HORMONE HEALTH EDUCATION
The 160 chemicals most women don't know they're using
The average woman uses 12 personal care products before she leaves the house in the morning. That routine exposes her to more than 160 unique chemicals, many with the documented ability to interfere with the body's hormonal system. Most women have no idea. We think that needs to change.
160+
unique chemicals the average woman is exposed to daily through personal care products alone
Environmental Working Group · The Guardian, 2015
WHAT ARE ENDOCRINE-DISRUPTING CHEMICALS?
Chemicals that speak your body's language, and say the wrong things
Your body communicates through hormones, chemical messengers that regulate everything from your metabolism and mood to sleep quality, libido, and immune function. Hormones work because your cells have receptors specifically shaped to receive their signals, like a lock and key.
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) interfere with this system. Some mimic natural hormones, particularly estrogen, and bind to receptors as if they were the real thing, sending false signals. Others block receptors entirely, preventing natural hormones from functioning. The problem is not a single exposure, it is daily, cumulative exposure across dozens of products, over years, particularly during sensitive life stages.
The founding insight behind Hugh & Grace: During Sara and Ben Jensen's sixth round of IVF, their fertility physician Dr. Mark Surrey asked one question: what personal care and home products were they using? He explained that chemicals in many everyday products can be absorbed through skin and affect the body's hormonal function. That conversation is why Hugh & Grace exists.
THE CHEMICALS MOST WORTH KNOWING
What's in the products, and what they do
Not all 160+ chemicals are equally concerning. These are the most extensively researched, most commonly found, and most clearly linked to hormone disruption in peer-reviewed literature.
Phthalates
Fragrance, nail polish, hairspray, lotion
Used to make synthetic fragrances last longer and to increase plastic flexibility. Often listed only as "fragrance", a word that can represent dozens of compounds. Associated with testosterone suppression, early puberty, and reduced fertility. The UC Berkeley HERMOSA Study found phthalate levels dropped 27% in just three days of switching products.
Parabens
Shampoo, conditioner, lotion, cosmetics
Synthetic preservatives used to extend shelf life. Detected in human breast tissue and linked to estrogen mimicry. Common forms include methylparaben, propylparaben, and butylparaben. Paraben levels dropped up to 45% within three days of product switching in the HERMOSA Study.
Synthetic Fragrance
Almost everything with a scent
"Fragrance" on a product label is a legal loophole concealing dozens of chemical compounds, including phthalates and synthetic musks. Fragrance formulations are trade secrets and are not required to be disclosed. One of the highest-risk and most ubiquitous ingredients in personal care. Every Hugh & Grace product is fragrance-free or uses only essential oil blends.
Triclosan
Antibacterial soaps, toothpastes, body wash
Antimicrobial agent associated with thyroid hormone disruption, antibiotic resistance, and gut microbiome disruption. Banned from hand soaps by the FDA in 2016 but remains in some toothpastes and other products.
Chemical Sunscreen Filters
Sunscreen, SPF lotions, some cosmetics
UV filters including oxybenzone and octinoxate act as weak estrogen mimics when absorbed through skin. Oxybenzone has been measured in blood, breast milk, and urine following normal sunscreen use. Mineral sunscreens using zinc oxide or titanium dioxide are the preferred alternative.
Formaldehyde Releasers
Some shampoos, cosmetics, nail products
Chemicals like DMDM hydantoin and quaternium-15 slowly release formaldehyde as a preservative. Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen associated with sensitization. Often used as paraben replacements, products marketed as "paraben-free" may still carry these concerns.
The Scale of the Problem
WHERE THE CHEMICALS ARE
The products that carry the highest load
Stay-on products, those that remain on skin rather than being rinsed off, carry particular importance because they allow longer absorption time. Body lotion applied to a large surface area and left on throughout the day represents a meaningfully different exposure than a body wash rinsed off in 30 seconds.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What people ask about chemical exposure
Phthalates | Synthetic fragrance | Triclosan
Phthalates | Synthetic musks | Benzophenones
Phthalates | Parabens | Heavy metals
Parabens | Phthalates | Synthetic fragrance
Parabens | Sulfates | Formaldehyde releasers
Oxybenzone | Octinoxate | Octisalate
Minimally. The US has banned or restricted fewer than 30 chemicals from personal care products. The European Union has banned or restricted more than 2,400. The FDA does not require pre-market safety testing for most cosmetic ingredients. This regulatory gap is a significant reason why phthalates, parabens, and synthetic fragrance remain common in US consumer products despite growing evidence of their endocrine-disrupting potential.
This is one of the most important questions in environmental health. EDCs may exert effects at very low doses because the hormonal system itself operates at tiny concentrations. The more significant factor is the "cocktail effect", simultaneous exposure to multiple EDCs daily, which is the real-world condition most people experience. Each individual chemical may fall within regulatory thresholds while the combined daily effect of 160+ chemicals through multiple products remains unstudied and unregulated.
For many common EDCs including phthalates and parabens, the body metabolizes and excretes them relatively quickly. The UC Berkeley HERMOSA Study demonstrated exactly this: participants who switched to hormone-supportive products for just three days showed 27-45% reductions in measurable chemical levels. Consistent daily product choices over time are the most effective long-term lever.
EDC exposure affects everyone, but fetuses, infants, and adolescents during puberty face heightened risk because their systems are still developing. Research has consistently documented that communities of color face disproportionate exposure through products historically marketed to them, a health equity issue that deserves direct attention. The ECHO-FGS study (2024) found Black children have the highest measured phthalate concentrations among children studied.
SIMPLE SWAPS. REAL RESULTS.
You cannot control every exposure. You can control this one.
The products you put on your body every day are one of the most accessible levers you have over your hormone health. Hugh & Grace makes that swap simple.
SOURCES & CITATIONS
Westervelt, A. (2015). Not so pretty: Women apply an average of 168 chemicals every day.
The Guardian.theguardian.com
Attina, T.M. et al. (2016). Exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals in the USA.
The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, 4(12), 996-1003.doi:10.1016/S2213-8587(16)30275-3
Endocrine Society (2017). EDC exposure costs billions.
endocrine.org · WHO (2023). Infertility prevalence estimates.who.int
Bloom, M.S. et al. (2024). Impact of skin care products on phthalates in children: the ECHO-FGS.Environmental Health Perspectives, 132(9).
doi:10.1289/EHP13937