Cover Girl Cosmetics

[celiac-mommy]

I've been using CG cosmetics since I was 15. I recently sent an email specifically listing 3 products I use and if they were gluten-free, or if a product contained gluten, would they list "gluten" or "wheat" in the ingredient list (like they do with the mineral make-up--lists 'oats'. Before I emailed them, I tried for 1/2 hour to get thru on a customer service line and never got thru. This is the response I recieved today and I'm VERY disappointed and will most likely end up switching brands--even though this is the only brand I don't break out with

Thanks for contacting us.

I understand how frustrating it is to have allergies! We want to help and ask that you have your physician get in touch with us listing the ingredients you are allergic to, and the product you use that might contain them. I know this sounds unusual, but because of the competitive nature of our business, specific ingredient information isn't generally released.

Please have your doctor send a written request on office letterhead to: P&G, P.O. Box 599, Cincinnati, Ohio 45201.

Or if you prefer, fax it to us at: 1-513-983-2881

P&G Team

[Lisa]

I have seen this before, but certainly not often. Shame on P&G. That response is worthy of a boycott (from me).

Neutrogena have a very extensive listing of gluten free products and they have a good attitude to boot.

[celiac-mommy]

Neutrogena have a very extensive listing of gluten free products and they have a good attitude to boot.

I know, but within 3 days of using any of their foundations, I have literally 15+ zits all over my face. It happens every time. I can use the pressed powder and lip gloss fine though. I am going to stop using CG for sure, and I'm going to use that fax# listed to send a letter--tactful but letting them know exactly how I feel!

[cruelshoes]

P&G has been giving out that same canned response for years. Open Original Shared Link to a discussion from early 2006. They may have been pulling the same crap for even longer than that.

I hope you find an alternative that works for you. If you are inclined to try mineral makeup, feel free to join us over on the massive Everyday Minerals thread.

[Jestgar]

I hope you find an alternative that works for you. If you are inclined to try mineral makeup, feel free to join us over on the massive Everyday Minerals thread.

Be sure to leave a trail of empty foundation containers so you can find your way out

[cruelshoes]

Be sure to leave a trail of empty foundation containers so you can find your way out

But there IS no way out. It's like the Hotel California - You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave.....

[jerseyangel]

Ha! I was going to suggest the Everyday Minerals, too

Open Original Shared Link

This line does not contain bismuth (potential breakout causing ingredient), which is used in many mineral makeups including Bare Minerals.

As far as Cover Girl, I was planning on calling them to inquire about the tocopheryl acetate in a mascara that I wanted to try.....now I won't even bother. I'll stick with Andrea Rose, who works closely with her chemist to insure all of her products are gluten-free.

Open Original Shared Link

Shame on Proctor and Gamble that they can't be upfront about ingredients--we're not looking for their formulas, for Pete's sake!

[home-based-mom]

P&G is being boycotted by other groups for other reasons (justly IMHO) and they are a difficult company to avoid because they are into so much. There are often 3 sections of coupons in the Sunday paper. Two of them feature all other companies, and P&G has their own section - they are into that many products.

They are not the only company who refuses to let customers know what ingredients are in the products they expect us to use. KFC is another one. To me such paranoia is foolish and I see no reason to use any of their products. That can be a real inconvenience because sometimes there is no alternative. Downy Free is the only unscented liquid fabric softener on the market. So I do without and I'm fine with that.

[celiac-mommy]

I guess I will be boycotting as well (all P&G). This makes me very disappointed and angry. Like I'm out to steal their secret formulas is rediculous!!! I will be letting them know exactly how I feel. I'll let you know if I hear anything back...

[ohsotired]

What a crock. I certainly would boycott them (if I was using them).

I dropped mainstream cosmetics for minerals. Check out that Everyday Minerals thread, but be aware that there are a ton of smaller mineral makeup companies, several of which have confirmed to me that they are indeed, gluten free.

[gfjayhawk]

That is ridiculous. It's not as if we could duplicate their product based on that one little piece of information! And even if we could, an industrial spy could easily pose as a doctor to get the information. Their policy makes no sense.

[linda7276]

I have seen this before, but certainly not often. Shame on P&G. That response is worthy of a boycott (from me).

Neutrogena have a very extensive listing of gluten free products and they have a good attitude to boot.

