What exactly can we look for on a beauty/face product ingredient label that has gluten in it? Not counting the cross-contamination issues.
– Miss Sherlock
That’s an awesome question. Hunting down the gluten in topical products is a complex issue, but knowing how to read the label is a good start.
The truth is, there are literally hundreds of ingredients that can have gluten in them. “Can” being the operable word.
Just because an ingredient could have gluten doesn’t mean it actually does.
Tocopheryl, for instance, can be derived from wheat. But actually, it can be from any grain! Rice and soy are very common substitutes. Both of which are of course fine, unless you’re allergic or sensitive to one of them.
So it’s not easy for me to just say “Oh sure, avoid these ingredients and you’ll be fine.” Because that’s simply not true. At the end of the day, the only way you’ll know for sure is to call or email the company and ask them.
That said… You can absolutely get a head start by knowing the most common gluten-containing ingredients.
To learn more, check out this list of common gluten-containing ingredients.
Or if you’d rather skip the whole ordeal, you could just snag the latest Gluten Free Makeup List and know that everything on there is perfectly safe. Get your own copy here.