There is a single word printed on the back of almost every perfumed cosmetic you own — lipstick, eyeliner, micellar water, concealer — and that word is legally allowed to replace a list of hundreds of individual chemical molecules. The word is parfum. Among the substances it can silently shelter are phthalates: DBP, DEHP, and DEP, a class of industrial plasticisers used as fragrance fixatives that the European Chemicals Agency classifies as substances of very high concern for endocrine disruption. You have been reading labels carefully. You just never had the chance to read this one. Women across Saudi Arabia, the UAE and across the GCC are exposed to this daily — reaching for the same lipstick, micellar water, and eyeliner without ever knowing what the word parfum is quietly concealing.
How phthalates enter your body through scented cosmetics
Phthalates function as fixatives: they slow the evaporation of fragrance molecules so that a scent lasts longer on skin and hair. Because they are incorporated into the fragrance blend rather than added as standalone preservatives, they are absorbed into the "parfum" trade-secret umbrella and never appear on the INCI list by name. A 2019 peer-reviewed study published in Toxics confirmed that "the major source of exposure to DEP — one of the major phthalates found in human urine — is cosmetics and personal care products," and that metabolites of phthalates are now "one of the most examined environmental chemicals in human biomonitoring studies," found routinely in population samples (Erkekoglu & Kocer-Gumusel, Toxics 2019). The route is not dramatic: it is the lipstick you reapply three times a day and the micellar water that stays on your face while you sleep.
Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) have been restricted in EU cosmetics since 2004 under Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 Annex II. Diethyl phthalate (DEP), however, remained unregulated in cosmetics for two decades, legally present inside "parfum" on every product in your bathroom. The European Commission's 2023 update — Regulation (EU) 2023/1545 — now requires individual disclosure of 80 named fragrance allergens, a step forward. But it still does not require phthalates to be listed by name if they are used as fixatives within a fragrance blend. The loophole is structural, not accidental.
What conventional cosmetics actually put inside "parfum"
The International Fragrance Association (IFRA) maintains a transparency list of over 3,000 materials that may be used in fragrance compositions. A single "parfum" entry on your label could represent any combination of those ingredients. Beyond phthalates, conventional fragrance blends routinely include synthetic musks (some of which bio-accumulate in human tissue), nitroaromatic compounds, and volatile organic compounds linked to contact sensitisation. The EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) has issued restriction opinions on dozens of these individual molecules — yet none of those names are required on the product you hold in your hand.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies formaldehyde — a compound that can be released by certain fragrance preservative systems — as a Group 1 carcinogen (IARC Monographs, Vol. 100F). Separately, the SCCS has confirmed that several synthetic musks used in fragrance are "potentially persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic" (SCCS, European Commission). These compounds do not have to be named. "Parfum" covers them all.
Conventional vs. Born to Bio ECOCERT: what is actually inside
| What we compare | Conventional cosmetic | Born to Bio ECOCERT COSMOS |
|---|---|---|
| Ingredient type | Synthetic actives, petrochemical emollients, synthetic polymers | Natural & natural-origin actives only; petrochemical derivatives prohibited |
| Risk / concern | Endocrine disruption (phthalates, parabens), sensitisation (synthetic musks), accumulation | Every restricted substance on the COSMOS prohibited list is excluded by audit |
| Fragrance disclosure | "Parfum" trade secret — hundreds of molecules unlisted | Natural-origin fragrance only; all 80 EU-regulated allergens individually disclosed |
| Preservatives | Parabens, phenoxyethanol, formaldehyde-releasing agents (DMDM hydantoin, imidazolidinyl urea) | COSMOS-approved preservation only; parabens and formaldehyde releasers prohibited |
| Certified by | No independent third-party audit; self-declared "clean" or "natural" claims | ECOCERT — independent French certification body auditing formula, sourcing & production |
| Safe for | No verified safety claim for sensitive, pregnant, or hormonally active skin | Formulated to exclude endocrine disruptors; suitable for daily use on sensitive skin |
What ECOCERT COSMOS actually certifies — and why "natural" is not the same thing
COSMOS-standard is not a marketing label. It is a technical audit protocol jointly developed by five European certification bodies (ECOCERT, BDIH, COSMEBIO, ICEA, and the Soil Association) that governs three independent layers: the origin and processing of ingredients, the formulation rules at the factory level, and the environmental practices of the entire supply chain. For fragrance specifically, COSMOS requires that any aromatic material be of natural origin or derived from a natural substance through a permitted process — synthetic aroma chemicals, including phthalate-class fixatives, are structurally excluded. This is not a promise the brand makes to you. It is a condition an external inspector verifies before the logo can appear on the product.
