Twenty-two kinds of essential oils from 11 popular brands contain detectable levels of phthalates, according to a new report from Mamavation.
Partnering with EHN, Mamavation — an environmental wellness blog and community — had 22 lavender and peppermint essential oils from 11 brands tested by a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-certified lab, and found that all 22 oils contained detectable levels of phthalates.
Phthalates are a group of chemicals used as solvents and stabilizers in many products, including personal care items like cosmetics and fragrances. Exposure to phthalates is linked to hormone disruption, fertility impacts, low birth weights, obesity, some cancers, delayed brain development and behavioral problems in children, and other health issues. Research suggests that even very low levels of exposure to these chemicals can be harmful.
“Essential oils are used by millions of families every day,” toxicologist Linda S. Birnbaum, scientist emeritus and former director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and adjunct professor at the University of North Carolina and Yale University, told Mamavation.
“This industry needs to take better care to safeguard its customers from toxic phthalates and we hope this investigation will encourage them to do more testing of their supply chain before their products are sold to families,” she added.
The testing found levels of phthalates in essential oils ranging from 40 parts per billion (ppb) to 13,029 ppb.
The essential oils with the highest levels of phthalates included Aura Cacia Lavender Pure Essential Oil, DoTERRA Lavender Essential Oil, Rocky Mountain Oils Lavender Essential Oil, Cliganic Organic Peppermint Essential Oil, DoTERRA Peppermint Essential Oil, Nature Packaged Peppermint from India Origin 100% Essential Oil, Revive Peppermint Essential Oil, Rocky Mountain Oils Peppermint Essential Oil and Young Living Peppermint Essential Oil.
The essential oils with the lowest levels of phthalates included Mountain Rose Herbs Lavender Essential Oil, Nature Packaged Lavender from Bulgaria Origin 100% Essential Oil, Now Essential Oil 100% Pure Lavender, Plant Therapy Essential Oils Organic Lavender Kidsafe, Young Living Lavender Essential Oil, Now Essential Oil 100% Pure Peppermint, Aura Cacia Peppermint Pure Essential Oil and Vibrant Blue Oils Peppermint Essential Oil.
Previous testing by Mamavation and EHN has also found phthalates in popular olive, avocado and coconut oils, tallow and ghee.
Phthalates are commonly found in plastics, toys, personal care products such as perfume, lotion and deodorants and other products. They’re also increasingly found in foods — Consumer Reports testing last year found phthalates, often in high levels, in sliced peaches, pizza, canned salmon, protein milkshakes, yogurts, fast food burgers and even some organic foods.
While the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission restricts certain phthalates in children’s products, those same phthalates are approved as additives in food contact materials by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In 2022, the FDA rejected two petitions calling for the removal of 28 phthalates from food contact use.
For more information about the levels of phthalates detected in essential oils, see the full report from Mamavation.
Check out the ongoing effort by Mamavation and EHN.org to identify PFAS in common consumer products. Follow our PFAS testing project with Mamavation at the series landing page.