Which are the best gluten free lipsticks and lip balms? Pool your answers here as a reference point.

[FionaGFG]

The medical world generally says we can't react to gluten in cosmetics unless we ingest it. However as coeliacs many of us have had skin flares / issues with beauty products with gluten in them. Yet the world of beauty labelling is hard to understand

eg TRITICUM VULGARE

TRITICUM VULGARE GERM EXTRACT

TRITICUM VULGARE GERM OIL

SAMINO PEPTIDE COMPLEX

Yes Wheat Germ oil (as in my lovely old Clinque lip balm glossies) is obvious but many have chemical names that aren't easily understood. I've found that Mac and Clinque, ELF and Benefit have been very good at confirming which of their lipsticks are gluten free.

In America they have brands like Red Apple and Afterglow that market themselves as GF yet there doesn't seem to be the same focus in the UK.

What have you found?

Have you decided to cull your beauty box and shun the gluten?

See:

health.usnews.com/health-ne...

glutenfreecosmeticcounter.b...

naturallydahling.com/ingred...

glutenfreemakeupgal.com/

bewilderedbug.com/2012/05/3...

[Maryelle]

Just looked at ELF and could not find anywhere on the site info about gluten free lipstick

[KathrynS_UK]

I use Eco Lipstick made by GreenPeople. Not a vast array of choice, but they don't break, it stays on well, and the texture is nice. It tastes a bit minty though...not in a bad way, but it is unusual at first.

I use there mascara as well (stopped using standard mascara when I realised my itchy eyes were not to do with dust coming out of the work's air conditioner). It's not as clump free as over the counter brands, but I don't end up with red eye so it's worth the switch.

[FionaGFG Administrator]

Maryelle they don't list their GF lipsticks like most brands you have to email them to find out which are GF as products change. However, a lot of their range are GF.

[EMcd]

i used a Temple Spa product that i hadnt realised had oats in...immediately my face started to burn

[Apricot]

I agree that you need a PHD in Chemistry (my son has one of those)..to even read the labels.

I am sensitive to colophony...its in lipsticks and mascara...and sticking plasters...and glossy paper, brake linings, and rosin for dance shoes and violin bows...

Skin contact is painful...and it can make my hands look as though I have been burnt...and I was putting sticking plasters on the worst bits to stop the itching...before I knew what it was....and trying to type with all fingers in plasters....(I can laugh now...)

Ok..nothing to do with Coeliac...but the same " a litle bit wont hurt" and "we wont disclose our ingredients"....that we have heard before.

Just not good enough.

Please note I wont name the brands....their attitude was shameful....

Apricot

(News at 9.15, Barnsley)

[Gfmom]

Just in the last year I have become really sensitive to most eye makeup but I hadn't considered that gluten might be the cause! I find I'm ok with clinique mascara and mac and no7 eye shadows. Many eyeliners and eyeshadows react with my eyes even clinique a little bit. Usually the skin skin starts to feel a bit sore within an hour of putting makeup on and then my eyes start to mist over and get blood shot, then I get a yucky discharge as if I have an infection. I have to use allergy drops until it clears. I've never found out what the offending ingredient is. Does anyone else have this problem?

[Penel in reply to Gfmom]

The reaction may be a form of contact dermatitis. Have a look at the ingredients, parabens can cause a reaction, but there are so many ingredients in make-up that can cause a problem! I've spent far too much money trying out different brands, finally found BareMinerals make-up which has not caused any reaction.

This site has a very comprehensive list of possible allergens and reactions.

allergyclinic.co.nz/guides/...

[Gfmom in reply to Penel]

Thanks Penel I'll take a look at that.

[FionaGFG Administrator]

Here's the reply we had from ELF,

Thank you for your interest in e.l.f. Cosmetics.

I can advise that our products do not contain gluten, but please be aware, however, that we cannot guarantee that the machinery used to process our products are completely gluten free.

I hope this information helps.

Kind regards,

Rachel

Rachel Hopkins

Customer Services Advisor

e.l.f. Cosmetics UK

email: [e-mail]

web: eyeslipsface.co.uk

Twitter: @ELFCareUK

tel: [phone]

[Penel]

Lavera cosmetics are gluten free. They have a nice range of lipsticks, which I found in H&B.

lavera.com/blog/gluten-free/

[Mmmm]

Thanks Fiona GFG - I now have an explanation for the weird rash I have had round my eyes since Christmas time. I love Neal's Yard Frankincense nourishing cream but it contains Triticum vulgar. I had never read the ingredients.

Just one more thing I have to deprive myself ...

[FionaColeman]

Realise this thread started quite a while ago but Arbonne products are both gluten free and vegan. They offer skincare, cosmetics and nutrition products.