Hair products

This post has been a long time coming. It took a lot more time than I had hoped, and there is not as much information as I would like. Seems I was overly optimistic in thinking companies would be forthcoming with their gluten status.

Let's start with what's NOT gluten free:

KMS California-

I haven't been able to verify this, but the owner of the hair salon I go to says independent laboratory testing has shown that any claims you find on their website about being gluten free are FALSE. I haven't been able to find any research on this, but I'm not taking chances.

 

 

Unite-

I sent them an inquiry a long time ago, and got a massively enthusiastic response:

I want to reassure you that our entire line is gluten free, even though you may see the word "wheat" in our products such as the "wheat protein", it is simply the chemical name, but the wheat has already been stripped out. Our products go through a hydrolysation process, in which the wheat is stripped out and all that is left is the protein. I am 100% positivve and knowledgeable about our line and therefore can assure you that it is 100% wheat free!! I hope this helped, please let me know if you have any other concerns.


I was wary of that response and therefore didn't buy any of the products. Turns out, that was for the best. As I read in this post by the Gluten Free Makeup Gal, the TTB doesn't consider even stripped wheat protein to be safe enough for beer to be labeled gluten free. Why should I allow it in my hair care, if they won't allow it in beer?

Chi-

I had seen on the Gluten Free Cosmetics List that some Chi products were gluten free, and seen elsewhere (though I now can't remember where) that some of their products were GF. My face, however, says otherwise. Perhaps I simply picked up the wrong items. So, either check carefully or avoid Chi.

As for what is safe, that seems to be the question of the hour. I only have a few companies that I trust as of now.

ShiKai-

Most of their products are gluten free. (See this post for exactly which ones are and are not).

Onesta-

They still have two products that are not gluten free (not sure which ones--sorry!) but they are working on fixing that! By summer, their entire line should be safe.


For others, be sure to check out Gluten Free Makeup Gal's list of safe products. She has a few hair care companies on there. Also check out the Gluten Free Cosmetics List. It's about $20 for a lifetime membership. I'm not sure how often it's updated, however.

I'll try to update this list as I become aware of more!

What gluten free hair care products do you use?

Hair care

Christmas is fast approaching. Among all the other fun things of the season, Christmas means pictures, parties, impressing families, showing off in front of the ex...about fifty billion reasons to look your absolute best. Personally, I prefer to do this without sacrificing my skin clarity. But what is a GF girl to do?

This morning, I was getting ready for the departmental Christmas picture, and I panicked. I have GF shampoo and conditioner, but nothing else in the way of hair products, and my hair had some serious frizz to it. Just as I was about to give in and use something from the Old Days, I spotted the jar of coconut oil on the corner of my dresser. I don't remember where it was, but I do recall reading that coconut oil is good for your hair.

I was nervous about trying it. My hair is pretty thin, and it generally doesn't do well when I add oil of any sort, but desperate measures and all. So, I used just the tiniest little bit and worked it into my hair, which now smells amazing. So far, it looks good. Good stuff, no?

As promised earlier, in a comment, I am working on a list of hair care products that are GF. However, I'm having a few issues with companies whose websites lie to the public, or who don't answer customer emails, etc. In the meantime, here's one company to tide you over.

I've mentioned ShiKai before--I have their Color Reflect shampoo and Mist & Go conditioner. Both are great products. The customer service rep who answered my email was very helpful, and sent me a list of what is and isn't GF. I've posted them below. Happy styling!


ShiKai--GF
Borage Therapy:

• Children's Formula Lotion
• Hand Cream
• Foot Cream
• Lightly Fragranced Lotion
• Original Formula Lotion
• Facial cleanser
• Facial Moist w/ SPF15
• 24hr Repair Cream
• Eye cream

Color Reflect Shampoos & Conditioners

• Shampoo (Deep, Gold, Platinum, and Warm)
• Conditioner (Daily Moisture, Mist & Go, Intensive, Hot Oil Treatment)
• Styling (Curl Enhancer, Hair Spray, Mousse, Shine Serum, Styling Gel)

Very Clean Ligquid Hand Soap
Natural Shampoos & Conditioners

• Shampoos (Everyday, Volumizing, Moisturizing, Color Care)
• Conditioner (Everyday w/ Amla)
• Henna Gold Highlighting Shampoo and Conditioner
• Tea Tree Shampoo and Conditioner

Hand & Body Lotion (all scents)

What's not safe:
Borage Therapy Advanced Formula
Moisturizing Shower & Bath Gels (all scents)
Biker Soap

Lip balm

Tis the season! The cooler weather has hit us (when it feels like it) and we’re breaking out the sweaters and the boots and the fun fall clothes. It also means that those rosy lips are getting chapped.

