Phthalates in cosmetics: my non-scaremongering version

I've recently been eyeing a lip conditioner from one of my favorite Korean brands. When I checked its ingredients with cosdna.com, I found out that it had a phthalate (DPHP). I really want to buy the product because sale and I like lip care products, but I felt that the unrated DPHP component listed with cosdna needs some checking.

Bis(2-propylheptyl) phthalate or DPHP belongs to a class of components known as phthalates. In cosmetics, phthalates have been used as plasticizers in nail polishes or hair sprays or as solvents in creams and fragrances. Interestingly, phthalates are used in medical supplies, both invasive and non-invasive chemicals, even on the examinations gloves doctors use.

So what is the deal with phthalates then? They are used in medical supplies and cosmetics but then EPA says long term exposure to phthalates (specifically, DEHP) may lead to various problems. Are phthalates really as scary as they sound or are they victims of the greenwashing movement?

Personally, I'd still prefer a life saving transfusion with phthalates over natural nothing.
(Image from blog.phthalate-free-plasticizers.com)

The "Dangerous"

Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate or DEHP - listed as "reasonably anticipated as a human carcinogen" in the Twelfth Report on Carcinogens by the National Toxicology Program, based on carcinogenicity from animal studies. DEHP is used  in construction materials, medical supplies and clothing, with the highest exposure level from medical supplies used during procedures. If there was a human-sized, pregnant rat weighing the same as I do, 885 mg/day of DEHP must be consumed in order to affect the unborn rat. Note that this is based on a study done on rats and correlation of such results to humans has not yet been established. Assuming the chemical will have the same effect on us, how to get 885 mg/day accidentally is a mystery, especially when there are regulations in place.

Di-n-butyl phthalate or DBP - phthalate ester used in PVC, safety glasses, cosmetics, fragrances, dental materials, pharmaceuticals, among many other industrial applications. Minutes after letting my nose bleed for reading such a long abstract, I chanced upon a study which found that an increased relative liver weight is observed in rodents who have been given 2500 ppm DBP diet. Assuming a glass of water is 0.25 liters, 625 mg of DBP will be needed to achieve this effect. By the way, the fatal dosages are way more than 2500 ppm.

Benzyl Butyl Phthalate or BBP - like DEHP, BBP has a wide variety of uses, ranging from conveyor belts to adhesives. Based on an NTP report (I cannot find it but it was mentioned in this article), a tolerable daily intake of 1300 µg/kg body weight per day is calculated based on bioassay reports of increased pancreatic lesions in rats. If I were a rat, that amounts to 78 mg per day.

As for the other phthalates, there are several other studies posted in the CDC website, all with a common theme: dosage determines the poison. A lot of people assume that scary sounding chemicals such as phthalates are toxic, without any regard for the dosage. They seem to forget that too much of anything is bad: water, vitamin, protein, heck, even oxygen.

So, are you buying or not? 

Back to the lip conditioner. The ingredients are the following: adenosine, argan oil, rose hip oil, emu oil, cocoa butter, royal jelly extract, DPHP component, lily and chrysanthemum extract, and nano-vitamin complex.

The product weighs 4.6 grams. Let's assume the product will only last for 4 months (I doubt it though, I can't finish a stick that quickly), so 0.038 grams is consumed in a day. According to FDA, phthalates are used at concentrations of less than 10%. For safety, let's assume it's at a maximum of 10%. So assumed total phthalate content will be around 3.83 mg/day. I cannot find US FDA limits on phthalates, but EU has set a limit of 0.1%, so I'll consider this instead. Limit on phthalate content then will be 4.6 mg/day. Since the lip conditioner "phthalate content" is less than the allowable, it's okay for me.

Now, if I only have the budget for this...


References (in order of linking. Finally had the will to put references and not just links):

Godwin, A (2010) Uses of Pthalates and Other Plasticizers. https://www.cpsc.gov//PageFiles/126379/godwin.pdf. (Accessed: 29 October 2013).

US EPA. Consumer Factsheet on Di (2-ethylhexyl) pthalate. http://www.epa.gov/safewater/pdfs/factsheets/soc/phthalat.pdf. (Accessed: 29 October 2013).

National Toxicology Program (2011) Report on Carcinogens. Twelfth Edition. US Department of Heath and Human Services. http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/roc/twelfth/roc12.pdf. (Accessed: 29 October 2013).

Andrade AJ, Grande SW, Talsness CE, Grote K, Golombiewski A, Sterner-Kock A, and Chahoud I (2006) '

A dose-response study following in utero and lactational exposure to di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP): effects on androgenic status, developmental landmarks and testicular histology in male offspring rats.' Toxicology, Aug 1;225(1):64-74.

Marsman, D (1995) 'NTP technical report on the toxicity studies of Dibutyl Phthalate (CAS No. 84-74-2) Administered in Feed to F344/N Rats and B6C3F1 Mice.' Toxicity Report Series, Apr;30:1-G5. http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/htdocs/ST_rpts/tox030.pdf (Accessed: 29 October 2013)

'Toxicity Review for Benzyl­n­butyl Phthalate (Benzyl Butyl Phthalate or BBP)'. http://www.cpsc.gov/PageFiles/126527/toxicityBBP.pdf (Accessed:  29 October 2013)

US FDA (2013) 'Phthalates and Cosmetic Products'.  http://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/productandingredientsafety/selectedcosmeticingredients/ucm128250.htm. (Accessed: 29 October 2013)