A product described as "natural," "clean," "non-toxic," or "green" carries no regulatory meaning in either the EU or the GCC. Those words are controlled by no standard and audited by no third party. The COSMOS seal, by contrast, means an inspector reviewed every raw material against a prohibited substance list that includes phthalates, parabens, silicones, synthetic UV filters, and petrochemical derivatives. Read the full documented science →
Why certified-organic cosmetics cost more — and what that price actually pays for
The price difference between a ECOCERT COSMOS-certified lipstick and a conventional drugstore equivalent reflects the formulation gap, not a marketing premium. Natural waxes that replace petroleum-derived microcrystalline wax cost three to four times more per kilogram. Certified organic plant oils that replace silicone emollients must be cold-pressed, traceable to farm level, and tested for pesticide residues before entering the factory. Born to Bio formulates in France under pharmaceutical-grade production standards — the same facility controls that govern regulated medicines, applied to cosmetics. You are paying for the audit trail, not the packaging.
Made in France
Pharmaceutical-grade production controls. Every batch traceable. No exceptions for smaller runs.
Every ingredient vetted
Each raw material is checked against the COSMOS prohibited list before it enters the formula. Fragrance included.
Colour that performs
Natural pigments and plant waxes deliver the same payoff as synthetic formulas — without the hidden fixatives.
What most formulas include
- Diethyl phthalate (DEP) as fragrance fixative
- Synthetic musks (galaxolide, tonalide) that bioaccumulate
- Parabens or formaldehyde-releasing preservatives
- Undisclosed aroma chemicals inside "parfum"
- Petrochemical waxes and silicone-based emollients
What Born to Bio eliminates
- All phthalates — prohibited at formula level by ECOCERT audit
- Synthetic musks — not permitted under COSMOS standard
- Parabens and formaldehyde-releasing agents
- Anonymous synthetic fragrance blends
- Petrochemicals — replaced by certified organic plant waxes and oils
The products — certified, disclosed, and tested on colour
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What to look for on any label
Ignore words like "clean," "natural," or "free-from" unless they are backed by a named third-party certification — those terms carry no regulatory weight in either the EU or the GCC. Instead, look for the ECOCERT COSMOS or equivalent COSMOS-standard seal, which legally requires that every fragrance ingredient be of natural origin and that all 80 EU-regulated allergens be individually named. If a product only lists "parfum" with no certification mark, treat it as a question mark, not a clearance — and prioritise replacing the products you leave on your skin the longest.
FAQ
Does "parfum" always mean the product contains phthalates?
No. "Parfum" means the fragrance formula is not disclosed, not that it necessarily contains phthalates. But because you cannot tell from the label either way, the absence of a third-party certification standard that prohibits phthalates means you have no reliable way to verify. The word is a question mark, not a guarantee in either direction.
Are phthalates dangerous if I only apply the product briefly before rinsing?
Rinse-off products do present a lower exposure window than leave-on products. However, lipsticks and eyeliners are leave-on by nature — and micellar water, while applied with a cotton pad, often remains in contact with skin for 30–60 seconds before any rinse. The 2019 Toxics review specifically highlights cosmetics as a primary daily exposure route regardless of rinse-off status, because cumulative application across multiple products throughout the day adds up in biomonitoring studies.
Do ECOCERT-certified cosmetics perform as well as conventional ones?
Yes — colour payoff, longevity, and texture in certified organic cosmetics have improved substantially. Born to Bio lipsticks use high-pigment natural mineral colour combined with certified organic plant waxes; the result is comparable coverage and wear to conventional formulas. The difference is in what the formula does not contain, not in what it fails to deliver.
What is the difference between ECOCERT COSMOS and a product that just says "natural"?
"Natural" is a self-declared marketing claim with no legal definition or independent verification in EU or GCC markets. ECOCERT COSMOS is an audit standard: a third-party inspector reviews every ingredient at source, the processing method, and the production facility against a published prohibited-substance list — including phthalates. One is a word; the other is a documented audit trail.
Does EU Regulation 2023/1545 now require phthalates to be listed on cosmetic labels?
Not directly. Regulation (EU) 2023/1545 expands the list of fragrance allergens that must be named individually on cosmetic labels from 26 to 80. It does not require phthalates to be listed by name if they are used as fixatives within a broader fragrance blend. Phthalate-specific restrictions in EU cosmetics are handled through the prohibited substances list in Annex II of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 — which bans DBP and DEHP but has historically left DEP unaddressed in fragrance applications.
Sources
- Erkekoglu P. & Kocer-Gumusel B. — "A Review of Biomonitoring of Phthalate Exposures" — Toxics, 2019 (NCBI/NIH)
- Regulation (EU) 2023/1545 of the European Parliament and of the Council — fragrance allergen disclosure amendment to Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 (EUR-Lex)
- Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 on cosmetic products — Annex II prohibited substances including DBP and DEHP (EUR-Lex)
- COSMOS-standard AISBL — the technical standard governing ECOCERT COSMOS certification, ingredient rules, and prohibited substances
- IARC Monographs on the Identification of Carcinogenic Hazards to Humans — agents classified by the IARC (WHO)