As the pandemic spreads, an interest in health and wellness permeates the global consumer consciousness. According to the Global Wellness Institute, the global health and wellness industry is now worth $4.2 trillion. One facet of gut health is gluten intolerance. Myriad hair and skin care products use various forms of wheat protein processed through hydrolysis, as are other protein hydrolysates such as collagen, keratin and elastin.¹

In particular, wheat, like oat, is incorporated into personal care products to impart moisturizing benefits.² Unfortunately, gluten has been associated with a variety of health problems including eczema, digestive issues, and autoimmune and inflammatory conditions in the body. Gluten affects gut health and is said to perpetuate skin conditions such as acne, rosacea and eczema. Perceived health benefits of gluten-free diets are clearer skin, weight loss and an overall robust immune system. Recently, this health trend has migrated to the beauty industry and now “gluten-free” is trending in skin care and a slew of gluten-free skin care products are available—even though most experts note that gluten molecules are too large to penetrate the skin barrier.

The rise of allergies is driving demand for natural beauty as reported by Mount Sinai Hospital Dermatologist Joshua Zeichner MD. Consumer demand for natural skin care brands grew 23%, to $1.6 billion from 2017-2018, according to Hemali Gunt, PhD in a 2019 edition of JAMA Dermatology.

Gluten-free beauty launches are most prominent in the skin care, color cosmetics and hair care categories. The potential to capitalize on gluten-free beauty, product claims should not be underestimated as 75% of those with celiac disease are undiagnosed and there are no biomarkers that prove a person is gluten intolerant. Celiac is a hereditary disease with almost no permanent treatment. As a result, terms such as gluten-free and allergy-free claims are expected to influence skin care sales in the next few years. According to NPD, 46% of facial skin care users report purchasing products free of sulfates, phthalates and /or gluten, a six-point uptick during the past two years. The name gluten is derived from glue like property possessed by this protein. Latin for “glue,” it is one of the most important component of baker’s dough. Gluten is not a single molecule, it is actually made up of two main groups of proteins, the glutenin and the gliadin. In baking, these two gluten proteins form a binding matrix which enables the dough to rise and give baked goods their satisfying chewy texture.


Gluten-Free Brands

Many gluten-free skin care products are available online, in Whole Foods and other grocery stores, as well as department stores. If they have been certified by a third-party agency, an icon appears on the packaging. These products are made in a gluten-free facility and are “certified gluten-free” by the Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO), which requires products meet stringent standards of less than 10 ppm of gluten. Sites such as Celiac.com and Glutenfree.com list cosmetic ingredients to avoid and suggest brands that are gluten free.

Still, it is important for consumers to read labels and conduct their own research. Determining if products contain gluten requires a lot of detective work like reading labels, visiting manufacturer websites and contacting customer service. To master the definitions and trade names for skin care ingredients, study The International Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary and Handbook published by the Personal Care Products Council (PCPC). Gluten may be hiding behind a variety of names that are difficult to read and almost impossible to pronounce. Watch out for wheat ingredient names. Scientific words for gluten found in cosmetics include Triticum vulgare (wheat), Hordeum vulgare (barley), Avena sativa (oatmeal) and vitamin E (vitamin E is sometimes derived from wheat germ).

Read labels and ingredient lists. Look out for a GF seal or symbol on packaging. According to Dermatologist Whitney Bowe, wheat and its proteins including gluten, is incorporated into all kinds of skin care products due to its moisturizing benefits. Gluten is a wheat protein that can be found in shampoos, conditioners, soaps and creams, and it has been shown to trap moisture, making those products hydrating and especially moisturizing. It is also often used in mascaras to strengthen lashes. For those who suffer from eczema or another skin condition that compromises a healthy skin barrier, these proteins can potentially penetrate and interact with skin’s immune cells.

Gluten-free moisturizers and skin creams include³ CeraVe, Dakota Free Baby Balm, Dove Derma Series, Ecco Bella, EOS, Essential Skin Solutions, Gluten-Free Savonnerie, Green Leaf Naturals, Keys Natural Skincare and Beauty, OM Botanical, Vanicream. According to Dr. Leslie Baumann the best gluten-free skin care products are Atopalm moisturizing cream, Skin Medica TNS Essential Serum, Bare Minerals “Ageless Genius” firming and soothing Neck Cream, Bare Mineral’s Ageless Genius Firming and Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream. A very helpful website, cosmeticsinfo.org. provides information on ingredients including their sources.


What Doctors Prescribe

Despite the plethora of gluten-free products, according to the Mayo Clinic, gluten can’t be absorbed through the skin due to the very large size of gluten proteins. The health risk is accidental ingestion. Dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) is a rare manifestation of celiac disease triggered by ingesting gluten. It causes an itchy, blistering, painful rash that can affect any part of the skin, but most often occurs on the elbows, knees or buttocks. Topical treatments containing cortisone can provide short-term relief from the rash symptoms. This skin disorder is linked to gluten intolerance. As a result, everything you put on your skin has the potential to enter your bloodstream, due to accidental ingestion.

