DEP). They are used primarily as plasticizers in products such as nail polishes (to reduce cracking by making them less brittle) and hair sprays (to help avoid stiffness by allowing them to form a flexible film on the hair) and as solvents and perfume fixatives in various other products.

Infants, like all consumers, are exposed daily to phthalates from a number of sources, including air, drugs, food, plastics, water, and cosmetics.

How do I know if there are phthalates in the cosmetics I use?

Under the authority of the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act (FPLA), FDA requires an ingredient declaration on the cosmetic products sold at the retail level to consumers. Consumers can tell whether some products contain phthalates by reading the ingredient declaration on the labels of such products.

However, the regulations do not require the listing of the individual fragrance ingredients; therefore, the consumer will not be able to determine from the ingredient declaration if phthalates are present in a fragrance.

Visit the FDA Web site's Phthalates page

From a University of Maryland study:

Laboratory studies have demonstrated that phthalate compounds and bisphenol A - chemicals
that are used in the manufacture of plastics - can mimic, or otherwise interfere with human
hormones and thus create the potential for problems with normal growth and development and
health.

Phthalates are a class of chemicals that are used in many household and personal care products,
toys, medical supplies and in plastics. Their particular function is to improve the flexibility of
the chemical product – to allow it to be more malleable. There are many different types of
phthalates, which all share a basic chemical structure. Some phthalate compounds are more
toxic than others. The phthalate chemicals that have been most closely associated with adverse
developmental and reproductive health effects are diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), dibutyl
phthalate (DBP), and butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP).

Read the "Plain Language" version (PDF file) of the Maryland study.

A report on MSN February 4, 2008 states:

"Baby shampoos, lotions and powders may expose infants to chemicals that have been linked with possible reproductive problems, a small study suggests. The chemicals, called phthalates...were found in elevated levels in the urine of babies who’d been recently shampooed, powdered or lotioned with baby products. Animal studies have suggested that phthalates can cause reproductive birth defects and some activists believe they may cause reproductive problems in boys and early puberty in girls. The study’s lead author, Dr. Sheela Sathyanarayana, a University of Washington pediatrician, said, “The bottom line is that these chemicals likely do exist in products that we’re commonly using on our children and they potentially could cause health effects.”(see “Baby Care Products: Possible Sources of Infant Phthalate Exposure,” S. Sathyanarayana, Pediatrics. 2008, vol. 121, pp. 260-268)."