I’ve got two recommendations for gluten free lip balm.

EOS:

Their lip balm comes in two different forms. I’ve only tried the sphere as of yet. It’s a fun little accessory, and the flavor is pretty nice (I have strawberry sorbet). It’s not expensive, and you can find it in a bunch of different places. The quality is nothing special; it works, but it does feel thick and greasy when it’s on. Not my favorite. So, good stuff, but not the best.

*Please note: not all of their products are GF, just the lip balm.

Red Apple Lipstick:

Gentlemen, don’t be intimidated by the name; they don’t make just lipstick. I’ve tried a number of their products, and I have yet to find one I don’t like. Their Rallye Balm is to die for. It comes in both a tube and a tub. It’s very light; you can barely tell it’s on. There is no scent or flavor to it. It’s a fantastic primer for lipstick, especially theirs. My lips area left feeling smooth and moisturized. I personally prefer the tube so I don’t have to put my fingers in it, but I imagine the tub would be more appealing to anyone who would rather not give the appearance of applying lipstick. I can also testify to the fact that the tub is a fantastic piece of technology; mine went through the wash, and I didn't end up with lip balm all over my clothes. Awesome stuff!

*Everything that RAL makes is gluten free, and they also strive to be free of anything that research shows to be unhealthy.

Face Wash

Good face wash is hard to find. Add to that the fact that it needs to be gluten free, and it’s even more difficult. So far, I’ve tried three.

Origins:

This company is NOT all gluten free, but when I went to the counter, the woman was extremely helpful with looking up what I could and could not use. I tried the Zero Oil cleanser. I loved the light mint scent and the fact that it was gentle on my skin. However, the clean feeling didn’t last too long. Toward the end of the day, my face would be rather oily. So, not a bad product, but not one that I fell in love with. It’s also really  hard to justify $20 for a face wash that only sort of does its job.

Desert Essence:

This company clearly labels their gluten free products.  I purchased the Thoroughly Clean Face Wash in Original (around $10). The first thing I noticed when I used it was the overwhelming smell. It’s strong, and I don’t find it pleasant at all. The scent didn’t cling to my face, however, and one I rinsed it off it was done. First thing in the morning, though, strong, gross odors are not my friend. I also noticed that though it was purportedly for “oily & combination skin”, at the end of the day, my face was even more oily than when I used the Origins face wash.

365 Everyday Value:

I bought the Daily Facial Cleanser on a recommendation from a saleswoman at Whole Foods. She was very eager to help, and knew her stuff; always a plus. It’s gluten free, it’s comparable to Cetaphil, and it’s cheap! I bought it for less than $6. I believe it’s supposed to be fragrance free, but it does have a bit of a sweet smell to it. Nothing I can’t live with. It also works. I end the day with minimal oil on my face and still feeling clean. Out of the three I’ve tried, this is by far my favorite.

Why research is important--or, my TSTL moment of the day

Just a quick post today to illustrate the importance of doing your own research:

I went to Nordstrom the other day looking for some new make up. I'd done my research and found out that 100% of the make up made by NARS is gluten free. I was ecxtatic. Unfortunately, my Nordstrom does not cary NARS. The ladies in make up were, however, very helpful, and directed me to Smashbox. Most (but not all) of Smashbox's products are GF. I was able to confirm this with several different gluten free bloggers and sites, which was great, and an old friend was at the counter with all the knowledge of the products and their GF status that I could want. Great stuff, right?

The only problem is that this made me a bit bold. This morning went into Ulta, because I knew they also carried Smashbox and they're a bit closer to me. I was attempting to look up which products were not gluten free so I could steer clear. Trying to do that in a crowded store on a smallish phone with inquisitive sales reps is not so easy. I finally caved and asked one of the reps for help. She told me that she didn't know about Smashbox, but she did know that Tarte made completely gluten free products.

Let me stop you right here before you get too excited about that. Despite the woman's assurances, Tarte products are not gluten free. Some of them might be, but per a company rep, the Maracuja Divine Shine lip glosses are not. Still waiting to hear back about the liquid eye liner and mascara.

Unfortunately, I made a TSTL (too stupid to live, for those unfamiliar with the acronym) move by trying out the gloss before hearing back from the company. No symptoms yet, but we'll see. That means I can't take it back, either. Luckily, I have a friend who doesn't mind my germs (especially for free lip gloss) and who will take it off my hands.

