Getting Pampered!

We all like to be pampered every now and then (well most of us). Something you might want to remember to do before you book your next appointment is to make sure the person styling your hair, giving you a facial, etc.. is to make sure you find someone who knows and understands that you have Celiacs and are gluten free. While making your appointment try to make it clear that it is imperative for any products they will be using on you need to be gluten free. If they are not sure and can't guarantee their products are gluten free then maybe bringing your own products would be a better idea. Or you could scout out the products they cary and do some investigating before your appointment. Most professionals are more then happy to accommodate you as long as you let them know ahead of time. Plus you are also helping educate them about an aspect of their field that they may not be aware of. Once educated on the different aspects of a gluten free clients needs they can always advertise their knowledge and bring in a whole new group of cliental:)

Accepting you need to go Gluten Free

Finally getting diagnosed with Celiac disease may feel like a relief to some but actually understanding your disease and going gluten free can be overwhelming. It took me a while to understand that I HAD to go completely gluten free otherwise I would be putting my health and even my life at risk. People will say things to you about how lucky you are to just have to change what you eat instead of medicate yourself to control your symptoms. Those people have no clue what they are talking about! This whole gluten free thing is in no way easy. I can not stress this fact enough. If diagnosed with Celiac disease the sooner you go gluten free the better. I waited so long for the correct diagnosis. I was told I had everything from MS to it was all in my head until finally after ten years of severe pain, hospitalization, feeding tubes, etc.. I got my diagnosis. My body was at war with itself for so long that some of the damage can not be healed by going gluten free or medication. Thats why I urge all people with symptoms or a family history to get tested. I spent way to much time in pain and in hospitals because of misdiagnosis. I just assumed the doctors knew more then I did about my own body (a mistake I will never make again). I felt like I was a freak of nature (and not in a good way). I felt so alone because nobody I knew had Celiac disease or had ever even heard of it. They didn't understand my pain physically or mentally. I got so tired of explaining what was "wrong" with me and then explaining it was not an allergy but an autoimmune disease. Now my goal like many others who have this disease is to try to help others deal with the everyday difficulties they have to deal with.

Why gluten free products?

People often wonder why I use only gluten free beauty products. Since I have Celiac disease I obviously can't eat gluten but who said anything about beauty products? Well for me personally I get a skin reaction as well but I would recommend to anyone who has Celiac disease to use gluten free beauty products either way. Research shows that we do absorb things we put on our skin and who knows what we do and don't actually absorb or accidentally digest. Most women swallow around 4 pounds of lipstick in their lifetime! I bet a majority of us have gotten shampoo, hairspray, soap, and makeup in our mouths at least a couple times. I can't imagine putting something on my skin that contained a unhealthy ingredient that caused my body to attack itself and cause me severe pain and damage. That's why I say I don't just eat a gluten free diet, I live a gluten free lifestyle. So if you have Celiac disease and are still having symptoms my suggestion would be to read the labels on your everyday beauty products and if they are not gluten free then maybe you need to go to the next step and only use Gluten free products;)

Skin Care

If you are gluten free because you have Celiac disease then chances are you have very sensitive skin that breaks out easily. For years I suffered with skin problems like acne. My skin started to clear up when I got my diagnosis of Celiac disease and went gluten free. Yet I was still having some skin irritation. That's when I realized I needed to check the labels on all my beauty products. Every single item had some type of gluten in it! So I started to switch out my everyday products with gluten free ones. I did this gradually because I could not afford to throw everything away at once and by all new products. So each week I would by a new gluten free product and throw away the old one. Then after my process was complete a miracle happened! My skin cleared up. Don't get me wrong I do break out every know and then but for the most part my skin is clear. Taking care of my skin is very important to me because when my skin looks healthy and clear I feel confident. I am a person who washes her face every night. I can't even fall asleep if I don't, so finding the right cleanser was my first priority. Lucky for me I stumbled onto "Gluten Free Beauty". Kristen Campbell the lines creator has Celiac Disease so she knew exactly what I was talking about and what I needed. I got some samples and I was immediately hooked! Her olive oil facial cleanser is amazing. The cleanser kind of resembles wet sandy mud but feels like pure heaven. All you do is take a small amount out of the jar and put it in the palm of your hand then you add some water and it then glides onto your skin. After you rinse your skin, your skin will feel smooth, soft, and clean. I use this product every single day and I love it. The other product I fell in love with is her Moisturizing serum. I had never used a moisturizing serum before so I didn't know what to expect. I had always relied on facial cream or lotions to moisturize my skin. After one use my skin went from dry, red, and flaky to soft and healthy. The serum doesn't clog your pores like other moisturizers do in fact it is anti-aging and helps repair damage. It's all natural ingredients give you back that natural glow we all want our face to have.. It's perfect to wear under makeup or alone. I put some on every night before I go to bed. These two products helped open my eyes to being aware of what is in every single product i put on my body.

Make-up

Finding gluten free makeup is not an easy task. Most "Big" brand makeup companies don't list all of their ingredients and if they do they seem like they are in a foreign language. I want my makeup to look good and be good for my skin. I have tried MANY brands, here are a few of my favorites that are gluten free and amazing!
First off we have Afterglow cosmetics. This is a great line that was created with people who have Celiac disease in mind. They have a variety of options for you to choose from. I just love their mineral powder foundation. They have a variety of color pallets for every skin color. The thing i love about afterglow is that they not only list all their ingredients but they are proud of them! Next up is Gluten Free Beauty. This line offers a mineral foundation that is unlike any other I have tried. You swirl you makeup brush around in the jar and the foundation turns into a cream like consistency. It's ver light and sheer. This line also has the best moisture serum and facial scrub but that's another post. Next on my list is Priia. They are great at helping you pick out what colors work best for you and you can get samples for $1. They have great customer service and they really know their products and want you to find what works for you. I love their vacation in a jar bronzer and their lip glosses that last four hours with out any touch-ups. This week I will be trying a different line from vani-T krushed minerals:) I will let you know when I am ready to dish!

Gluten free beauty products

When I began my journey in search of gluten free beauty products I was overwhelmed and unhappy with some of the products. I wanted to start a blog that could save others time and money. As I switch all my findings over to my blog feel free to send me an email if you have a question about a gluten free beauty product. My reviews so far include makeup, skin care, hair products, moisturizers, toothpaste, etc... You get the idea:)