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Makeup Goes Gluten Free
According to research conducted by Mintel, the number of beauty products positioning themselves as gluten-free is on the rise. In 2013, the use of gluten-free claims from beauty brands increased 22 percent over the previous year. The volume of gluten-free beauty launches are growing the most in the skincare, color cosmetics and hair products categories.
Gluten-Free Certification
Several organizations offer gluten-freecertification for both food and non-food products, and each has its own criteria to help ensure safety for consumers. The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness endorses the Gluten-Free Certification Program (GFCP). Other organizations include Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO), Celiac Sprue Association (CSA) and QAI/NSF International.
Gluten-Free Cosmetics
We’ve compiled a few lists of some gluten free cosmetic items and brands to use as a starting point for your own research. It’s always best to read the labels before using any product, and don’t hesitate to call the company if the ingredients list leaves you guessing.
Lipstick
Can Someone Get Gluten From Kissing? Yes, if your lipstick isn’t gluten-free.
While there is controversy over whether gluten-free makeup is a necessity or merely a cosmetics marketing angle, in the gluten-free cosmetics world, lipstick is the major player. As 11 Things You Thought Were Gluten-Free reveals, it turns out it’s not true the average woman eats six pounds of lipstick over her lifetime, but you do put it on your mouth, so it’s almost impossible not to digest some lipstick, and along with it, at least trace amounts of gluten.
Almost every list we uncovered including allwomenstalk.com liked the gluten-free lipstick from Red Apple Lipstick. They also make lip balm, lip liner, lip exfoliator and eye shadow.
The xovain.com Beginners Guide To Gluten-Free Lipstick likes NARS, whose lipsticks are entirely gluten-free. And, among drugstore brands, Revlon ColorStay Lipstick is gluten-free, and some Maybelline lip products are, while others aren’t.
If you’re not sure whether your favorite lipstick contains gluten, contact the brand directly. The author of Is There Gluten In Your Lipstick reached out to Estee Lauder, and much to her surprise and delight, she learned there was no gluten in her favorite product.
Where To Find Gluten Free Cosmetics
Check out an extensive list of Gluten-Free Makeup Brands here. From Afterglow Cosmetics to Zuzu Luxe, this A through Z list includes certified gluten-free brands; brands that offer cautionary statements about cross-contamination during manufacturing; and companies that declined to comment on possible gluten content of their products.
Glutenfreemakeupgal.com offers for download an Updated 2015 List of Gluten-Free Makeup, while 8 Glorious Gluten-Free Makeups reviews name brands in makeup, skin care and hair care.
If you don’t want to wade through these lists, theceliacdiva.com offers information on foundations for individuals who are gluten free by choice or for those who go gluten-free because of Celiac. While there, look for the diva’s brief lists of gluten free shampoos, lotions and body washes.
Do Your Research
By now, you might be asking yourself, do I really need gluten-free beauty products? Some say yes, some say no, others say better safe than sorry. Although ingesting gluten in lipstick could be an issue, as for the likelihood of gluten in other skincare products being absorbed through the skin and creating an adverse reactions, Mayo Clinic answers “no.”
Of course, you should do your own research and talk with your physician. For more information on Celiac and non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity, visit the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness. For more information on product ingredients and wholesomeness in beauty products, check out our blog posts Nature’s Beauty Secrets, Revealed (And the UnNatural, Exposed!) and When To Toss Expired Beauty Products.