We Said No, But Why To Phthalates?

Banned by the European Union (EU) since 2003 but included in up to 70% of US beauty and skin-care products today, you gotta wonder why.

Phthalates pronounced “thal-ates” are endocrine disrupters and belong to a family of industrial chemicals used as plastic softeners or solvents in many different consumer products – including cosmetics and skin-care in the US. Background Facts:

• A 2012 study by scientists at University of Columbia linked an elevated risk for childhood asthma to phthalates found in personal care products and plastic.
• In the past year there have been a number of Harvard studies linking phthalates to type-2 diabetes , obesity and even disruptive behavior .
• Phthalates have been shown to cause damage to the liver and reproductive system in animal studies.
• Phthalates tend to “feminize” young developing boys, altering their brains to express more feminine characteristics.
• In May 2005: 1^st time, researchers identified an association between pregnant women’s exposure to phthalates and adverse effects on genital development in their male children.
• High levels of exposure have been linked to the development of some cancers endpoints, and adult infertility
• Women between the ages of 20 to 40 years have higher levels of dibutyl-phthalate in their bodies than anyone else tested.

The EU acknowledged all of this data and in 2003 banned the use of Phthalates in cosmetics in Europe.

If you’re wondering why, in 2012  Phthalates are still allowed in your everyday products in the US. You should! At this point in time

• The United States Food and Drug Administration  does not subject cosmetics to testing in the U.S.
• The FDA is not required to give “pre-market approval” before cosmetics are offered to consumers and cosmetic companies are not required to register information on cosmetics ingredients, or cosmetic related injuries to the FDA.
• Individual companies are responsible for substantiating the safety of their ingredients.

It’s up to you to be informed about ingredients and figure out which products are safe for you. It’s not just about what’s IN our products, we also need a leg up on what’s NOT IN our products or, at least SHOULDN’T BE IN our products.

clickR TAKES A STAND. We begin by being EU compliant because it establishes a set of more rigorous standards. This might not be the same for all of your beauty (and non-beauty) products even if they are Euro brands!

clickR said NO to a list of ingredients. You can re-visit the info on the Ruby Rave No-NO Skin-care Ingredients .

Of course we obsess about what’s in our products and proudly discuss ingredients and results on our website where you can learn more about clickR skin-care product by product or pillar by pillar: No More Derma Drama or Figure it Out or Easy Karma

Whether you clickR or not, read ingredient labels, be informed and stay safe and healthy with a mind of your own! AND AVOID PHTHALATES!

XOXO