It’s time to clean out your purse. No, not the rare venture into forgotten pockets of your everyday bag that’s part treasure hunt, part dumpster dive. Okay, maybe it is time for that. But what we’re talking about is a total detox. Purse standbys like your smartphone, lip balm, hand sanitizer, and gum are lifesavers in a pinch, but the shady secrets they’re hiding could be taking a toll on your health. Read on to find out how to clean up your purse’s act from the inside out.
Threat: Your Smartphone
Although cell phones haven’t been definitively tied to any diseases, what we know so far is pretty unsettling. The International Agency for Research on Cancer lists electromagnetic activity from cell phones as a possible human carcinogen, and in in-vitro experiments at Gazi University in Turkey revealed that exposure to the same levels of microwave radiation a cell phone gives off quadrupled the growth of breast cancer cells and tripled sperm death. Your brain could be at risk, too. Just 50 minutes of cell phone use causes a significant increase in brain glucose near the area of exposure. Elevated brain glucose, in turn, is associated with Alzheimer’s disease, says Devra Davis, PhD, cancer epidemiologist and president of the Environmental Health Trust.
Detox tip: Reduce radiation exposure from your phone by texting, instead of calling, when possible. When you do chat on the phone, keep it a couple of inches from your head, rather than glued to your ear, and use the speakerphone option when you can, especially for long calls. When you’re not using it, leave it in your purse. “Not in your lap, not in your bra, not in your pocket,” Dr. Davis says.
Threat: Hand Sanitizer
Having a stand-in for soap and water when you need it? Great. Rubbing benzalkonium chloride—an active ingredient in some popular hand sanitizers—all over your hands? Not so much. “It’s an asthmogen, a family of compounds that can cause asthma in healthy people,” says Sonya Lunder, senior research analyst at the Environmental Working Group.
Detox tip: To avoid benzalkonium chloride, look for an alcohol-based hand sanitizer free of synthetic dyes and fragrance. Most dyes and scents are harmless, but some could trigger an allergic reaction on sensitive skin.
Threat: Lip Balm
Lip balm is a hot spot for shady ingredients. Many popular formulas still contain parabens, which are known hormone disruptors, and petroleum, which can be contaminated with hydrocarbons, which the CDC states can damage the nervous system with prolonged exposure. Another common add-in, anti-aging ingredient retinol palmitate, can produce potentially carcinogenic compounds when exposed to light, says Lunder.
Detox tip: Look for a natural lip balm free of parabens, petroleum, retinol palmitate, synthetic fragrances, and chemical sunscreens. While you’re upgrading, Lunder also suggests looking for a lip balm with avobenzone, a physical sunscreen that holds up under sunlight (not all sunscreens do) and blocks both UVB and UVA rays.
Threat: Receipts
They may look innocent, but those glossy little rectangles are laced with BPA—and plenty of it. “One of the top three sources of BPA is the receipt paper with a shiny finish,” says Karin Michels, PhD, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School. “It can be absorbed through the skin—you’ll get quite a high dose from it if you touch it with your fingers.” Although there isn’t conclusive research about BPA’s effect on humans, animal studies have linked it to obesity and an increased risk of diabetes, cancer, and infertility. “Given that, and the fact it’s an endocrine disruptor, which messes up your hormonal system and affects your metabolism, we should be cautious,” she says.
Detox tip: This one’s easy—just say you don’t need a receipt. When you do want one, request that it be emailed or texted to you. If you must deal with them, wash your hands afterward, and recycle any rogue receipts rather than letting them pile up in your purse—you don’t want your afternoon snack to nestle against a BPA-coated takeout slip.
Threat: Water Bottles
Before you use this as evidence that your soda habit really is justifiable, know that both cans and disposable plastic water bottles are both major sources of BPA. “A lot have taken it out, but those with the recycling code 7 still contain BPA,” says Dr. Michels.
Detox tip: With plenty of cute, BPA-free (and totally eco-friendly) reusable water bottles on the market, there’s no reason not to upgrade. Dr. Michels suggests cutting out plastic altogether and going for a steel or glass bottle, which stand up to washing and temperature changes without leaking weird chemicals into your water. (We like Camelbak’s Eddy glass water bottle When you do drink bottled water, toss the bottle rather than reusing it, and keep it out of direct sunlight and intense heat or humidity, which can encourage chemical leakage.
Threat: Perfume
Perfume companies are protected by trade secret legislation from listing exactly what they’re putting in the mix. This can be a problem if you’re allergic to one of the chemicals in the solution, because it’s impossible to pinpoint exactly what your body is reacting to. Worse, some of the ingredients used in fragrance can be downright bad for you. Phthalates, for example, are known to block androgens (male hormones), and have been linked to infertility in men and birth defects in the male fetuses of women with high phthalate levels.
