How Endocrine Disruptors In Black Women's Products Contribute To Heavy Periods

We all have our favorite beauty products, from hair creams to skin lotions. But have you ever thought about what’s inside them? Many products marketed specifically to Black women contain chemicals known as endocrine disruptors, which can mess with our hormones — and for many of us, that means heavier, more painful periods.

Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that interfere with your hormones, which play a huge role in regulating your menstrual cycle. These chemicals are found in many products marketed to Black women, including hair relaxers, skin lighteners, and even popular beauty brands. Once they enter your body, these disruptors can mimic or block hormones like estrogen, causing hormonal imbalances that often result in heavy periods.

Beauty and Personal Care Products:

1. Hair Relaxers – May contain parabens, phthalates, and formaldehyde.
2. Skin Lighteners – Often contain parabens and mercury compounds.
3. Makeup (Foundation, Lipstick, Mascara) – Parabens, phthalates, and synthetic fragrances are common.
4. Fragrances/Perfumes – Usually contain phthalates and synthetic chemicals hidden under "fragrance" or "parfum."
5. Body Lotions and Creams – May include parabens, phthalates, and other preservatives.
6. Shampoos and Conditioners – Often contain parabens, phthalates, and sulfates.
7. Deodorants/Antiperspirants – Can include parabens, triclosan, and aluminum compounds.
8. Nail Polishes – Often contain formaldehyde, toluene, and phthalates.
9. Sunscreens – May contain oxybenzone and octinoxate, which are endocrine disruptors.

Household Products:

1. Cleaning Products – Fragrance and antibacterial agents like triclosan are common endocrine disruptors.
2. Laundry Detergents and Fabric Softeners – Contain synthetic fragrances and phthalates.
3. Plastic Food Containers and Water Bottles – May leach BPA (Bisphenol A) and phthalates.
4. Non-Stick Cookware – Teflon and similar coatings may release endocrine-disrupting chemicals when heated.
5. Air Fresheners and Scented Candles – Contain synthetic fragrances and phthalates.

Baby and Children’s Products:

1. Plastic Toys – Can contain BPA and phthalates.
2. Baby Lotions and Shampoos – Often contain parabens, phthalates, and synthetic fragrances.

Endocrine disruptors don’t just affect your hormones generally — they can make your periods heavier and more painful. Here’s how:

• Mimicking Estrogen:  Chemicals like parabens and phthalates can mimic estrogen in the body. This leads to an imbalance, with too much estrogen relative to progesterone, which can cause the uterine lining to build up more than usual. When it sheds during your period, this results in heavier bleeding.
• Disrupting Hormonal Balance:  By interfering with the natural balance of estrogen and progesterone, endocrine disruptors can make it harder for your body to regulate your period. This can lead to both longer and more intense bleeding.
• Worsening PMS and Cramps:  These chemicals can also increase the severity of PMS symptoms, making you feel more bloated, moody, and crampy right before your period, on top of dealing with heavier bleeding.

Research shows that Black women are more likely to develop fibroids — non-cancerous growths in the uterus that can cause heavy, painful periods. Many of the products marketed to us, especially hair relaxers, contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals that have been linked to an increased risk of fibroids. These fibroids often make periods not only heavier but also more painful, creating a double burden.

The unfortunate truth is that many of the products marketed to Black women contain higher levels of harmful chemicals than those sold to other women. This is partly because of the long-standing cultural pressures to meet certain beauty standards, pushing products like hair straighteners and skin lighteners into our hands.

Reducing your exposure to endocrine disruptors can help balance your hormones and improve your periods. Here’s how to start:

• Read Labels: Watch out for parabens, phthalates, or formaldehyde, common endocrine disruptors in Black women’s products.
• Choose Clean Beauty: Look for non-toxic alternatives that don’t contain these harmful chemicals.
• Use Apps Like Think Dirty: Apps like Think Dirty help you scan products to check for harmful ingredients, making it easier to shop clean and avoid chemicals that can worsen heavy periods.

At My Happy Flo, we’re committed to helping Black women take control of their hormonal health. Our supplements feature natural ingredients like Indole-3-Carbinol (I3C) and DIM, which support estrogen metabolism, helping to balance hormones and reduce issues like heavy periods and fibroids.

Our supplements also include essential nutrients like Vitamin D3 and Iron, both of which many of us are deficient in — especially if you’ve been dealing with heavy bleeding. These nutrients help your body stay balanced and support a smoother, more manageable cycle.

At My Happy Flo, we believe you don’t have to put your health at risk to feel good and look good. We’re here to help you balance your hormones, reduce period pain, and protect yourself from the harmful effects of endocrine disruptors.

We’ve been marketed products that harm us for too long, but we have the power to take control of our health. By choosing cleaner, safer products and nourishing your body with the right natural supplements — like My Happy Flo — you can help restore hormonal balance and make your periods more manageable. 

Sis, you deserve to feel good and live without being held back by heavy, painful periods. Learn more at myhappyflo.co