Gluten-Free Cosmetics Fremont OH

Gluten-Free Glamour

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By Allison Young

Kristen Campbell was sensitive to most eye makeup. Nevertheless, she persisted valiantly in her quest for smoky eyes, but even 100 percent hypoallergenic mascaras and liners would leave her eyes puffy. Each time she had a bad reaction, the 29-year-old switched brands, but nonirritating makeup eluded her. And that wasn’t all: Her back and chest sported breakouts and certain shampoos gave her scalp an instant rash.

Campbell was diagnosed with gluten intolerance, something experts say can affect up to 30 percent of the population. Believing “what goes on, goes in,” Campbell not only purged her diet of gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye, she overhauled her makeup bag, handing off anything that contained “hydrolyzed wheat protein,” a form of wheat found in everything from conditioners to face creams. Her skin responded almost immediately—her eyes stopped itching, her rash receded, and her breakouts cleared up.

Get off the gluten
Not all dermatologists agree that gluten can be absorbed through the skin and no scientific study exists that proves or disproves the theory, which leaves both patients and doctors in gluten limbo. But Kathleen Davis, MD, an integrative dermatologist in New York City, tells people to avoid using gluten on their skin if they think they’re allergic to it. “Why take a chance?” she says. Rodney Ford, MD, a pediatric gastroenterologist in New Zealand and author of The Gluten Syndrome (RRS Global Ltd., 2007) doesn’t need published proof; he sees firsthand how gluten can affect the skin, from itching to rashes. “I meet literally thousands of children and adults with gluten problems. Many of the children even have issues when they touch Play-Doh, which is usually made from wheat flour,” says Ford.

Instead of waiting for proof, due diligence would dictate that anyone with a gluten intolerance should avoid gluten-containing beauty products. That’s especially true for those that could potentially be ingested or inhaled, like lipsticks, face wash, hand soap and cream, toothpaste, mouthwash, and hair spray.

But fear not: If you must avoid gluten in your skincare products, plenty of alternatives offer similar moisturizing and antioxidant qualities to vitamin E–packed wheat germ oil. Carrots, pumpkins, papayas, and other fruits all provide deluxe reparative treatment for skin and hair. Carrots, for example, earn a place on the beauty all-star team because they boast nourishing and antiseptic properties, making carrot oil or extract a champion blemish defense. Pumpkin’s natural UV protectors and its anti-inflammatory compounds makes it a perfect option for sensitive skin, while papaya contains papayin, a natural enzyme that nimbly exfoliates, tightens, and regenerates skin.

Where wheat lurks
Not long ago, getting your hands on gluten-free cosmetics was the equivalent of finding a bobby pin in a beauty haystack. If you suspect gluten is giving your skin and scalp a hard ...

Author: Allison Young

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