What is gluten?
Gluten is a protein that is found in numerous grains, especially wheat. It acts as a sort of glue to holds foods together and is responsible for the elasticity of dough. Wheat is the main proponent of gluten and is quite prevalent in beauty products, especially hair care products.
Should I go gluten free?
According to Mayo Clinic, there is no scientific evidence to prove that gluten can negatively affect those who are gluten intolerant or sensitive (i.e. those with celiac disease”> when applied topically. Unless there is a high likelihood that you will ingest it by accident like lipstick or hand soap, then you should be fine using beauty products formulated with ingredients that have gluten. It would probably be a good idea to invest in gluten-free beauty products for your gluten intolerant children, as they would be more likely to accidentally ingest lotion, body wash, and shampoo via their hands. According to celiac disease and gluten free expert Jane Anderson, look for these ingredients in your hair products and if they contain any of the following, they contain gluten:- Triticum vulgare (wheat”>
- Hordeum vulgare (barley”>
- Secale cereale (rye”>
- Avena sativa (oats”>
- Wheat germ oil
- Hydrolyzed wheat protein
- Stearyl dimonium hydroxypropy (hydrolyzed wheat protein”>
- Laurdimonium hydroxypropyl (hydrolyzed wheat protein”>
- Colloidal oatmeal
- Hydrolyzed vegetable protein (may contain wheat”>
- Dextrin palmitate (starch, possibly gluten-based”>
- Vitamin E (frequently derived from wheat”>
- Malt extract (usually barley”>
- Beta glucan (frequently derived from wheat”>
- Vegetable protein (may contain wheat, barley, rye and/or oats”>
You may or may not recognize some of these ingredients so the safest fastest way to identify gluten free products that you can use in your hair regimen, it is best to seek out products that are advertised and clearly labeled as so. In the meantime, here are a few hair products that are gluten free:
Gluten free products
- Jason Organics Gluten Free Shampoo or SheaMoisture Curl and Shine Shampoo
- Jason Organics Daily Gluten Free Conditioner or SheaMoisture Coconut & Hibiscus Conditioner
- SheaMoisture Raw Shea Butter Deep Treatment Masque
- SheaMoisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie and SheaMoisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curling Soufflé
- Madison Reed Color Enhancing Shampoo
Even if you do not have gluten intolerance, you can still benefit from gluten free hair products as they are known to reduce dandruff and a dry scalp. If you do happen to be sensitive to gluten, then gluten free hair products may be just what you need.
Do you use gluten free products?
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