New ingredients in Vaseline Intensive Care Advanced Repair Unscented lotion -- is it still safe?

[NoGlutensToday]

I have used Vaseline Intensive Care Advanced Repair Unscented lotion for quite some time, and it has always worked just fine. I use it during the day because it is non-greasy. (At night I often use pure petroleum jelly.)

Recently I purchased a new bottle and noticed that the formulation is slightly different. Among other things, it now includes: Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil and Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter.

Are these ingredients generally considered safe/gluten free? I'm particularly curious about the cross-contamination risk.

I have written to Vaseline about this, but as I await their response I would be grateful for any insight from the folks in this forum. Full ingredients for this product are listed below. Much appreciated!

 

Water (Eau), Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Isopropyl Palmitate, Glycol Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Dimethicone, Mineral Oil (Huile Minérale), Glyceryl Stearate, Petrolatum, Cetyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Triethanolamine, Propylparaben, Disodium EDTA, Stearamide AMP, Isopropyl Myristate, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Cedrol, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Dicaprylyl Ether

[knitty kitty]

Hello, @NoGlutensToday,

I believe those new ingredients are gluten free.  

I can't use petroleum based products like that lotion and petroleum jelly.  My skin feels like it has a coating on it and can't breathe.  And my pores clog up.  This makes my dermatitis herpetiformis more aggravated.  

I use Tallow Balm by Vintage Traditions.  (Not an advertisement, just what works wonderfully for me.)  Tallow Balm is absorbed into the skin better than plant oils because tallow is animal based.  Yes, tallow is rendered beef fat which has been used historically for skin care as far back as the ancient Egyptians.  

My dermatitis herpetiformis eruptions go away much more quickly with tallow balm, and heals without leaving scars.  Tallow Balm also improves my rough cracked heels.  

I also take 100 mg/day Niacin Vitamin B 3 in the form that flushes (nicotinic acid - not the same as nicotine in cigarettes).  The flushing that happens with Nicotinic Acid Niacin helps mobilise and remove the built up deposits of tTg 3 IgA deposits in the skin that cause the dermatitis herpetiformis eruptions.  (tTg 2 IgA deposits are the antibodies in the bloodstream measured in blood tests for Celiac Disease.)  

Vintage Traditions Tallow Balm is available at their website and on Amazon.  There are many different scents available from feminine floral to masculine outdoorsy.  No, you won't smell like cooked beef.  You'll just have healthier softer skin.  

Hope this helps!

[NoGlutensToday]

Here is the response I received from Unilever:

Thank you for reaching out to Vaseline, and thank you for your interest in our product. Vaseline® Intensive Care™ Advanced Repair Unscented lotion does
not contain gluten.

We do not specifically test our products for the presence of gluten. Gluten may be present in products that contain derivatives of wheat, oat, rye, and barley.

In labeling our products, we follow the guidelines established by the International Nomenclature for Cosmetics Ingredients (INCI) process. Therefore, if we use
an ingredient derived from a grain such as wheat, oat, rye and/or barley, those names will appear on the label.

We recommend that you consult with your physician as to whether your exposure to grain derivatives from the use of personal care products will cause the symptoms
of Celiac disease.

We do not operate allergen free manufacturing sites, although we do have Allergen Management Programs in all our facilities. The intent of these programs is to avoid
unintentional cross contact of allergens between products. Even though we take these extra precautions, there is no guarantee that our products are allergen free.
 

[Scott Adams]

It sounds like a typical CYA written by lawyers--our product is gluten-free, but not guaranteed gluten-free...ok, I would use it.

[CatherineWang]

The answer looks like it was written by a lawyer or PR. Well, they just defend themselves in case you feel unwell after using their lotion. They have warned you, and you can't sue them. But I've checked online, and those products (Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil and Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter) seem gluten-free. Have you tried doing your own research?