Why Gluten-Free Makeup?

If you have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity and are wondering if you need to be wearing gluten-free makeup, that's a great question! There's a lot of mixed information out there, so we'd like to clear that up.

Gluten is a large protein molecule and, according to an article in Gluten Free & More magazine by Dr. Vikki Petersen, "Absorption of gluten through intact skin is unlikely, due to the size of the molecule. Gluten is just too large to be absorbed through the pores of the skin. But an exception is if the skin is not intact. Broken skin or skin lesions provide a means of potential gluten absorption into the blood circulation through the open wound."

This means that if you're using foundation or blush, it should be gluten-free! 

"Beyond the issue of broken skin," Dr. Vikki continues, "the next item to consider is the likelihood of ingesting the gluten you are topically applying."

This means lipstick and lip liners absolutely need to be gluten-free. And although you're not going to be licking your foundation or blush, it can still make its way into your mouth from either using foundation around your mouth, getting it on your hands and then touching your mouth or food, or even just from brushing it on if you're using a powder. Gluten is sticky, so who knows where it's going when you're applying makeup!

The other concern is for people with dermatitis herpetiformis (DH), a recurring skin rash that can occur in people with celiac disease, or for those who are highly sensitive to any amount of gluten. While 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten is the standard limit for products labeled "gluten-free" in the U.S., sometimes less than that will still be noticeable to someone who is highly sensitive. That means that accidentally getting gluten into your mouth or in a cut/wound on your face can lead to more severe digestive or skin reactions.

Gluten is NOT something that needs to be in makeup, so we make sure it isn't in ours. 

Click here to shop our gluten-free mineral makeup!