We’re big believers in transparency and clean ingredients, so when a recent Rutgers Health study uncovered that the average person is exposed to more than 100 chemicals a day from personal care products alone… we had to talk about it.

Yes, over one hundred.

The Study at a Glance

Published in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology, the study examined the personal care routines of nearly 600 people and tracked the 9,000+ specific products they used in a typical 24–48-hour period. Participants reported using an average of 14.5 products per day—everything from soap and toothpaste to deodorants, cosmetics, hair products, and fragrance.

By linking each product to the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep database, researchers could assess the potential hazard of the ingredients across 17 health categories including:

• Cancer risk

• Hormone/endocrine disruption

• Developmental toxicity

• Allergies and skin irritation

The result? Most people were exposed to dozens of potentially harmful chemicals every single day.

The Worst Offenders

Some product categories stood out for all the wrong reasons.

• Perfumes and colognes ranked as the most hazardous, largely due to the presence of phthalates, a class of endocrine disruptors that can interfere with hormone function.
• Hair products, especially those used by women of color, also raised red flags, having been previously linked to reproductive cancers and hormone disruption.
• Skincare products containing phenols and parabens were associated with concerns around reproductive health and hormone balance.

Even more concerning? The U.S. currently bans or restricts only about a dozen chemicals in personal care products. In contrast, the European Union restricts thousands. As the study’s lead author Emily Barrett said, "We tend to allow chemicals until they're proven unsafe, instead of playing it safe from the start."

But There’s Hope

Here’s the empowering part:
Participants who expressed concern about product safety and made intentional swaps to cleaner alternatives had significantly lower chemical exposures. Your routine can make a difference.

Research shows that when people switch to non-toxic products, the level of harmful chemicals in their body drops within just a few days.

So, What Can You Do?

You don’t have to overhaul everything at once. Start here:

• ✅ Use fewer products when you can

• ✅ Finish what you have, but replace it with a safer option when it's empty

• ✅ Use tools like EWG’s Skin Deep, Think Dirty, or Yuka to scan products for ingredient safety

• ✅ Say no to fragrance when possible—it’s often a cocktail of unlisted chemicals

• ✅ Choose brands that prioritize transparency, safety, and simplicity

Why We’re Passionate About This

At Healthy Hoohoo, we built our brand on the belief that intimate care should be as safe as it is effective. That means:

• No parabens

• No phthalates

• No harsh surfactants

• No fragrances

• No compromises

Just gentle, doctor-developed formulas designed for your vulva, body, and peace of mind.

Because you deserve to feel fresh and confident—without wondering what’s lurking in your wash.

Want to try before you buy? Try our Sample Pack for just $.99 here.