When was the last time you sat down at your kitchen table and poured yourself a big bowl of Wheaties? Or…how about a couple of loaves of whole wheat bread? Come to think of it, I bet you can’t remember the last time you gulped down a few pounds of flour, can you? Well, if you are a woman and wear lipstick, I’ve got a secret for you: You are ingesting, on average, over four pounds of lipstick in your lifetime, and the scary thing is, most of those lipsticks contain gluten. Surprised, aren’t you? Now, we all know that smart celiac girls don’t eat wheat, but what are we doing about our lipstick? What about other cosmetics? And finally…does it really matter?
Of course, gluten is found mainly in foods but do you know it is often found in everyday products like shampoo, medicines, vitamins, and lip balms, lipstick, foundations, moisturizers and other cosmetics? Many people believe that as long as they stay away from products used near or on their mouths, then that’s safe enough. But in reality, many cosmetics are now made with teeny, tiny "nanoparticles" that easily and daily enter the bloodstream from the skin. Beauty really is skin deep.
Why would wheat be in my cosmetics anyway? Ok…let me get my professor’s hat on: Gluten cosmetic ingredients are used in cosmetics as binders to help the ingredients stick together and are also used as emollients in the form of gluten derived oils. An emollient is a mixture of oils found in many creams, lotions, foundations, etc. The purpose is to seal in the moisture so that it can't escape from the skin. Phew! Understand?
My question is, "Why risk it?" when there are products on the market specifically designed without the binding agent of gluten? Many of these products are just as good, if not better than their riskier counterparts. You don’t have to give up skin care products or cosmetics altogether, simply choose wisely. Read the ingredients, ask questions, and if you still have concerns, ask your pharmacist what each ingredient is. Sometimes labels are misleading, as we all have come to learn.
Ladies…you no longer have to suffer to be beautiful. Except during waxing. ;^)
This will be the beginning of a new reoccurring article in our celiac newsletter. It’s a chance for you to ask a professional makeup artist and cosmetics guru any beauty related questions or concerns. Simply e-mail Debby at debbyclements@rogers.com.
Debby Clements is a professional licensed makeup artist and creator of the all natural, gluten-free, vegan line of mineral makeup, Happy Hippy Cosmetics. Shop at their website www.happyhippycosmetics.comfor a fun & healthy alternative to everyday makeup.
Of course, gluten is found mainly in foods but do you know it is often found in everyday products like shampoo, medicines, vitamins, and lip balms, lipstick, foundations, moisturizers and other cosmetics? Many people believe that as long as they stay away from products used near or on their mouths, then that’s safe enough. But in reality, many cosmetics are now made with teeny, tiny "nanoparticles" that easily and daily enter the bloodstream from the skin. Beauty really is skin deep.
Why would wheat be in my cosmetics anyway? Ok…let me get my professor’s hat on: Gluten cosmetic ingredients are used in cosmetics as binders to help the ingredients stick together and are also used as emollients in the form of gluten derived oils. An emollient is a mixture of oils found in many creams, lotions, foundations, etc. The purpose is to seal in the moisture so that it can't escape from the skin. Phew! Understand?
My question is, "Why risk it?" when there are products on the market specifically designed without the binding agent of gluten? Many of these products are just as good, if not better than their riskier counterparts. You don’t have to give up skin care products or cosmetics altogether, simply choose wisely. Read the ingredients, ask questions, and if you still have concerns, ask your pharmacist what each ingredient is. Sometimes labels are misleading, as we all have come to learn.
Ladies…you no longer have to suffer to be beautiful. Except during waxing. ;^)
This will be the beginning of a new reoccurring article in our celiac newsletter. It’s a chance for you to ask a professional makeup artist and cosmetics guru any beauty related questions or concerns. Simply e-mail Debby at debbyclements@rogers.com.
Debby Clements is a professional licensed makeup artist and creator of the all natural, gluten-free, vegan line of mineral makeup, Happy Hippy Cosmetics. Shop at their website www.happyhippycosmetics.comfor a fun & healthy alternative to everyday makeup.
