Phthalates – it may look funny but that’s all that’s funny about it. Pthalates (pronounced THAYlates) are found in many products and have been found to be highly toxic. According to “Not too Pretty” – the CDC found 7 different types of phthalates in 289 people tested. Every single person had dibutyl phthalate (DBP) in his or her body. DBP is the most toxic – and all phthalates are linked to birth defects in the male reproductive systems.

Women aged 20-40 were found to have the highest levels of DBP in their bodies. Yep – that’s right. Highest levels of this toxic chemical that can cause birth defects in males and impact their reproductive system. And this is found in women in peak childbearing years.

So where are these coming from? Well – they did a lot of research on why women would have the highest levels. DBP and other phthalates are found in things like vinyl shower curtains and are responsible for the “new car smell”. But that wouldn’t explain why women have the highest levels. Of course, it turns out that the reason is that they are found in cosmetics. Nail polish was the biggest culprit, but it is also found in other products ranging from shampoos to deodorants.

In “Not Just a Pretty Face”, it states: “In 2005 there were more than 57,000 nail salonsin the US, employing more than 380,000 licensed nail technicians – 95% of these workers are women, and 59% are women of color. The average age of the workers is 38.”

EWG reported in their 2002 Not Too Pretty report that they found phthalates in “72% of personal care products, including fragrance containing shampoos, deodorants and hair gels. None of the products listed phthalates on the label.” Seems a little scary to me…