Gluten-free shampoo and shower gel with Green People

Over the years in the beauty industry Green People has been witness to so-called ‘safe’ substances being widely used in food and cosmetics that would years later be either banned or restricted in use. With this in mind, Green People decided to follow the principle – “if in doubt – take it out”

One can rightly ask the question; should we be concerned about gluten-based ingredients such as hydrolyzed wheat protein, which today are found in many skin and hair care products?

The general attitude is that gluten itself is too large a molecule to be absorbed through the skin, however more and more experts now exercise caution with gluten-containing ingredients in personal care products.

According to dermatologist Patricia Farris, M.D.: “While gluten is not absorbed through the skin, patients may be sensitive to compounds in extracts of wheat, rye, and barley that can actually penetrate the skin, and even though we’re careful with our beauty products, topical ingredients can still enter the body in trace amounts through the nasal cavities and mouth.”

Sensitivity towards hydrolyzed wheat protein (HWP)

There is some evidence that the hydrolyzed wheat protein (HWP) can trigger IgE-mediated allergic reactions such as urticaria.

It is thought that this is because the hydrolysis process changes the structure of the wheat protein molecules and exposes elements that would normally be contained within the complex molecule.

A French report in 2006 describes a case study of nine women who reacted in this way, six of whom also had a reaction to HWP in processed foods.

No one reacted to conventional wheat-containing foods such as bread and pasta.

This suggests that the process of hydrolysis is responsible for creating or exposing structures called epitopes on the surface of the wheat protein molecule that trigger the IgE response.

Give your shower routine a gluten-free make-over and explore our collection of gluten-free shampoos and shower gels today.

We hope that you have found this guide to gluten-free beauty helpful. For more help choosing the best gluten-free beauty products for you, why not give our friendly UK customer care team a call on 01403 740350 or DM us at @GreenPeopleUK.

Have you got a gluten allergy or intolerance? Leave a comment with any questions you have about gluten-free shampoo or skin care, or give our friendly UK customer care team a call on 01403 740350.