A wide range of synthetic chemicals enter our bodies daily through what we touch, breathe, and use. At The Good Planet Co., every product is chosen because it passes one test: is it safe for your body and for the earth?
Every morning, most of us follow a routine that feels perfectly normal: shampoo, body wash, moisturizer, deodorant. We do it without thinking. But according to the U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, people may be exposed to endocrine disruptors through food and beverages consumed, pesticides applied, and cosmetics used — through diet, air, skin, and water.
Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that interfere with your hormones — the messengers that regulate everything from your energy levels and sleep to your fertility and mood. Even low doses of endocrine-disrupting chemicals may be unsafe. The body's normal endocrine functioning involves very small changes in hormone levels, yet even these small changes can cause significant developmental and biological effects.
The good news? Most of your exposure comes from everyday products you can easily swap. Here are the eight most common ones hiding in your bathroom — and what to use instead.
1. Parabens — in your shampoo, conditioner and moisturizer
Parabens are preservatives used in cosmetics to extend shelf life. They're listed on labels as methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben or butylparaben.
Parabens are widely used as preservatives in cosmetics due to their chemical stability and broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties — and they are acknowledged as a category of endocrine-disrupting chemicals.
Research has linked them to effects on reproductive health: butyl paraben has been shown to reduce sperm concentration and sperm count, methyl paraben to impair sperm motility, and propyl paraben to alter follicle-stimulating hormone concentration.
What to look for on labels: methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben, isobutylparaben.
What to use instead: products preserved with natural alternatives like vitamin E (tocopherol), rosemary extract, or products labelled "paraben-free." At Good Planet Co., our essential oils and body care products contain no synthetic preservatives.
2. Phthalates — in synthetic fragrances and plastic packaging
Phthalates are a group of chemicals used to make plastics flexible and to make fragrances last longer. They're often hidden under the single word "fragrance" on ingredient labels — which means you may not even know they're there.
Research shows that endocrine-disrupting chemicals such as parabens and phthalates may pose the greatest risk during prenatal and early postnatal development, when organ and neural systems form. Exposure to these chemicals has been linked to endocrine diseases and some types of cancer.
Researchers analyzing a large, diverse data sample of births in the U.S. found that exposure to certain phthalates was associated with decreased gestational age and increased risk of preterm birth.
What to look for on labels: "fragrance" or "parfum" in any product, dibutyl phthalate (DBP), diethyl phthalate (DEP).
What to use instead: products scented only with pure essential oils, labeled "phthalate-free" or "no synthetic fragrance." Our aromatherapy collection at Good Planet Co. uses only pure essential oils — no synthetic fragrance, ever.
3. BPA — in plastic containers and food packaging
Bisphenol A (BPA) is found in hard plastic containers, the lining of canned foods, and receipts. Because BPA mimics estrogen, it can interfere with normal hormonal signaling and disrupt reproductive development.
Exposure to BPA is frequent and widespread. Studies carried out in the USA, Germany and Canada show that more than 90% of individuals evaluated had measurable amounts of BPA in their urine.
What to look for: plastic containers with recycling symbol #7, canned foods, plastic wrap.
What to use instead: stainless steel containers, glass, silicone food storage. Our Nourish collection at Good Planet Co. is built entirely around this swap — stainless steel lunch boxes, glass containers, and silicone alternatives that keep your food completely free of plastic contact.
4. Triclosan — in antibacterial soaps and some toothpastes
Triclosan is an antibacterial agent added to soaps, body washes, and some personal care products labeled "antibacterial." Triclosan is detected in human breast milk, blood, plasma, and urine. It alters thyroid, estrogen, and androgen hormone functions and may impair the reproductive system.
The U.S. FDA banned triclosan from consumer soap products in 2016, finding it was no better than regular soap at preventing illness — and that the risks outweighed any benefit in that category.
What to look for on labels: triclosan, triclocarban. Also avoid products labeled "antibacterial" or "odor-fighting" that don't list their ingredients.
What to use instead: plain soap and water — which works just as well. Our natural soap options at Good Planet Co. clean effectively without any antibacterial additives.
5. Synthetic fragrances — in almost everything
"Fragrance" is one of the most opaque words in cosmetics. A single fragrance formula can contain dozens of undisclosed chemicals — including phthalates, synthetic musks, and other compounds. Synthetic fragrances commonly found in personal care and household products are a significant source of endocrine-disrupting chemical exposure.