Detox tip: Find out if your signature scent is all-natural. If not, it’s time to find one that is. You’ll still smell amazing, we promise.
Threat: Your Smartphone
Although cell phones haven’t been definitively tied to any diseases, what we know so far is pretty unsettling. The International Agency for Research on Cancer lists electromagnetic activity from cell phones as a possible human carcinogen, and in in-vitro experiments at Gazi University in Turkey revealed that exposure to the same levels of microwave radiation a cell phone gives off quadrupled the growth of breast cancer cells and tripled sperm death. Your brain could be at risk, too. Just 50 minutes of cell phone use causes a significant increase in brain glucose near the area of exposure. Elevated brain glucose, in turn, is associated with Alzheimer’s disease, says Devra Davis, PhD, cancer epidemiologist and president of the Environmental Health Trust.
Detox tip: Reduce radiation exposure from your phone by texting, instead of calling, when possible. When you do chat on the phone, keep it a couple of inches from your head, rather than glued to your ear, and use the speakerphone option when you can, especially for long calls. When you’re not using it, leave it in your purse. “Not in your lap, not in your bra, not in your pocket,” Dr. Davis says.
Threat: Hand Sanitizer
Having a stand-in for soap and water when you need it? Great. Rubbing benzalkonium chloride—an active ingredient in some popular hand sanitizers—all over your hands? Not so much. “It’s an asthmogen, a family of compounds that can cause asthma in healthy people,” says Sonya Lunder, senior research analyst at the Environmental Working Group.
Detox tip: To avoid benzalkonium chloride, look for an alcohol-based hand sanitizer free of synthetic dyes and fragrance. Most dyes and scents are harmless, but some could trigger an allergic reaction on sensitive skin.
Threat: Lip Balm
Lip balm is a hot spot for shady ingredients. Many popular formulas still contain parabens, which are known hormone disruptors, and petroleum, which can be contaminated with hydrocarbons, which the CDC states can damage the nervous system with prolonged exposure. Another common add-in, anti-aging ingredient retinol palmitate, can produce potentially carcinogenic compounds when exposed to light, says Lunder.
Detox tip: Look for a natural lip balm free of parabens, petroleum, retinol palmitate, synthetic fragrances, and chemical sunscreens. While you’re upgrading, Lunder also suggests looking for a lip balm with avobenzone, a physical sunscreen that holds up under sunlight (not all sunscreens do) and blocks both UVB and UVA rays.
Threat: Receipts
They may look innocent, but those glossy little rectangles are laced with BPA—and plenty of it. “One of the top three sources of BPA is the receipt paper with a shiny finish,” says Karin Michels, PhD, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School. “It can be absorbed through the skin—you’ll get quite a high dose from it if you touch it with your fingers.” Although there isn’t conclusive research about BPA’s effect on humans, animal studies have linked it to obesity and an increased risk of diabetes, cancer, and infertility. “Given that, and the fact it’s an endocrine disruptor, which messes up your hormonal system and affects your metabolism, we should be cautious,” she says.
Detox tip: This one’s easy—just say you don’t need a receipt. When you do want one, request that it be emailed or texted to you. If you must deal with them, wash your hands afterward, and recycle any rogue receipts rather than letting them pile up in your purse—you don’t want your afternoon snack to nestle against a BPA-coated takeout slip.
Threat: Water Bottles
Before you use this as evidence that your soda habit really is justifiable, know that both cans and disposable plastic water bottles are both major sources of BPA. “A lot have taken it out, but those with the recycling code 7 still contain BPA,” says Dr. Michels.
Detox tip: With plenty of cute, BPA-free (and totally eco-friendly) reusable water bottles on the market, there’s no reason not to upgrade. Dr. Michels suggests cutting out plastic altogether and going for a steel or glass bottle, which stand up to washing and temperature changes without leaking weird chemicals into your water. (We like Camelbak’s Eddy glass water bottle When you do drink bottled water, toss the bottle rather than reusing it, and keep it out of direct sunlight and intense heat or humidity, which can encourage chemical leakage.
Threat: Perfume
Perfume companies are protected by trade secret legislation from listing exactly what they’re putting in the mix. This can be a problem if you’re allergic to one of the chemicals in the solution, because it’s impossible to pinpoint exactly what your body is reacting to. Worse, some of the ingredients used in fragrance can be downright bad for you. Phthalates, for example, are known to block androgens (male hormones), and have been linked to infertility in men and birth defects in the male fetuses of women with high phthalate levels.
Detox tip: Find out if your signature scent is all-natural. If not, it’s time to find one that is. You’ll still smell amazing, we promise.
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