Lesson of the day: don't be TSTL when it comes to gluten. Do your homework.

What's in Traci's house?

Maybe you've been gluten free for a while and you're looking for new products to use. Maybe you're new to this and have no idea where to start looking for GF products. Here would be a good place. You're welcome. :)

Room by room, I've listed every gluten free product I have in my home. This list doesn't contain every product on the market that's GF; I doubt I could ever collect such a beast. It's not even every one that I know about. That will come later. However, here is a good starting place for those who are feeling overwhelmed.

In the interest of not making this forever long, I'm not including my kitchen and make up bag in this list. For anyone interested, I can post those separate.

Laundry:
Method laundry detergent
Seventh Generation laundry detergent
Hydrogen peroxide
Baking soda
White vinegar
Lemon juice
(Those last four are my new house cleaning supplies)

Bathroom:
Method hand soap
Tom's of Maine toothpaste
Method daily shower spray
Kiss My Face bar soap in lavender
Kiss My Face body wash in lavender lily
Kiss My Face moisture shave in cool mint
Kiss My Face lavender and shea moisturizer
Dove bar soap
365 Everyday Value shampoo and conditioner in citrus
ShiKai Color Reflect shampoo
ShiKai Color Reflect mist & go conditioner
ShiKai hand and body lotion in coconut
Project Fig shave kit
Origins face wash


Pretty long list, no? Until I started throwing things out, I didn't realize just how much gluten I put on and in my body every day. Reviews will be forthcoming for most (if not all) of these products.

What do you use daily?

Links

 Here are the links to some of my favorite gluten free blogs and sites. I will be updating this post as I become aware of other helpful resources.

Gluten Free Goddess- Tons of recipes and real-life anecdotes about family life and Celiac
Gluten Free Girl- Recipes, and stories of cooking with friends
The Celiac Diva- Make up, info, etc
Gluten Free Make Up Gal- She blogs about make ups that are safe for people with Celiac and translates different looks into GF make up
Celiac.com-Tons of information on Celiac and related topics, plus the Gluten Free Mall where you can order GF products and a forum where you can chat and exchange information with others who are gluten free.
Gluten Free Drugs- An alphabetical list of known gluten free medications
Celiac-disease.com-Articles and references on gluten free living
Celiac.org-Information on Celiac

All about Gluten

Ever heard of Celiac? What about gluten? If you’re reading this, I imagine the answer to at least one of those is yes. But what is it? The National Institutes of Health describes Celiac as “a digestive disease that damages the small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients from food. People who have celiac disease cannot tolerate gluten, a protein in wheat, rye, and barley.”

Technical definitions are all well and good, but what, exactly, does that mean for someone with Celiac or an intolerance of gluten?

Simply put, it means a drastic lifestyle change.

If you’re anything like me, the thought of going gluten free has you well and truly terrified. What needs to be cut out? Will there be anything left in your diet? How do you know what to keep away from? What if you screw up? Where do you begin?

First things first: Don’t Panic. This might not be easy, but it is doable. Check out my story for a little inspiration.

Food is one of the main concerns for a beginner in the GF life. There are some obvious ones that you need to cut out, such as:
Bread
Pasta (made with wheat flour)
Pastries
Baked goods
Fried foods (which are often battered with wheat flour)


Some things to check before consuming are:
Barbecue/seasoning sauces
Processed meats
Chips
Condiments


These are things that you wouldn’t normally think of as having wheat in them, but some do, as either fillers or thickeners. Also, for those who have roommates or are trying to decide what to get rid of in the fridge, check your:
Butter
Jams and jellies
Mayonnaise
Icing

If you or someone else used that container and double dipped a crumby knife back into the jar, you’re at risk for a glutening. Drinking after someone who has eaten gluten can also get you sick. Always have a designated pasta strainer and cutting board just for gluten free foods in your kitchen.

In your medicine cabinet, watch out for:
Medications
Toothpaste
Mouth wash
Face wash
Lip products—gentlemen, this is important for your lady friends, as well. You don’t want her kissing you with a mouth covered in gluten.

