Update: Check out this video: How Your Cosmetics and Lotions Might Be Making You Sick
While it’s true that the gluten molecules contained in cosmetics are too large to permeate the skin, I make certain that any cosmetics that may enter my mouth are gluten free. Of course, I don’t mean to get moisturizer, hairspray, or foundation in my mouth, but it can end up there. Below are my quick and easy guidelines for determining which products should be gluten free:
- Products used on my lips (e.g., lipstick, chapstick, and lip gloss) or on the lips of my significant other
- Products used on my face around my mouth (e.g., facial moisturizer, foundation)
- Products used in the shower to wash anything above my chin (e.g., facial cleanser, shampoo, conditioner)
- Products sprayed on my hair (e.g., hairspray) – and because I have long hair, any products used on my hair (because my hair sometimes gets in my mouth, especially on windy days)
- Products that remain on my hands without being washed off (e.g., body lotion)
When I’m aware that products not meeting these guidelines (e.g., eye shadow) are gluten free, I generally prefer them because I tend to use my fingers for application, and I rub my face and eyes throughout the day, and I don’t want to accidentally contaminate myself. In addition, some people report getting dermatitis herpetaformis from cosmetics and other personal care products containing gluten.
It is quite difficult to determine whether a product contains gluten-derived ingredients by looking at the ingredient list because they’re often written in a cryptic manner comprehensible only to chemists. If you’re uncertain whether something is gluten free, it’s best to call the company. I highly recommend that you use the customer service contact information provided to check on the gluten-free status of the products on the list. There is a lot of conflicting information out there in the blogosphere, so it’s good practice to start checking these things for yourself. It can be difficult when you don’t know where to start, so having a list of things that have been established as gluten-free at one point in time narrows the field considerably, reducing the number of calls you’ll have to make.
That’s why we created the Gluten Free Cosmetics List the most complete list of gluten free cosmetics and self-care products available!
If you have any additional recommendations, we’d love to hear from you. Post a comment below!
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