We’ve put together handpicked lists of our top Phthalate free products, a mixture to suit every budget and hair and skin type.
What are Phthalates?
Phthalates are a group of chemicals commonly used to make plastics more flexible and to help fragrances last longer. They are often found in everyday products such as cosmetics, cleaning products and packaging.
Because of growing concerns about their potential health effects, many people now look to avoid phthalates where possible.
This page lists common types of products that may contain phthalates, along with practical tips on how to identify and avoid them.
Personal care products
- Perfumes and fragrances
- Nail polish
- Hair sprays and gels
- Body lotions
Household products
- Cleaning sprays
- Air fresheners
- Laundry detergents
Plastics and packaging
- Food containers
- Plastic wrap
- Vinyl products
For the background info see below.
FDA product survey
As part of ongoing work to understand the safety of phthalates, the FDA published an update to its earlier survey of phthalate levels in a range of consumer products. You can find the full findings on the FDA website.
It’s important to note that full disclosure of phthalates is not always required. For example, they may be included under the term “fragrance” on ingredient lists. This means the list below cannot be fully comprehensive, but it still provides a useful guide to where phthalates are commonly found.
Findings of the survey
Some products were found to have phthalates present and we’ve collated these in a list, ordered by type of product for your information. The Product is listed, followed by the amount of phthalate present as parts per million, for the three types of phthalate – Dimethyl Phthalate (DMP), Diethyl Phthalate (DEP), Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP).
2010 Survey of Cosmetics for Phthalate Content
| Product Type | Brand | Phthalates (ppm) | ||
| DMP | DEP | DBP | ||
| Nail polish | Hot Topic Nail Polish (Skull) Green | 4,800 | ||
| Hot Topic Nail Polish (Skull) Black | 4.4 | |||
| Borghese Nail Lacquer Vernis Botticelli Nude | 3.4 | |||
| Sally Hansen Salon Lacquer Nail Polish Orange You Cute? 450 | 6.6 | |||
| Skin Cream and Lotion | Nivea Soft Refreshingly Soft Moisturizing Crème | 100 | ||
| Bath, Body, etc… Organic Soothing Aloe Vera Body Lotion | 260 | |||
| Jergens Original Scent Cherry-Almond Moisturizer | 110 | |||
| Fragrance | Jovan Island Gardenia Cologne Spray | 14,000 | ||
| Wanna Play Body Spray Parfums de Coeur | 3,800 | |||
| Chantilly – Walmart Gift Pack | 7,300 | |||
| Tabu – Walmart Gift Pack | 6,200 | |||
| Heaven Sent – Walmart Gift Pack | 1,300 | |||
| Navy – Walmart Gift Pack | 40,000 | |||
| English Leather – Walmart Gift Pack | 3,900 | |||
| British Sterling – Walmart Gift Pack | 480 | |||
| Canoe – Walmart Gift Pack | 2,000 | |||
| Aqua Velva Classic Ice Blue | 760 | |||
| BOD Really Ripped Abs | 6,200 | |||
| Deodorant | Brut 24-Hour Protection deodorant | 22 | ||
| Degree Men Deodorant Silver Ion Intense Sport | 2.9 | |||
| Secret Powder Fresh | 34 | |||
| Hair products | TRESemmé No Frizz Shine Spray | 22 | ||
| Suave Professionals Styling Foam Extra Hold | 52 | |||
| Rave 4X Mega Unscented Hair Spray | 16 | |||
| White Rain Unscented Extra Hold Hair Spray | 61 | |||
| American Crew Forming Cream | 50 | |||
| Dep Sport Endurance Styling Gel | 6.8 | |||
| TRESemme Tres Two Extra Hold Hair Spray | 37 | |||
| Catwalk Extra Strong Mousse | 23 | |||
| Shampoo | Ave Dual 2 in 1 Shampoo + Conditioner | 17 | ||
| Big Sexy Hair Big Volume Shampoo | 210 | |||
| VO5 Normal Balancing Shampoo | 440 | |||
| Advance Techniques Color Reviving Shampoo | 82 | |||
| Body wash | Suave Men Body Wash Active Sport | 10 | ||
| Natural Concepts Sensitive Skin Body Wash | 340 | |||
| Diaper cream | Baby’s Bliss Diaper Cream | 130 | ||
| Infant Soap, Shampoo, Body Wash | My Fair Baby Baby Wash with Camomile | 60 | ||
| Face & Body Paint | Claire’s Cosmetics Vanilla Glitter Body Mist | 390 | ||
| Glitter Gel | Claire’s Club Scented Body Glitter | 167 | ||
How to avoid phthalates
- Look for “phthalate-free” on product labels
- Be cautious of products listing “fragrance” without detail
- Choose simpler formulations where possible
- Prefer glass, stainless steel or clearly labelled plastics for food storage
| Product type | Risk of phthalates | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Perfume | High | Often hidden as fragrance |
| Cleaning sprays | Medium | Depends on formulation |
| Food packaging | Variable | Check material type |
This guide was updated in 2026 to reflect current product formulations and labelling practices.
