Don’t take our word for it. Here’s every fact on this site, with its evidence grade, its caveats, and a link to the source, so you can check us.
We start you on the strong ones: findings that have been replicated or come from one large, well-controlled study. Moderate and weak facts are here too, labeled for what they are. Use “Link to this fact” to share a single card.
Hidden ingredients / Review of other studies
US law does not require the individual chemicals in a fragrance to be listed, so a shopper cannot tell from the label whether a scented product contains diethyl phthalate.
Strong evidence: Regulatory background statement, as of 2013.
Source: Parlett 2013, Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology Link to this fact
Hidden ingredients / Review of other studies
None of the products used by the four affected children was ever chemically analyzed; the researchers could only assume that a product labeled as containing lavender oil actually met the international composition standard.
Strong evidence.
Caveats
Stated by the authors as a limitation; an industry letter later claimed one named cologne contained diethyl phthalate and no lavender oil, which has also never been independently verified.
Source: Ramsey 2019, The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism Link to this fact
Hidden ingredients / Other evidence
Under EU flavoring law a consumer ingredient list may say simply 'flavorings' (or a more specific name or description) without naming the flavor's chemical components; business-to-business labels must list the categories of flavorings present but not each flavoring substance.
Strong evidence: Allergen rules sit in other law (see the Regulation 1169/2011 page); Art. 15(1)(g) does require buyers to be told the maximum quantity of components subject to limits.
Source: EU Regulation 1334/2008, Art. 29 and Art. 15 Link to this fact
Information, not medical advice. See also: myths we won’t tell you.