GLUTEN-FREE cosmetics: Trend or necessity?

There are many occasions when we receive questions about whether our cosmetics contain gluten. To answer rigorously, we must answer the following question:

Is celiac disease the same as a wheat allergy?

Celiac disease or gluten intolerance

Celiac disease or gluten intolerance is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system reacts to the presence of gluten. It is always triggered at a digestive level, that is, upon ingesting the food.

When the body comes into contact with these ingredients or substances, the structure of the intestinal cells is altered and, over time, causes damage to the intestinal villi, which leads to the malabsorption of nutrients, causing associated ailments.

Cosmetics are applied to the skin and gluten is not absorbed cutaneously, so there is no risk to the celiac patient. In addition, gliadins, which are the main proteins in gluten, are too large to be absorbed by the skin.

The problem could lie in products that could accidentally be ingested, as happens with lipsticks, toothpaste, or mouthwash.

Therefore, people diagnosed with celiac disease only have health problems if they ingest gluten, under no circumstances if it is in contact with their skin. However, it is important to be informed and cautious with some cosmetics that can be accidentally ingested. Above all, if it involves makeup and lipstick, keep in mind how often you touch your face and that you eat while wearing lipstick; it is very easy for it to end up in your mouth.

If you are a celiac, the danger of gluten lies only in ingestion.

Gluten allergy.

Unlike celiac disease, whose symptoms are triggered only when eating something with gluten, in an allergy to wheat, barley, or other cereals, the reaction is also activated by contact with the skin or by inhalation and subsides upon stopping contact with the allergen.

The most frequent symptoms are usually digestive, in the form of pain, diarrhea, abdominal distension, skin rashes, or swollen lips.

Can I use HERBERA if I have a gluten allergy or if I am celiac?

At Cosmetics Herbera, we are aware of the importance of knowing what the products you are going to use contain, especially if you suffer from an allergy or health problem caused by what you eat, because you always have to be alert and it is not always easy to know all the ingredients of what you eat or what you put on your skin.

For this reason, we want to help you and summarize all the information you should know about gluten and Herbera products:

NUTRITIVE THERAPY is the only product that may contain gluten, so if you are allergic to wheat, do not use it.

If you are celiac, you would only have to be careful not to ingest it accidentally, although we recommend using another one of our creams and not risking its potential contact with the lips.

HYALURONIC ACID – the one we use in our products is obtained by fermentation of wheat proteins that are not gluten. Our hyaluronic acid is certified gluten-free.

It poses no risk to people with celiac disease; however, if you are allergic, we recommend that you test it before using it. You can find our FREE SAMPLES section to try the product before investing in your purchase.

In short, if you are allergic, keep in mind the ingredients that the cosmetics contain. We advise you to use any moisturizer except Nutritive Therapy and to always test how your skin reacts before the full application of any product containing hyaluronic acid. If you are celiac, you can use any product, but... be careful about ingesting it accidentally!