Chapter 8: Fragrance · Part 2: What else hides inside "fragrance"
Diethyl phthalate (DEP)
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The worst fact: it's a phthalate, often hidden inside the word "fragrance". Tested perfumes held up to 2.2%, and a breakdown product of it was found in the urine of over 3 in 4 Americans tested.
Why brands use it: it dissolves and carries the scent. EU safety advisers judged it safe as a fragrance solvent at up to 50%.
Take care if: you're choosing sunscreen, insect repellent or body lotion: Australia bans it in those above 0.5%.
Comes from: made in a factory from phthalic anhydride and ethanol.
Myth check: "all phthalates are hormone disruptors": a US expert panel recommended no restriction on DEP, and the EU calls it low in toxicity.
Contaminants: nil.
Fair to say: some studies hint at effects on male fertility markers, but the EU says the results are inconsistent.
Correct as of November 2026. What the badges mean
Sources
- SCCP. Opinion on phthalates in cosmetic products, SCCP/1016/06 (2007).
- Safe Work Australia. Hazardous Chemical Information System (HCIS). hcis.safeworkaustralia.gov.au
- Silva MJ et al. Phthalate metabolites in the US population. Environ Health Perspect 2004 (PMID 14998749).
The full source list is at the end of Chapter 8.