Welcome to Be Gone Goods!
Our aim is to protect you and your family from hormone disrupting chemicals by offering carefully selected, phthalate-free personal care products.
What are phthalates?
So what are phthalates, and why should you care anyway?
Phthalates are a group of synthetic chemicals used as plasticizers and solvents in a wide range of consumer products. As plasticizers, they are added to plastics to increase their flexibility, durability, and longevity. In addition to their use in plastics, phthalates can be found in many personal care and household products to help improve texture, scent, and spreadability. You might consider them somewhat of a scientific wonder given their ubiquity and usefulness, but hold on mermaids there's a catch!
Phthalates are endocrine disruptors. In short, this means that they negatively impact our hormones and lead to poor health outcomes. Research has found that higher phthalate levels are connected to the development of type 2 diabetes, obesity, lower sperm count in men, early puberty in girls, breast cancer in women, and cardiovascular problems. The severity of the problem can't be overstated, and it's even more pronounced for those who are pregnant or trying to conceive and for our young ones whose endocrine systems are still developing.
How To Identify Phthalates
If you want to know what products you need to ditch, all you have to do is read the label. The easiest ingredient to look for on the label is anything called "fragrance". The majority of the time, "fragrance" means that phthalates have been used as solvents to provide a consistent and uniform scent in a product. Phthalates can also be used to ensure that fragrances are long lasting. Bottom line, ditch anything you have on the shelf that includes this vague ingredient.
While less common, some manufacturers do list actual phthalates on the ingredients label. Here are the most common phthalates used in the production of personal care products and household goods:
- Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)
- Diethyl Phthalate (DEP)
- Di-2-ethylhexyl Phthalate (DEHP)
- Dimethyl Phthalate (DMP)
- Butyl Benzyl Phthalate (BBzP)
- Di-n-octyl Phthalate (DnOP)
- Diisononyl Phthalate (DINP)
- Diisodecyl Phthalate (DIDP)
If you see any of these ingredients, run for the hills and find an easy swap on our site.
For a more comprehensive breakdown on how to identify phthalates in your products, please check out our long form blog post on the subject.
Phthalates and Pregnancy
Phthalate exposure during pregnancy can lead to preterm birth, developmental delays in infants, and lower IQ in children that tracks well into their teens. For mothers, exposure is also linked to increased risk of postpartum depression. Perhaps most worrying is that our children's future fertility is also affected. Exposure during the first trimester of pregnancy is especially harmful to boys, causing future infertility and decreased sperm count and volume.
Phthalates and Children
Phthalate exposure in childhood causes higher rates asthma, allergies, and eczema. Worse, consuming phthalates early in life is also linked to higher rates of childhood cancer.
Phthalates and Men
Phthalates reduce testosterone, a hormone that plays a crucial role in reproduction and vitality. In addition to reducing the production of testosterone, exposure harms sperm production and motility. Without proper testosterone levels, men face higher risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and early death.
What To Do
It's all a little overwhelming! And you might be wondering what to do about it. Our advice is to start small with actions that will have the most impact on reducing your phthalate exposure.
After you've taken these steps take a look at the rest of our products and sign up for our newsletter to have the latest clean products and research delivered to your inbox.
As we grow, we'll do everything in our power to keep phthalates out of your life. So stay tuned, and stay healthy!