5 Gluten-Free Makeup Products You Needed Yesterday

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If you like wearing makeup and you have celiac disease, gluten-free makeup is your best friend. However, not many people with this condition know that even cosmetics can cause a gluten flare-up when you ingest them.

Of course, no one ingests makeup on purpose, so it’s really the lip products we’re looking at here. If your lipsticks or lip balms have gluten and it gets in your mouth, it can lead to a nasty episode.

So, what are your options for gluten-free makeup? Let’s dive into the ingredients to watch out for and the best gluten-free products you can try.

Gluten in Lip Products

Anyone with celiac disease learns how to manage their condition at one point or another. Most people I know plan their diets down to a T and are very careful when eating out gluten-free.

However, there’s one thing that people with gluten sensitivity often forget about beauty products. I totally get it—no one expects to ingest cosmetics, after all! Unfortunately, anything that you put near your lips or mouth may end up in your digestive system.

The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 (FALCPA) doesn’t cover cosmetics, so it’s up to the consumer to watch out for gluten-containing ingredients. According to Beyond Celiac, people with celiac disease should carefully analyze the label for gluten ingredients and other allergens:

• Wheat
• Barley
• Rye
• Hordeum vulgare extract
• Secale cereale seed flour
• Malt extract
• Triticum vulgare
• Triticum amino acids
• Triticum lipids
• Hydrolyzed vegetable protein
• Yeast extract
• Cyclodextrin, dextrin
• Dextrin palmitate
• Wheat protein hydrolysates
• Wheat germ oil

Don’t forget about the hidden sources of gluten that aren’t always obvious. If you have celiac disease, foods like soy sauce, miso, and potato chips with malt flavor are off the table, too.

So, what kind of makeup products should you be wary of? Generally, be more mindful of anything you put on your lips, such as:

• Lipsticks
• Chapsticks
• Lip balms
• Lip glosses
• Lip scrubs
• Lip oils
• Lip liner
• Lip butter
• Lip plumper
• Lip stains

Always check the ingredients list for anything that can trigger your gluten intolerance. However, keep in mind that there may be an increased risk of cross contamination during the manufacturing process, so choose products that follow Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) (plus other important regulations) and are certified gluten free by the Gluten-Free Certification Organization. It’s also a good idea to choose a brand with a gluten-free facility to avoid potential cross-contamination, even with a tiny bit of gluten.

Plus, I recommend avoiding products with potent formulas and potentially harmful ingredients, such as parabens, sulfates, and synthetic fragrances. Personally, I prioritize skin-centric beauty brands that are paraben-free, talc-free, and use responsibly sourced raw materials.

Do you want your cosmetics to support skin rejuvenation? You can add products with Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and retinol to your gluten-free makeup list as well. These ingredients can help increase collagen production and nourish your skin.

What About Other Makeup and Skin Care Products?

Gluten-containing products that you apply to the skin or face may cause a reaction, but it won’t be due to celiac disease. Beyond Celiac says that as long as you are not ingesting the product, you can continue using it. 

If you experience symptoms after using lotions, foundations, sunscreens, or other face and body care products with gluten, it may be something else or you may have a celiac condition that you don’t know about. Stop using the product and talk to your doctor immediately. The same goes for hair care products, too.

This post may contain affiliate link(s). As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See Disclosures.

Best Makeup for the Gluten-Free Lifestyle

It may be unlikely to ingest enough lip product to cause a gluten reaction, but it’s always better to err on the side of caution when it comes to topical gluten exposure. However, the conflicting world of gluten-free makeup can be confusing to navigate.