What to look for on labels: "fragrance," "parfum," "scent" — any of these can hide dozens of undisclosed chemicals.
What to use instead: products scented exclusively with pure essential oils, or unscented products. The difference is immediate — you'll notice it the moment you open a product that uses real essential oils. There's no artificial sharpness. Just the plant itself.
6. Synthetic dyes — in shampoos, soaps and body washes
Artificial colors in personal care products — listed as FD&C or D&C followed by a color and number — are petroleum-derived and some have been linked to hormone disruption and skin sensitization. Exposure to toxins found in personal care products has been associated with carcinogenic, obesogenic, or proinflammatory effects, and these compounds have been implicated as endocrine-disrupting chemicals that can worsen dermatological conditions.
What to look for on labels: FD&C Red 40, D&C Yellow 5, any color + number combination.
What to use instead: products colored naturally with plant extracts, or uncolored products. A shampoo doesn't need to be bright blue to clean your hair.
7. Synthetic fabrics and chemical finishes — in your bedding, pillows and towels
Most people think about what they put on their skin. Few think about what their skin is in contact with for 7 to 9 hours every night.
Conventional bedding is often made from polyester — a plastic-derived fabric — or cotton treated with wrinkle-resistant finishes, synthetic dyes, and flame retardants. Some of these finishes, particularly in products manufactured outside Canada and the EU where regulations are less stringent, have been found to contain formaldehyde-based compounds. When you breathe with your face pressed against a pillow for eight hours, or sleep wrapped in chemically finished sheets night after night, that cumulative skin contact matters — more than a product you rinse off in thirty seconds.
The same logic applies to your bath towels and the clothes you sleep in — anything that stays against your skin for extended periods deserves the same scrutiny as your morning routine.
What to look for: polyester content, "wrinkle-free" or "easy-care" labels (particularly in products not certified to OEKO-TEX or GOTS standards), synthetic fill in pillows (polyester fiberfill, memory foam).
What to use instead: bedding made from natural, biodegradable fibers — organic cotton, bamboo, silk, wool, or kapok. These materials breathe naturally, regulate temperature, and contain no synthetic chemical finishes. Our Rest collection at Good Planet Co. is built entirely around this — organic kapok pillows, bamboo and cotton sheets, Australian wool duvets, and silk pillowcases. Everything your skin touches for eight hours deserves to be as clean as what you put on it in the morning.
8. Plastic microbeads and synthetic exfoliants — in scrubs and cleansers
Some exfoliating products still contain tiny plastic particles that not only end up in waterways but also carry other chemicals directly against your skin. Common plastic additives such as BPA, triclosan, and phthalates can be absorbed through skin contact.
What to look for on labels: polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) in scrubs or exfoliating products.
What to use instead: natural exfoliants — loofahs, konjac sponges, pumice stones, and natural fiber brushes. Our Bathe collection at Good Planet Co. is built entirely around these alternatives — every item biodegrades completely and leaves nothing behind, on your skin or on the planet.
Where to start
You don't need to replace everything at once. That's not realistic and it's not necessary.
Start with what stays on your skin the longest — moisturizer, body lotion, deodorant. These have the most contact time with your body. Then move to what you use daily in the shower. Then look at your kitchen. And don't forget your bedroom — what you sleep on matters just as much.
One swap at a time is enough. Your body notices the difference before you do.
At Good Planet Co., every product in our Bathe, Nourish, and Rest collections passes one test: is it free from hormone-disrupting chemicals, and will the earth absorb it without harm? If the answer to both is yes, it earns a place in our collection.
Sources:
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) — Endocrine Disruptors: niehs.nih.gov
Endocrine Society — Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals: endocrine.org
Environmental Working Group — The Toxic Twelve Chemicals in Cosmetics: ewg.org
Zhang et al. (2024) — Interference Mechanisms of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals in Cosmetics. International Journal of Endocrinology, Wiley.
Lin et al. (2024) — Toxic Ingredients in Personal Care Products: A Dermatological Perspective. Dermatology, Sage Journals.
MDPI Endocrines (2024) — Synthetic Endocrine Disruptors in Fragranced Products.
Scientific American (2024) — What Does Plastic Do to the Endocrine System?
Stevens et al. (2024) — Plastic Food Packaging Contains Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals. Environmental Science & Technology, ACS.