For the most part, I’m a tomboy. I wear gym clothes just about everyday. As I sit here writing this, I’m wearing a pair of ratty old sweat pants and my husband’s frayed t-shirt. I don’t like to wear make up to the grocery store, or anyplace else for that matter.
There is one exception though, where I do go girlie every now and then. Lip gloss. Maybe it’s because it’s moisturizing in the deathly dry climate in which I live, or it might be that I crave a quick splash of color.
I read somewhere a while back that the average woman “eats” 8 pounds of lipstick/lip gloss in her life. If such a product contains gluten, and that woman (like me) has celiac disease, that’s a lot of gluten to ingest in one’s lifetime, especially, if one is working diligently to eat strictly gluten free food. But we didn’t know that lipstick was a “food” did we? Well now we do.
In my research I came up with various results for gluten free lipsticks. I contacted numerous companies; here’s what I found:
1. The first category could conclusively vouch that each and every lip product in their lines were 100% gluten free. Such companies include:
- Gabriel Cosmetics (found at most Whole Foods)
- Mineral Fusion (Whole Foods)
- Nars (Sephora)
- Zuzu Luxe (found at a local chain called Pharmaca)
All of the above can be purchased online –just click the links.
2. The second group of cosmetic companies that I contacted regarding gluten free lipstick sent me long lists of ingredients for their lip products but did not have knowledge as to whether or not their lines were gluten free. These I stay away from.
3. The final group of companies were able to tell me that some of the lip products in their line were gluten free and that some contained gluten. I’ve decided not to bother with these products either. As much as I love a splash of color, this is just too much hassle.
As always, manufacturers can change the ingredients in their product compositions –so even with this list, be sure that whatever you purchase, whether food or make up, is gluten free!
Therese says
I use Personal Basics by Andrea Rose http://www.andrearose.com/
Their lipsticks and cosmetics are gluten-free, salicylate-free, and fragrance-free.
Andrea says
Thanks so much for researching that! After looking at the Gabriel cosmetics I like them already. They also list corn in their allergen list, which is always so hard for me to figure out. :)
christine says
BTW- the EU has banned over 1,700 ingredients the US still allows in cosmetics, personal care and household cleaning items.
Cathy says
I’ve been using Gabriel lipsticks for over a year now and like them a lot. They’re online service is great, too.
Maria says
I really love Gabriel mascara, too. My eyes are very sensitive and it took many tries to find an all-natural mascara that didn’t bother my eyes. They either smelled just as toxic as the drugstore brands (and gave me a headache) or they flaked into my eyeballs. But Gabriel seems to make very pure stuff that doesn’t do any of that, and lasts a long time to boot. I’m so glad I found it at my local gf store.
Jennifer Varanini says
I ADORE my Arbonne lip products and love that they are not only gluten free but also vegan certified!!! Love that my lip color comes from botanicals :)
Carrie says
Arbonne is not completely gluten free. They have a PDF product list of things that are gluten free. But some of their products, for example fc5 body cleanser and fc5 shampoo have hydrolyzed wheat protein PG-Propyl Silanetriol in them.
christine says
Not Only do I require GF but grain, legume, animal product, salicylate and petro-chem free make-up. Bare Minerals is NOT SAFE! While they claim to have many GF products, it’s next to impossible track it down in specific products. The laws in the US allow companies to hide many ingredients since they’re NOT REQUIRED to list them on their labeling. Beware of Kaolin if you’re reactive to salicylates (aspirin) and many essential oils that can contain solvents, pesticide/herbicide residues and can aggravate respiratory conditions like asthma. I’ve been in lterntive health care and the spa industry for 30 years. I’ve spent most of that time ferreting allergens, petro-chemicals and eating “gluten lite”, almost 5 years gluten-free and 16 months grain/legume free. Make-up was NOT a priority budget-wise while revamping my entire household (including fabrics, building materials, cleaners, laundry, soaps, shampoo, feminine hygiene, etc) so I’ve gone bare for a long time. When EWG, Environmental Working Group, came out with their safe cosmetics tool a few years ago I tracked down SunCat Cosmetics. I have yet to try them. Their products meet my criteria and are EU approved. I plan to make a purchase very soon. I’ve been experimenting with making my own products including hair styling products from truly food based pantry items. At 52, my skin is healthier since I’ve barely put anything on it the last 5-6 years than it did when I spent hundreds and fussed with complex routines.
Dana says
Since being diagnosed w/Celiac disease I’ve been using MyChelle Dermacuticals. ALL of their products (skin care and makeup) are GF and their lip products are made with a food grade base. http://www.mychelle.com/
Amy says
I also use Mychelle (the moisturizers) I didn’t know that they have cosmetics! Thanks for posting this! And thanks Elana for all this great info! Amy
Jane Sloven says
I love Shiseido lipstick, available at department stores. It doesn’t dry out my lips like some other lipsticks do.
I have called Shiseido, and they confirm that their lipsticks are gluten-free.
Rachel B. says
Besides the gluten, I am allergic to bees wax. I have been using this lip gloss for years with no problem – Eco Lips Bee Free http://www.ecolips.com/store/products/18-eco-lips-bee-free-vegan-lip-balm.aspx. Here are their ingredients: Ingredients: *Organic Sunflower Seed Oil, Candelilla Wax, *Fair Trade Certified™ Organic Cocoa Butter, *Organic Coconut Oil, Vitamin E, *Organic Essential Oil of Lemon, *Organic Essential Oil of Lime, *Organic Rosemary Extract, *Organic Calendula Extract. *= Certified Organic Ingredients GLUTEN FREE
Tammy says
Vitamin E contains gluten
Nichole H says
This is such an important post. I’ve been using the Buxom lip-glosses made by Bare Minerals which have been gluten free. I had to learn about lip gloss and makeup the hard way. There’s a company out there called Red Apple Lipstick that you can look up on the web dedicated to making gluten free makeup. I haven’t tried it yet because I’m waiting for my other stuff to run out.