Luckily, I’ve tested a handful that worked great for me. Here are some gluten-free cosmetic brands with some of the best lip products I’ve seen:

1. bareMinerals Mineralist Lip Gloss-Balm

bareMinerals is at the forefront of gluten-free makeup brands that go beyond the conventions of clean beauty. This brand boasts clean and cruelty-free products, which are free from parabens, binders, fillers, and, for some products, gluten. They are best known for their liquid and powder foundations and bronzers, but their lip products stand out, too,

I love their Mineralist Lip Gloss-Balm for days when I want a hint of makeup but don’t want to put on lipstick. This lip gloss is not sticky thanks to its lightweight formula, which is a plus for windy days, and the makeup stays longer than other glosses I’ve tried. Plus, I’ve noticed that they leave my lips soft after a few hours of wear thanks to all the vitamins, moisture, and antioxidants.

2. Badger Balm Classic Lip Balm

I’ve always tried hard to prioritize green products, and along my journey to sustainability, I found Badger Balm. This company makes its products pure, organic, and fair-trade, which is perfect for anyone who is gluten sensitive or has any other food allergies. They use natural and high-quality ingredients like organic plant extracts, beeswax, shea butter, essential oils, and minerals to create sunscreens, moisturizers, and my favorite: their Classic Lip Balms.

Aside from being certified gluten-free, I love that this moisturizing lip balm is as unscented and natural as it can get. I highly recommend it for people with very sensitive skin and lips and who have experienced reactions to other brands. I always keep one in my cosmetic bag and in the glove compartment of my car.

3. ILIA Color Block Lipstick

For lipstick, my current fave is ILIA’s Color Block Lipstick, which is designed to give you full coverage all day. It’s my go-to matte lip product for fancy events and busy days when I know I won’t get a chance to retouch.

Another thing to love about this product is that it’s made of organic castor seed oil, apricot seed oil, and mango seed butter, which can help nourish your lips. Plus, their entire collection comes in a lot of awesome color options, including soft nudes, bold tints, and vibrant reds, which blend incredibly well with lip liners and glosses. I do recommend using a gloss to make the lipstick less cakey.

4. TULA Skin Care Lip SOS

TULA is a unique makeup brand that focuses on the advantages of probiotics, combining probiotics with skin superfoods to create products that nourish and beautify at the same time. TULA is most famous for its skin care products, whose probiotic content may help with issues like dry skin, acne, and psoriasis.

I’m a big devotee of their selection of gluten-free primers that easily match my skin undertone, but for lips, the winner is their Skin Care Lip SOS, which is designed to plump and hydrate the lips. It’s a lifesaver for days when even chapstick can’t help my dry lips, and the cute rosey tint is a plus, too! These also come in a great variety of shades if nude pink isn’t your thing.

5. Ecco Bella Vegan Natural Lip Kit

Ecco Bella has one of the biggest collection of gluten-free makeup products I’ve seen. Ecco Bella products are known for being all-natural and organic, focusing on oils, vegetable waxes, and mineral pigments to make sure their products are safe for all skin types. So, if you have sensitive lips, try their Vegan Natural Lip Kit with lip liner and gloss.

Their lip liner is made with palm kernel glycerides that can nourish dry lips. On the other hand, their Gloss For You lip gloss contains Flower Cutins to protect your lips from dryness and damage. Their other gluten-free makeup items, such as their makeup setting spray and highlighter stick, are mainstays in my purse, too.

If none of these tickle your fancy, here are some special mentions: Gabriel Cosmetics, Afterglow Cosmetics, Red Apple Lipstick, and Bite Beauty. Check the FDA for trustworthy health information and to make sure these brands are certified gluten-free.

Looking for specific products? You can try these other go-to gluten faves:

• EOS lip balm
• Dior Addict lipstick
• Omiana creamy lipstick
• Argan color sticks

Pack Your Makeup Bag With These Gluten-Free Options

When it comes to makeup and celiac disease, the good news is that most makeup products won’t cause a reaction as long as you don’t ingest them. On the other hand, you do need to be careful when choosing lip products that can travel into your mouth along with food and drinks.

So, don’t risk any kind of glutenous reaction and add these safer options to your expansive collection of gluten-free and clean makeup. Do you have any other recommendations? Tell me about them in the comments below!