You have probably heard the words "sulfate" and "phthalate", but what are they?
What is a sulfate?
Sulfates are synthetic cleansing agents that create a lather to help remove oil and dirt. Sulfates are very common and can be found in any room in your home. Common household products that contain sulfates include household cleaners, detergents, tooth pastes, cleansers, and shampoo. Sulfates can cause a variety of health issues, but the most common problem associated with these lathering agents is the stripping away of the natural peptides, proteins, and oils created by our bodies. Losing these naturally occurring substance leaves our skin (the largest organ in our body) compromised and feeling dry, which leads to the use of other products to remedy things like dry skin or acne.
What is a phthalate?
Phthalates, also referred to as “plasticizers”, are chemicals that make substances more flexible and can also act as solvents and stabilizers. They serve several purposes when added to products, such as helping cosmetics stick to/penetrate the skin or helping a scent "stick" to a surface. Phthalates are what allows your clothing to smell like the detergent they have been washed in and your hair to hold the scent of your product. They can be in just about any hair, skin, or body care product as well as household items. Phthalates are known endocrine disruptors, which means they mimic or interfere with normal hormone functions. We often associate the word "hormone" with our reproductive system, but hormones regulate so much more (like human growth and development, metabolism, and mood). Introducing phthalates into the body can disrupt this complex system, the endocrine system, and results in many health issues over time.
What's the problem with sulfates and phthalates?
Even though they are only used in small amounts in individual products, the structures of these molecules allow them to build up in our bodies and environment. This means that chronic exposure to products that contain sulfates and phthalates allow these harmful chemicals to accumulate inside our bodies faster than they can be detoxed out. This is often referred to as "toxic load."
How to avoid sulfates/phthalates
The easiest way to avoid endocrine disruptors is to avoid products with the word "fragrance" in the ingredient list. If there is no ingredients list (like on a car air freshener), ask yourself, "if I use/open this now, will I be able to smell it tomorrow?" Another simple indicator is if it's the color of a magic marker, avoid it. Some products may state "sulfate-free" or "phthalate-free" on the label. If you're an ingredient girlie, sulfates may appear as "sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS)," "sodium laureth sulfate (SLES)," "ammonium lauryl sulfate (ALS)," or "ammonium laureth sulfate (ALES)." Phthalates may appear as acronyms like DBP, DEP, DEHP, DINP, and DNOP, and are present in fragrance/parfum.
Decreasing the number of products you use will also lower to number of chemicals you are regularly exposed to. For example, consider what products are in your bathroom. A typical home could have: tub and tile cleaner, toilet bowl cleaner, glass cleaner, shampoo, conditioner, hand soap, body wash, lotion, face wash, face serum, face mask, face moisturizer, deodorant, toothpaste, mouthwash, etc. Each of these products has a large ingredient list consisting of chemical compounds that are hard to pronounce. By simply replacing the three cleaning products with a 50/50 vinegar to water solution, the ingredient list of your cleaning products goes from numerous to two (and you can pronounce them both).
Research the Brand
We also recommend finding brands you can trust. This involves more than just looking for a pretty product. Research the story behind the brand, who actually owns the brand, how they chose their ingredients, and the ingredients themselves. Once you've found a brand you love and trust, stick with it! We've found that smaller companies that haven't sold out to larger corporations most often value ingredients and integrity over profit margin.
We make it easy!
At Good Fortune, we are all about taking care of yourself inside and out. This year, we are actively eliminating products that contain harmful chemicals to ensure we are bringing you products that only help and never harm. Several of our products are made in-house with very few ingredients. For the more complex products, like our skincare line, we partner with small cosmetic labs that we know and trust. You can read more about our dedication to non-toxic products here.