Gluten Free Beauty: Marketing Gimmick or the Real Thing?

Natural Beauty Industry Expert Liz Thompson |

Sep 10, 2024

Gluten Free Beauty: Marketing Gimmick or the Real Thing?

The term “Gluten free” is as ubiquitous today as “Fat free” was in the ’90s. For those with gluten sensitivity or Celiac Disease, it is very important to eat a gluten free diet. But what about cosmetics? Is gluten in beauty products a legit concern?

It is hard to walk through a supermarket without spotting several products labeled “Gluten free” or even “GF.” Now we are seeing this labeling on cosmetics and personal care products, as well. And those with gluten intolerance are benefitting.

Wheat, rye, barley, and sometimes oats, contain a protein called gliadin. Some people are sensitive to this protein and suffer physical symptoms after eating foods that contain it.

The three gliadin-associated conditions are Celiac Disease (a permanent intolerance to gliadin), Gluten-intolerance, and Wheat allergy. Gluten intolerance is the most common of the three and while it usually causes digestive problems, the list of symptoms is long. Gluten intolerance is attributed to everything from joint pain and brain fog, to headache and depression.

For those sensitive to gluten, any way they absorb the protein can trigger symptoms. This includes cosmetics and personal care products. Our skin is very absorbent and gluten can enter the system through products applied topically. Products for lips and face are the biggest concern. If you are gluten intolerant, it is important to avoid makeup, skincare, and lip balms that contain gluten.

Natural lines free from gliadin usually mark products as “gluten free.” When in doubt, check the product ingredient listing. Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein is commonly used as a thickening agent in makeup, skincare, and hair care, but there are many more cosmetic ingredients that contain gluten: Hydrolyzed Wheat Starch, Hydrolyzed Wheat Gluten, Triticum Vulgare Extract, Triticum Vugare Lipids, Wheat Germ Extract, Wheat Germ Glycerides, Wheat Germ Oil, Oat (Avena Sativa) Oil, Oat (Avena Sativa) Extract, Hordeum Vulgare (Barley) Extract, Vitamin E- Derived From Wheat, Semino Peptide Complex, Dextrin, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Fermented Grain Alcohol, Barley Extract, Barley Lipids.

If you have gone gluten free with your diet and are still battling symptoms, it could be your cosmetics. Try these all natural, gluten free makeup products: