20 Aug Phthalate-Free! Okay… But What Else Is In There?

Okay, This Bugs Me… #1

“Phthalate-Free!” Okay… But What Else Is In There?

Well, apparently I’m blogging again. 😂 It’s been a while, but I’ve been wanting to start something like this for some time now.

Okay, This Bugs Me… is a new series where I’m going to dig into ingredients, labels and some of those marketing claims we see everywhere — basically, the things that make me stop and think, “Wait…what does that actually mean?” Each blog will tackle something different, and I’m pretty sure I already have enough things bugging me to keep this going for a while. 😂

I’m not here to tell you everything is toxic or scare you into throwing out half your house. That’s definitely not where I’m going with this. I’m just curious about what’s actually behind some of these claims.

The more I learn about ingredients and the more products I make, the more I notice this stuff everywhere. At markets, sometimes I can smell another booth before I even see it. Online, I see big companies advertising products as “all natural,” “clean,” “phthalate-free” or “made with essential oils.” I even see fragrance oils marketed to makers with “phthalate-free” front and centre.

And that’s the one I thought we’d start with. Because phthalate-free sounds great — and I’m certainly not saying it’s a bad thing — but I started wondering what those two words actually tell me about the rest of the product.

So, what the heck are phthalates?

Phthalates (pronounced THAL-ates) are actually a whole family of chemicals, not just one ingredient. Certain phthalates are probably best known for their use in plastics. They’re what’s called plasticizers, meaning they can be added to certain plastics, particularly PVC, to make them softer and more flexible.

But some phthalates have also been used in cosmetics, personal-care products and fragrance formulations. In fragrance, certain ones have been used as solvents or carriers, helping dissolve and blend fragrance ingredients. So when you see “phthalate-free fragrance,” it isn’t a meaningless claim. It does tell you something about how that fragrance has been formulated, and there are legitimate reasons people pay attention to it.

Of course, this sent me down the rabbit hole a little further. 😂 Turns out, there isn’t just one phthalate. There are different kinds, they’re used for different things, and the concerns aren’t the same for all of them. Certain phthalates have been associated with endocrine and reproductive effects, and some have been restricted or prohibited for particular uses.

That doesn’t mean I’m going to tell you that seeing the word phthalate means a product is automatically going to harm you. It isn’t that simple. Which phthalate we’re talking about, how much we’re exposed to and how often we’re exposed all matter. We’re also exposed to different phthalates through more than just fragrance. They can show up through plastics, food and food containers, household dust and other everyday sources.

So no, I’m not panicking over one bottle of something. But I am paying more attention.

This is the part that bugs me

Somewhere along the way, “phthalate-free” seems to have become one of those phrases that automatically makes a product sound cleaner, safer or more natural. And that’s where I start questioning things.

Being phthalate-free tells me something useful about what’s NOT in a product, but it doesn’t tell me everything that IS. If it’s scented, for example, I still want to know what’s creating that fragrance. Is it essential oils, synthetic fragrance or a combination? What else is part of that fragrance formulation?

I see the same thing with fragrance oils marketed to makers. A big “PHTHALATE-FREE” claim is certainly information I’m interested in, but it doesn’t suddenly make that fragrance oil an essential oil or tell me everything about what’s in it. It’s simply one piece of the puzzle.

And then there are those laundry commercials. You know the ones — the ones proudly telling us our laundry can keep smelling “fresh” for a week or even longer.

Maybe it’s just me, but instead of thinking, Wow, that’s amazing, I find myself wondering how the heck that smell is STILL there. 😂

So of course I looked into that too. Phthalates aren’t necessarily what’s making your laundry smell for weeks. There are other ways of making fragrance stick to fabric and release over time. Which, when you think about it, kind of proves my point. Something can be phthalate-free and still be deliberately formulated to leave fragrance hanging around for days or weeks.

And before anyone comes for me… 😂

I’m not saying synthetic automatically means toxic, and I’m definitely not saying natural automatically means safe. It’s just not that simple.

Essential oils contain naturally occurring chemical compounds too. They need to be used properly, and natural ingredients can cause irritation, sensitivities and reactions. Something isn’t automatically safe because it came from a plant, just like something isn’t automatically dangerous because it was made in a lab.

For me, it’s more about understanding what something is, why it’s being used and whether it’s something I want in the products I make or use. That’s one of the reasons I’ve chosen to use essential oils rather than synthetic fragrance in Country Herbal Cabin products. It’s a choice I’ve made about the kind of products I want to create, but that doesn’t mean everyone has to make the same choice.

So am I glad when I see something is phthalate-free? Yep. I just don’t automatically assume those two words tell me everything I need to know anymore.

Apparently once you start looking into this stuff, you can’t stop. 😂

For me, “phthalate-free” isn’t the whole story. It’s just one little piece of it.

And THAT bugs me.

Next up… “ALL NATURAL!”

Ohhhh, don’t even get me started. 😂