For those who want to get tested for gluten sensitivity, there is a test available called Cyrex array 3.⁴ For additional information on gluten in cosmetics, visit Mayo Clinic (www.Mayo Clinic.com/health/celiac-disease/AN01623). According to Gastroenterologist Michael Picco MD, gluten-containing skin care products are not a problem unless you accidentally swallow them. He recommends avoiding gluten-containing mouthwashes and toothpastes.

According to Pria Prakash, a professor of Medicine at George Washington University, anyone who is sensitive to gluten may experience a topical reaction. If you are one of roughly three million Americans with celiac disease, it is crucial to stay away from gluten. Typically, gastroenterologists recommend that their celiac patients use only gluten-free products and cosmetics that come close to the eyes and mouth, like lipstick and even mascara, because it can flake off.

Yet, those suffering from celiac disease need not worry unduly about gluten in lotions and shampoos. According to Dr. Aessio Fasano, medical director of the Center for Celiac Research, University of Maryland and director, Center for Celiac Research and Treatment and director of the Mucosal Immunology and Biology Research Center at Massachusetts General Hospital, nearly 20 million people may have some sort of intolerance to gluten, but only a fraction of that population is affected by topical gluten content.

In order to have immune response to gluten, which leads to celiac disease, exposure to gluten has to be through the gastrointestinal tract. According to Dermatologist Leslie Baumann, professor of dermatology, Cosmetic Medicine and Research Institute, University of Miami, following a gluten-free skin care routine is a bit hypervigilant. There is conflicting evidence as to whether or not gluten molecules are able to penetrate the skin when applied topically. Despite this increased interest, there is no real benefit in terms of how your skin feels and responds.

According to Dr. Joshua Zeichner, director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at New York City’s Mount Sinai Hospital, there is no data that shows topically applied gluten can lead to a reaction, but there is no harm in using gluten-free, on the off chance any of the product left on your fingertips gets on your lips. Dermatologists are trying to get a better idea of contact dermatitis caused by food allergies—essentially what happens when you slather something all over your face that you are allergic to when you eat it. According to Dr. Emma Gutman, director of inflammatory skin diseases in the department of dermatology at Mount Sinai , New York, NY, several patients developed skin rashes when they applied product with gluten in it. When she took a biopsy of the skin, she saw the same type of inflammation that you see in the gut, which causes redness, concluding that if you have full blown celiac disease, you are probably more likely to show an allergic reaction on your skin.⁵


Regulators Recommend

Formulators are not required to list food allergens on cosmetic products. There are no rules or guidance documents specifically addressing the use of the term gluten-free in labeling of cosmetics regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration. The FDA does not, however, prohibit cosmetic companies from labeling products as gluten-free. The presence of gluten does not need to be definitively declared on cosmetic labels, while FDA does require products to contain less than 20ppm of gluten in order to be labeled “gluten-free.” Some of the mainstream brands like Maybelline, L’Oréal and MAC have products free from gluten, but they are not always labeled “gluten-free.” It is better to shop for brands that are certified gluten-free from the start. If the labeling is found to be inaccurate or misleading, the product may be declared misbranded. The US Food and Drug Administration (www.fda.gov/cosmetics), website provides a wealth of information on cosmetics, including labeling information.

Skin care products are not typically loaded with gluten-containing ingredients but some consumers are adamant because they believe that gluten-free cosmetics prevent flare-ups, while others suspect that the amount of gluten in beauty products is too small to trigger any real problem. No studies have shown that the gluten in cosmetics is harmful to people with celiac disease or other gluten sensitivities. In the meantime, more research is needed to assess whether cosmetics contribute to gluten-related skin reactions. 

References:

1. Anderson, Gluten-free Moisturizers, Creams and lotions, Very Well Fit, 4/27/2020.
2. Dr. D. Perlmutter, Grain Brain, 2013.
3. Does it really matter if your make-up is gluten-free? Sophia Panych, Allure, 6/26/2012
4. Contact Dermatitis 2007 Feb; 56(2): 119-20, J. Drugs Dermatol. 2013 Sep:12(9 suppl): S133-6
5. Dermatitis 2013 Nov- Dec; 24(6): 291-5

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Navin M. Geria
Chief Scientific Officer
AyurDerm Technologies, LLC
[email protected]
908-240-5572

Navin Geria, former Pfizer Research Fellow is a cosmetic and pharmaceutical product development chemist and the chief scientific officer of AyurDerm Technologies LLC, which provides Ayurvedic, natural and cosmeceutical custom formulation development and consulting services to the spa-wellness-dermatology industries. He has launched dozens of cosmeceutical and ayurvedic anti-aging products. Geria has more than 30 years of experience in the personal care industry and was previously with Clairol, Warner-Lambert, Schick-Energizer, Bristol-Myers and Spa Dermaceuticals. He has nearly 20 US patents and has been published extensively. Geria edited the Handbook of Skin-Aging Theories for Cosmetic Formulation Development focus book published in April 2016 by Harry’s Cosmeticology. He is a speaker, moderator and chairman at cosmetic industry events.