Should I Use Gluten Free Beauty Products?
As a part of my transition to a gluten free lifestyle, I have been more exposed and aware of gluten free labels on products everywhere, including on beauty products.
The first year that I become gluten free, I noticed numerous brands claiming their shampoo to be gluten free. My first thought was "well, that's great, but I'm not going to eat it, so what's the point?"
So, I laughed at the amount of caution these brands put into their allergy information and brushed it off as another marketing tactic.
But, as I become more acclimated to my gluten free lifestyle, I began to question if I should be more concerned about what I am putting on my body as well as what I was feeding my body.
I went to social media to ask the following beauty relation questions:
1. Do You Use Gluten Free Beauty Products?
First, I started by gluten free beauty products journey with a poll.
I asked my fellow gluten free friends whether they used gluten free beauty products as part of your gluten free lifestyle on an instagram.
Question:
"Do you only buy beauty products that are labeled gluten free?"
Answers:
"Yes, always"
or "No, I don't"
(Keep reading for the results).
2. Do you Notice Symptoms When You Don't Use Gluten Free Beauty Products?
For those who answered "yes, always" to the poll above, I continued to asked if they noticed any symptoms when they don't use gluten free products.
The responses that I received were very enlightening!
Yes - especially with hair products! Brings out horrible DH all over my scalp!
No symptoms, but if it's going on my face, it's near my mouth and I'm taking all precautions.
My face breaks out and i get itchy.
Breakouts every time.
I use gluten free beauty products for anything that has the possibility of getting into my eyes or mouth!
I don't always but I have noticed some non gluten free shampoos make my scalp very itchy!
I do! I get eye infections if I use something with gluten/wheat in it.
I don't but I have no reactions.
I get horrible rashes!
Yes. my face, which is generally clear, gets red and bumpy and puffy.
Most of you were in agreeance that you have noticeable symptoms when not using gluten free beauty products.
This was interesting to me. Although I do not notice irritation with my eyes, I do notice that I get acne breakouts occasionally. I am wondering if gluten in my makeup has been the culprit this whole time!
3. What Are Your Gluten Free Beauty Product Tips?
As I try to grow out my hair, I am searching for all the gluten free beauty tips that I can find! As said best by one of my followers:
"it's so important to live a full gluten free life"
I am ready to take my gluten free lifestyle to the next level by including it in my make up routine!
Here is a peak at my travel size make up bag that I keep in my purse. The truth is, I haven't paid much attention to the products that I have been putting on my face either!
For years I have suffered from scalp itchiness, acne breakouts, and rashes! I believe it is worth the effort to at least investigate if it is worth wild to use only gluten free beauty products.
With this, I also asked if anyone had recommendations for gluten free eye make up brands. Here is what you guys came up with:
Gluten Free Eye Make Up Brands
Tarte Cosmetics
Too Faced
Red Apple Lipstick
Gabriel Cosmetics
EO Products
How To Know If A Beauty Product Is Gluten Free
I received a great questions asking how to tell if a make up product is gluten free. Are the ingredients literally called "gluten" and "wheat" or is it called by some other name? The answer to that is, not always.
Here is a great list provided by the Celiac Dietitian that outlines the various names that gluten can have when it comes to beauty products.
These ingredients should be avoided if you are looking to live a completely gluten free lifestyle, including your make up products.
Wheat (Triticum Vulgare)
Wheat Starch
Wheat Protein or Hyrdozed wheat protein
(Steardimonium Hydroxypropl, Laurdimonium hydroxypropyl)
Wheat germ oil
Dextrin palmitate (starch, may be gluten-based)
Rye (Secale Cereale)
Barley (Hordeum Vulgare)
Malt Extract
Oats (Avena Sativa)
Beta glucan (may be derived from barley or oats)
The Final Results
Now back to my original question, "do you only buy beauty products that are labeled gluten free?". The final results were:
40% answered "yes, always"
the majority, at 60%, said "no I don't"
After researching more about gluten free beauty products, deciding to use gluten free beauty products is a personal choice.
If you notice reactions and symptoms from using products on your skin or hair that contain gluten, it may be time to ditch those products and use one of the many gluten free beauty products out there!
If you guys have any more insight on this topic that you would like to share with me, please leave a comment! I would love to hear from you.
Also, I will continue to investigate this topic by researching and experimenting different gluten free beauty product brands! I can't wait to share what I discover with you guys!
- XOXO Gluten Free Socialite
