Information in this post reflects what brands shared with me as of January 2026 and may change over time. This post is for informational purposes only and isn’t medical advice. I’m sharing brand responses and my own interpretation as someone with celiac disease.

If you have celiac disease, you already know that gluten shows up in places most people never think twice about. Food is the obvious one — but over time, you start questioning everything else too.

Makeup is one of those grey areas.

While cosmetics aren’t meant to be eaten, some products — especially anything used on the lips — can be accidentally ingested in small amounts throughout the day. And if you’re highly sensitive to gluten or cautious about cross-contamination, that uncertainty can be frustrating.

Instead of guessing, I decided to ask.

I reached out directly to popular drugstore makeup brands to ask whether their products are considered gluten free, whether they use any gluten-derived ingredients, and whether there’s potential cross-contamination during manufacturing. I sent the same message to each brand so the responses would be as consistent and comparable as possible.

This post isn’t meant to tell anyone what they should or shouldn’t use. Gluten free labeling in cosmetics isn’t regulated the same way it is for food, and everyone’s comfort level and sensitivity is different. My goal is simply to share the information these brands provided — in their own words — so you can make more informed decisions for yourself.

Below, I’ve summarized what each brand told me, including how they approach gluten-containing ingredients and whether they’re able to guarantee against cross-contamination.

e.l.f. Cosmetics

At a glance

• ❌ Gluten-free label: No
• ⚠️ Gluten-free ingredients in most products: Yes
• 🏭 Certified gluten-free facility: No
• ⚠️ Known gluten-containing products: Yes (discontinued)

What they told me

e.l.f. shared that their products do not carry a gluten free label and are not manufactured in a certified gluten-free facility. They noted that most of their products are made without gluten-containing ingredients, but provided a list of products that may contain gluten.

Products e.l.f. identified as possibly containing gluten

(No longer sold on e.l.f.’s website, but may be available through other retailers)

• Wrinkle Refiner
• Volumizing & Defining Mascara
• Mascara Primer
• Lash Extending Mascara

View full brand response

Thank you for your interest in e.l.f. Cosmetics. e.l.f. products do not carry the gluten-free label, however the majority of our products are products without gluten ingredients. We do not certify that they were manufactured in a gluten-free facility. Please note that the following products may contain gluten: These are no longer sold on our website, but may be available from other sources.

81911 – Wrinkle Refiner
21665 – Volumizing & Defining Mascara
81421 – Mascara Primer
81436 – Lash Extending Mascara

the e.l.f. care team

How I interpret this

As someone with celiac disease, I appreciate that e.l.f. clearly disclosed the specific products that may contain gluten. While most products may be formulated without gluten ingredients, the lack of a certified gluten free facility is still something I personally take into account — especially for lip products.

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Dear Kira:

Thank you for your recent comments from our website and your interest in our products.

While we generally do not add gluten to our lipsticks, we cannot guarantee that a product has not come into contact with gluten somewhere in the manufacturing process and, in general, neither can our ingredient suppliers.

Thank you for your interest in our products. We hope to continue to serve your cosmetic needs.

Hello Kira,

Thank you for contacting eos!

Our products do not contain gluten, and are not exposed to gluten during manufacturing. The oat ingredient found in some of our products is certified gluten-free. Our products are also checked in the final stage for gluten traces as an added precaution.

Dear Kira,

Thank you for taking the time to contact us and share your experience.

Thank you for reaching out and sharing your concerns with us. We understand how important it is to be cautious, especially with lip products.

At this time, the only way we can confirm whether a product is completely gluten-free is by submitting a lab test for the specific item, as formulations and manufacturing processes may vary. Please let us know which product(s) you’re interested in, and we’ll be happy to forward your request to our team for review and provide the most accurate information possible.

We appreciate the opportunity to be of service and hope you will continue to use our products with complete confidence and satisfaction.

Dear Kira,

Thank you for taking the time to contact us and share your experience.

Thank you so much for reaching out and for sharing your concerns with us. We completely understand how important it is to be cautious, especially with lip products, and we appreciate you taking the time to ask these thoughtful questions.

At this time, the most accurate way for us to confirm whether a product is completely gluten-free is by submitting a lab test for the specific product in question. Because formulations and manufacturing processes can vary, we’re unable to make a blanket statement across all products or regions without testing the individual item.

To help us move forward, please let us know which specific product(s) you’re interested in purchasing, and we’ll be happy to forward your request to our team for further review. We’ll do our best to provide you with the most reliable information.

We appreciate the opportunity to be of service and hope you will continue to use our products with complete confidence and satisfaction.

Final thoughts

If I’m being honest, the biggest takeaway from all of this is that there’s just no one standard when it comes to gluten in makeup. Every brand handles it differently — some focus on ingredients, some talk about manufacturing, some only look at things product by product, and a lot don’t really say much about cross-contact at all.

That inconsistency is exactly why I wanted to put this together. Not to tell anyone what they should or shouldn’t use, but so you don’t have to email a million brands yourself just to feel okay about what you’re using.

One brand that really stood out to me was eos. They were one of the only ones who clearly addressed ingredients, manufacturing, and final-stage testing all in one response. As someone who thinks about cross-contamination basically all the time, that kind of clarity was genuinely reassuring — especially for lip products.

Everyone with celiac disease has a different comfort level, and what feels fine for one person might not feel right for someone else. For me, lip products are where I’m extra cautious, which is why I paid more attention to how brands talked about manufacturing and cross-contact, not just ingredient lists.

If nothing else, I hope this helps you feel a bit more informed, a bit more confident asking questions, and a little less alone in all of these grey areas. You’re not overthinking it — you’re just trying to take care of your health.

If you’ve had good or bad experiences with any of these products, I’d love to hear about them.

Living with celiac disease already takes enough mental energy — and getting clear information shouldn’t feel like another full-time job.