Every morning after I eat a gluten-free breakfast, I take a shower, I dry my hair and put on my face. I learned that women put on their faces from my grandmother. (Thanks, grandma!)
Until recently I didn’t think about whether or not my make-up was gluten-free. This is due to the fact that it has never occurred to me to eat my make-up. But the other day, my friend Paula, (who does not have gluten issues but is lucky enough to have not one but two friends who do and therefore is gluten-sensitive) made the following comment to me in passing. “So you might know, but I didn’t know, that there’s such a thing as gluten-free mascara.” Whew. What a relief, especially for those of us who like to munch between meals and will just grab for the first thing that’s handy.” Upon hearing this comment I decided I had better do a little research on the subject. So I googled the question “Do women sometimes eat their mascara?” Google responded with several pages of “Why women can’t put on their mascara with their mouths closed”. Another Women’s Issue I had never considered. However upon reflection, I realized that I always open my mouth while putting on my mascara.
So once again, google unintentionally answered my question. Obviously what happens is that while women are putting their mascara on with their mouths open, tiny particles of gluten are falling off the brush or the eyelashes and into their open mouths. Women are unknowingly being glutened* while putting on their faces. For those of us who may unconsciously open our mouths while applying our make-up or forget to carry a snack with us there are many gluten-free make-up options available.
Here’s one:
*glutened is a word I picked up while searching the internet. It was used in the following sentence: “…you may end up getting unintentionally glutened.”
Today’s Treat: Pure pressed mineral foundation in caramel garnished with pure pressed blush in cotton candy and topped off with a spritz of D2O hydrating Spray. http://janeiredale.com
glutenfreebitches.com 
Wow, this is a whole new arena of gluten that I had not considered!
oh yes, it’s never ending…..
seriously though, there was a program about a woman who drinks nail polish- so maybe Paula knows something you’re not sharing???:-)
You know, Sarah, if Maybelline could add a little protein, it could double as a power bar for a quick pick-me-up. But the deeper issue is: Why do we open our mouths when we’re putting on mascara? What’s up with that?
There is wheat germ oil in Maybelline Great Lash
In 2011, I read a reader letter in Living Without magazine in which a reader commented that she had been diagnosed with celiac disease. She stated that she had tried a gluten free mascara on a whim and found that her eyes felt so much better (no burning or stinging–she thought was the normal suffering that women endure for beauty). The response to her letter was that some women do not tolerate mascara with gluten well even though the gluten may not cause classic symptoms of gluten exposure and the irritation is centerd in the eye area. At that time, it was unknown how the gluten or if it was the gluten alone, triggering this reaction. I tried a gluten free mascara and found that my eyes feel better, especially less tired by lunch time–I was so surprised! Do not know why it feels better but oh boy, it was worth the effort of trying it for myself.
Love the tip about opening our mouth while putting on mascara. It is such a good example of how easy it is to “gluten” ourselves accidentally. 🙂
My eyes were ALWAYS blood shot. I mean two little maraschino cherries in my eye sockets. I would get asked if I had been crying, smoking weed or rubbing my eyes at work. I have a gluten allergy. I switched all my eye makeup… voila I have beautiful whites again. This is no small bit of news finding out about gluten in makeup. My blush was causing patch of dry skin too and bingo, it was gluten.
Did you know caramel like in soda and other products. Fact: caramel is a wheat and gluten ingredient