Download the full report here (265k pdf)

Chemicals that potentially cause birth defects do not belong in products marketed for personal or household use. Yet one family of such chemicals, phthalates, are widely used in plastics, cosmetics and other everyday products. WEN believes the regulations governing their assessment and use are inadequate. They don't take enough account of the way we are all exposed to multiple phthalates from various sources every day. And you cannot choose to avoid cosmetics with phthalates in because they don't have to be listed on the label.

Pretty Nasty is a report on the results of tests we commissioned together with the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation and Health Care Without Harm, Europe to find out if phthalates were in widespread use in cosmetics on sale in Europe. We selected 34 leading brands of cosmetics - perfumes, deodorants, hair sprays, hair gels and hair mousses - and sent them to an independent laboratory to test. Twenty seven products (four out of five) contained at least one phthalate, more than half contained two or more, and 14 contained two phthalates which are on a European list of substances which should be treated as if they impair human fertility and/or affect human development.

Manufacturers should:

• Clearly label all phthalate-containing products immediately while reformulating.


• Test the ingredients in their products for phthalates or demand this information from their suppliers. This is especially important for fragrances whose contents are often not disclosed.


• Pledge to remove all phthalates from their products and perform appropriate quality control to ensure they are not present.


• Apply the precautionary principle when formulating products by avoiding ingredients when there is evidence that they may cause harm, even if their effects are not fully understood. This study shows that manufacturers are capable of making products without the use of phthalates.

• Introduce an unconditional ban of all substances, including all phthalates, that cause concern for human fertility and development, and have toxic, mutagenic, and/or carcinogenic effects.


• Introduce regulations that require all ingredients in a product, including phthalates, to be clearly listed on the label.


• Ensure that the upcoming frame legislation for chemicals (“REACH”) includes cosmetic products, relating to new requirements such as testing, information, labelling, and authorization schemes.

• Send your “Phthalate free now!” message to the manufacturers that have been found in this study to sell phthalate-containing cosmetic products. A list of products can be found at www.nottoopretty.org along with
press pictures of the products, facts about phthalates and information about EU-prohibition.
• You can write to the European Commission Officials accountable for relevant legislation procedures click here for draft letter.


• Contact your representatives in the national parliament and European parliament and ask them to support legislation banning phthalates in cosmetics.


• Take the list of products with you the next time you go shopping for cosmetics. Show it to the store managers and ask for their help in convincing cosmetic companies to produce phthalate-free products. Remember that just because a product is not on the list, it does not mean it is free of phthalates.