Xenoestrogen-Free Personal Care Products...Xenoestrogen-Free Personal Care Products DermaQOL Lotion for face, hands, and body •91% organic •Organic jojoba, sunflower, safflower,

Xenoestrogen-Free Personal Care Products

Health Risks Associated With

Xenobiotics in Personal Care

Products

• Xenoestrogens

– Bind to estrogen receptors

– Behave like estrogen

• Primary xenoestrogens found in personal

care products

– Phthalates

– Parabens

• Phthalates • Used as plasticizers

• Environmental Working Group report1

• Phthalates found in 52 of 72 personal care

products tested

• Most common phthalates found – DEP and DBP

• Parabens • Added as preservatives

• In concentrations up to 0.8 percent2

1. Houlihan J, Brody C, Schwan B. Environmental Working Group. Not too pretty. Phthalates, beauty products

and the FDA. http://www.ewg.org/files/nottoopretty_final.pdf [Accessed: May 18, 2012]

2. Darbe PD. Environmental oestrogens, cosmetics and breast cancer. Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab

2006;20:121-143.

Most Prevalent Xenoestrogens in Personal

Care Products

http://www.ewg.org/files/nottoopretty_final.pdf

Proof of Dermal Absorption of

Xenoestrogens

Janjua NR, Frederiksen H, Skakkebaek NE, et al. Urinary excretion of phthalates and paraben after

repeated whole-body topical application in humans. Int J Androl 2008;31:118-130.

Dermal absorption of phthalates and parabens

from body lotion

•Two-week, single-blind study of 26 healthy males

•Whole body application of base cream for one week, then:

•Whole body application of cream with 2% each of two

phthalates (DEP, DBP) and one paraben (BP) for one more week

•In the 24-hour urine recovered: 5.79% of the DEP, 1.82% of the

DBP, and 0.32% of the BP

•Conclusion: these xenoestrogens were absorbed, metabolized,

and excreted in the urine


Xenoestrogens

Romero-Franco M, Hernandex-Ramirez RU, Calafat AM, et al. Personal care product use and urinary

levels of phthalate metabolites in Mexican women. Environ Int 2011;37:867-871.

Population-based study: Urinary phthalate levels

•108 women in northern Mexico

•Women who used body lotions and deodorants

•Significantly higher levels of urinary phthalate metabolites

than women who did not

•Positive relationship between increased phthalate levels and

number of personal care products used


Xenoestrogens

Berman T, Hochner-Celnikier D, Calafat AM, et al. Phthalate exposure among pregnant women in Jerusalem,

Israel: result of a pilot study. Environ Int 2009;35:353-357.

Population-based study of phthalate exposure

• 19 pregnant women

• Urinary phthalate levels tested

• More than four times higher in women who used four

or more personal care products 48 hours prior to urine

collection


Xenoestrogens

Duty SM, Ackerman RM, Calafat AM, Hauser R. Personal care product use predicts urinary concentrations of

some phthalate monoesters. Environ Health Perspec 2005;113:1530-1535.

Phthalate Absorption from cologne and aftershave

• 406 men studied

• Men who used cologne or aftershave 48 hours prior to

urine collection had a significantly higher level of MEP

(metabolite of DEP)

• In users vs. non-users, 265 ng/mL versus 108 ng/mL

(cologne) and 266 ng/mL versus 133 ng/mL (aftershave)

• Each additional product increased MEP by 33%

Connection Between Xenoestrogens in

Personal Care Products and Cancer Risk

Lopez-Carrillo L, Hernandez-Ramirez RU, Calafat AM, et al. Exposure to phthalates and breast cancer risk in

northern Mexico. Environ Health Perspec 2010;118:539-544.

Population-based study with age-matched

controls

• 233 women with breast cancer, age-matched with

221 control women

• Urine samples collected pre-treatment from cancer

patients

• Significantly higher levels of MEP in premenopausal

women with cancer compared to controls (odds ratio:

4.13 between highest and lowest tertile of urinary MEP)

Hauser R, Meeker JD, Singh NP, et al. DNA damage in human sperm is related to urinary levels of phthalate

monoester and oxidative metabolites. Hum Reprod 2007;22:688-695.

Population-based study in men

• 379 men attending an infertility clinic

• Urinary levels of MEP positively associated with sperm

DNA damage

• Levels of MEP in this population mirror levels in the

general U.S. populations



Pugazhendhi D, Pope GS, Darbre PD. Oestrogenic activity of p-hydroxybenzoic acid (common metabolite of

paraben esters) and methylparaben in human breast cancer cell lines. J Appl Toxicol 2005;25:301-309.

In vitro Study

• Methylparaben and its metabolite p-hydroxybenzoic

acid

• Caused cell proliferation in two human breast-cancer

cell lines

• Parabens produce their effect in part by binding to

estrogen receptors



Barr L, Metaxas G, Harbach CA, et al. Measurement of paraben concentrations in human breast tissue at

serial locations across the breast from axilla to sternum. J Appl Toxicol 2012;32:219-232.

Study: Tissue levels of parabens

• Measured in mastectomy breast tissue from 40

women

• Both methylparaben and n-propylparaben found in

high concentrations

• Significantly higher amounts of n-propylparaben in

tissue from the axilla (area most commonly affected by

breast cancer)



Harvey PW, Everett DJ. Parabens detection in different zones of the human breast: consideration of source

and implications of findings. J Appl Toxicol 2012;32:305-309.

Commentary on previous (Barr) study

• Identification of intact esters indicates dermal

absorption

• Parabens have weaker estrogenic effect than

estradiol

• BUT: levels of parabens in breast tissue were higher

(nanograms or even micrograms/gram of tissue) than

levels of estrogens (picograms/gram of tissue)




Xenoestroge-Free Personal Care Products

Shower Gel, Shampoo,

Conditioner

• 86% certified organic

• FREE of all harsh ingredients

• Plant-based

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• No estrogenic activity


DermaQOL Lip Balm

• Completely organic

• Made from:

– Organic beeswax

– Coconut, sunflower, jojoba, and

orange essential oils


DermaQOL Lotion

for face, hands, and body

• 91% organic

• Organic jojoba, sunflower,

safflower, avocado, pumpkin

seed, bergamot oils

• Proprietary blend of organic

aloe, organic glycerin (plant-

derived), organic basil, and

other soothing ingredients



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• Organic aloe leaf fillet

• Cooling cucumber

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• Other essential oils to relieve

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Soothing Relief Therapy Cream

• 99% certified organic

• Free of all harsh ingredients

• Aloe and plant-based oils

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honey

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DermaQOL

Organic Skincare Bars

100% certified organic

•Aloe & Lemongrass Skin-care Bar

•Organic aloe and lemongrass blended with

coconut oil

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ingredients

•Coconut and balsam oils with natural sulfur

Documents

Xenoestrogen-Free Personal Care Products...Xenoestrogen-Free Personal Care Products DermaQOL Lotion for face, hands, and body •91% organic •Organic jojoba, sunflower, safflower,