Items to consider replacing:
Lotions
Cleansers
Shampoos
Shaving creams
All make up
Fragrances/perfumes/colognes
Hair care/styling products
Nail polishes

For some people, gluten in products that touch the skin will cause a dermal reaction. I, for example, break out and get sores that look like blisters. For others, gluten in these items will not affect them at all. In fact, some people who have lived a long time with Celiac or gluten intolerance will flat out deny that gluten in these items do anything to anyone. True enough, the gluten protein is too large to just seep in through your pores. But what about that vitamin D that's supposed to be absorbed by your skin? That is often made from wheat. Also, consider these questions:

How many times in your life have you gotten soap in your mouth while showering? Have you used a hair product (especially hair spray) and then tasted it on your lips after? Ever forgotten your nails were wet, and put a finger in your mouth? Does your make up, especially the powdered stuff, actually stay where it’s supposed to? Do you ever touch your face after putting on lotion? I’ve yet to meet anyone who uses these products and can absolutely guarantee that they don’t get into their bodies. If you are lucky enough to avoid all of these exposures, or to not react to them, more power to you. For the rest of us, gluten free products are a must.

When it comes right down to it, only one person can decide what the right path is, and that's you. Do what makes you feel best. Go with what is most comfortable. Tossing out absolutely everything in your house that contains gluten can be heartbreaking. However, I have made the switch so that the only gluten remaining in my entire house is in a select few cleaning supplies. Excessive? Perhaps. But I feel safe in my own home knowing there's little to no chance of being glutened. That's what's right for me.

What about you? What level of wheatlessness will you be applying to your own life?

My Story

As far back as I can remember, I've had a low level of discomfort, of just not feeling well, at all times. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism and placed on a medication to correct the hormone imbalance. I started feeling better, but I still took longer than most to recover from illnesses, and generally didn’t feel quite well.

During college, I did a study abroad program in China. I spent a few months living in Hong Kong and traveling elsewhere in Asia, enjoying the local cuisine. I felt great. I assumed it was simply from the excitement of exploring somewhere new, but then, there’s not much in the way of gluten in Asia.

When I returned to the US, I started to feel ill again pretty quickly. I had a lot of digestive issues—heartburn, upset stomach, nausea, not wanting to eat, and no matter how well I did eat or how much I exercised, I could not lose weight. Needless to say, I found this more than a little frustrating.

Nearly a year went by, but since my symptoms were sporadic and not very severe, it was assumed that they were unrelated. However, one day, while helping a friend shop for her wedding gown, my stomach started cramping so bad that I passed out. That triggered a flurry of tests, and then my doctor called.

“I’m kind of surprised,” she said, “but your blood work came back positive for Celiac.”

I had no idea what that meant. She recommended a gluten free diet, whatever that was. At work that day, I started doing some research. That research, in turn, triggered tears.

Never again eat flour? How was that supposed to work? Everything was made out of flour! I spent a day mourning the loss of brownies and red velvet cake, and then I set to work.

I somehow managed to cut gluten out of my diet. I dropped five pounds in a week, felt fantastic in a matter of days, and I was a lot happier. I was set, right?

Wrong. I went to see a Gastrointestinal doctor, who wanted to do a biopsy to confirm the Celiac diagnosis. To do that, I had to start eating gluten again. That was great for the first week. I ate absolutely everything I had missed when I was gluten free. Around week two, I started to feel not so great. By week six, I was miserable, and so was everyone who lived with me. After the biopsy, my mother told me (in that "I don't mean this to hurt you" way only moms can truly manage), “I hope you stick to the gluten free diet. You’re kind of mean when you don’t.”

Right. Mean, miserable, sick all the time, gaining weight whenever I breathed. I was determined I wasn’t doing the gluten thing ever again.

My mom was a great advocate for me, and went out of her way to find recipes and goodies I could safely eat. At all the family functions, she made sure there were cookies or brownies just for me. What she couldn’t tell me, however, was just how many things I was going to have to avoid.

After a month or two, I made the mistake of ordering a steak with Jack Daniel’s sauce. Within an hour, I was sick. In the following four days that I was ill, I started my research again. Clearly, gluten wasn’t just in baked or battered goods. I also had to watch out for sauces, lip products, everything that could potentially get in my mouth.

It didn’t take long after that for me to start noticing that all of my makeup, hair products, cleansers, etc. that still contained gluten were causing me to break out. I set about the heartbreaking and expensive process of cleansing my house of gluten and replacing everything with GF products. It took time and no small amount of money. While I’m healthier and it was worth it in the end, the time and expense was often discouraging.

The process of learning everything that must be avoided, products that are not only safe but worth the money, and what questions to ask at restaurants, is a very daunting one. It was a process that I navigated mainly on my own, and I made many mistakes along the way. My aim is to provide an all-inclusive resource to anyone going gluten free or continuing to live the life. This blog will contain everything I found useful: product reviews, recipes, links to helpful sites, list of safe products, and any other information I come upon. I’m by no means an expert, but I’m hoping that my experiences can help others in their gluten free journeys.