Due to an allergy I’ve been on a strict gluten free diet for over 2 years, but only just now have I realized that applying gluten on my skin or lips could also give me reactions. Lipstick is an obvious no-brainer, since a small amount always gets in your mouth. But in my research I found that gluten in face products can cause breakouts and other unwanted reactions on the skin, even if the product is not ingested.
I began researching brands and products to try, and came across a number of sites and blogs saying that ELF (Eyes Lips Face) Cosmetics are gluten free. This brand is extremely affordable, with most products priced in the $1-$3 range. So I thought I would give it a go and try out a bunch of their products. The website said the shipping could take up to a month, but it only took 4 days, so that was very impressive to me. When the package arrived I could barely contain my excitement. It was all fun and games until, much to my utter horror, I read the back of an eyelash primer and it said the words “wheat protein”. Somehow coating my lashes with gluten, my biggest kryptonite, does not sound appealing to me.
I quickly emailed the company, and this was their response:
We apologize for any confusion regarding our ingredients. We have researched our products to ensure that they are gluten-free. According to our production department the wheat protein found does not actually contain gluten due to the processing.
So they claim it IS gluten free. Though, I don’t see how wheat protein in any shape or form could be 100% free of gluten. Because the product is just an eyelash primer I don’t see the harm in using it. However, if it was a lipstick or face product in question, I would be a lot more reluctant.
Keep an eye out for ELF product reviews!
x B
Beauty with a B 