Average decrease in one urinary phthalate marker after a 3-day product swap in a 2016 study.
Your favorite scent. Your body lotion. The products you use without giving them a second thought. What if getting curious started right there, on your bathroom counter?
Personal care products can be one source of chemical exposure. That makes our routines worth understanding. It does not mean every scented product is harmful or that wearing perfume tells us anything about your health.
A small change researchers could measure
In the HERMOSA study, published in 2016, 100 Latina teenage girls switched for three days to personal care products labeled as free of selected chemicals. Researchers compared urine samples before and after the switch. [1]
The average urinary concentration of mono-ethyl phthalate (MEP), a breakdown product of diethyl phthalate, fell by 27.4%. Two other measured phthalate markers did not change significantly. [1]
That finding connects daily product choices with a measurable change in an exposure marker. It was a short study in a specific group. It did not establish that the participants became healthier, lost weight, or reduced their disease risk. The product swap involved several types of products, so the change cannot be attributed to perfume alone.
What does “fragrance” tell you?
According to the FDA, diethyl phthalate (DEP) can be used to help fragrance formulations work as intended. Individual fragrance ingredients do not all have to appear separately on the label. A label may therefore leave you with questions about the mixture. [2]
There is also a distinction worth keeping: the study measured a marker of DEP, while the laboratory cell report discussed elsewhere on this site tested DEHP, a different phthalate. Those names and findings are not interchangeable.
Start with one useful question
Pick one product you use regularly. Read its ingredient list. If you want more information about a fragrance mixture, ask the manufacturer. You do not have to replace your whole routine to begin paying attention.
That is the point of this conversation: notice your habits, ask better questions, and understand what the research actually measured.
Sources & context
- Harley et al., 2016 · HERMOSA intervention study ↗100 participants; three-day intervention; urinary MEP decreased 27.4% on average. Exposure markers, not health outcomes.
- U.S. FDA · Phthalates in Cosmetics ↗Fragrance labeling, cosmetic uses of DEP, and FDA’s stated safety assessment.
Angel Fletcher is an independent LifeVantage consultant and may earn from purchases through her links. These articles are general education, not medical advice or a diagnosis. Sources are linked for readers to examine; citing a source does not imply its authors endorse LifeVantage. No article or quiz establishes that you need a supplement.