I agree about the boycott, that is ridiculous!!

Neutrogena has wonderful skin care products, I used to break out from most everything but not Neutrogena..

[crystalb09]

I recieved the following email from P&G in response to my inquiry:

Thanks for contacting us.

We know Celiac is a serious disease, so we want to give you clear information regarding the use of our beauty care products. If wheat and/or gluten aren't directly added to a product by us, these ingredients won't be listed on our packages. Like many companies, we often purchase the scents for fragranced products from outside suppliers, and the components of these substances are proprietary information belonging to those companies. Therefore it's possible that a very small amount (generally parts per million) of gluten may be present.

We sought advice from physicians; they told us it would be very unlikely a person with Celiac disease would have a reaction from a trace amount of gluten coming into contact with his skin or hair. This is because wheat, rye, barley and/or gluten generally cause symptoms when they're ingested. Since our beauty care products are designed to be used externally on the skin, their use shouldn't be an issue for someone with this disease.

Since gluten sensitivity can vary among people, it would be best if you consulted with your physician about the use of all types of consumable goods, if you haven't already. You might even consider using one of our fragrance free products that doesn't list gluten or wheat extracts on the label.

Thanks again for getting in touch with us. I hope this response has been helpful to you. For more information about Celiac, you may want to check out Open Original Shared Link and Open Original Shared Link

Hope this helps!

I was immediately offended by the implication that I was unaware of the very basics for checking products for gluten, and then to be told that my doctor would be a better source for answers when it was my doctor in the first place that told me to contact the company directly. And just as an FYI, anything that comes in contact with your skin has the possibility to be ingested. How often do your hands come in contact with your food (if your lotion contains gluten and it transfers to your food, you just ingested gluten) of with your mouth directly? Of how often, especially in the height of allergy season to you touch your eyes (another mucus membrane that allows for absorbtion)? Unfortunately I use a lot of P&G products and will have to restock most of my bathroom with confirmed gluten-free products since I can't be sure of anything that they sell.

I have found confirmed lists from Neutrogena, Bath and Body Works and St Ives to use from here on out so I'll just have to make some changes. Small price to pay I suppose to stay healthy.

[kitty76123]

Last night I contacted the online beauty adviser on www.covergirl.com and was told that all the cosmetics are Gluten Free. i was a bit skeptical, but that was what i was told and then was given a website that lists all the ingredients

Open Original Shared Link

Hope this helps

[celiac-mommy]

Thanks for the website. I know their products aren't gluten-free, they may be wheat free, but the mineral line contains oats. At least they're now posting all their ingredients! Thank again!

[CHark]

Here was the latest response from CoverGirl:

Thanks for contacting CoverGirl,

We appreciate your interest in our products. Please be assured, I'm forwarding your comments to the rest of our CoverGirl Team.

We know Celiac is a serious disease, so we want to give you clear information regarding the use of our beauty care products. If wheat and/or gluten aren't directly added to a product by us, these ingredients won't be listed on our packages. Like many companies, we often purchase the scents for fragranced products from outside suppliers, and the components of these substances are proprietary information belonging to those companies. Therefore it's possible that a very small amount (generally parts per million) of gluten may be present.

We sought advice from physicians; they told us it would be very unlikely a person with Celiac disease would have a reaction from a trace amount of gluten coming into contact with his skin or hair. This is because wheat, rye, barley and/or gluten generally cause symptoms when they're ingested. Since our beauty care products are designed to be used externally on the skin, their use shouldn't be an issue for someone with this disease.

Since gluten sensitivity can vary among people, it would be best if you consulted with your physician about the use of all types of consumable goods, if you haven't already. You might even consider using one of our fragrance free products that doesn't list gluten or wheat extracts on the label.

Thanks again for getting in touch with us. I hope this response has been helpful to you. As you know, additional information about Celiac can be found at Open Original Shared Link and Open Original Shared Link

Terri

CoverGirl Team

[Kim miller]

it is not a doctors job to contact pg its pg resonsibility to hav full disclosure of harmful ingredients how insulting! throwing away all my cover girl and pg products! I will not support a company who is not interested in the health of their customers. proctor and gamble u just lost a customer! i

[kareng]

it is not a doctors job to contact pg its pg resonsibility to hav full disclosure of harmful ingredients how insulting! throwing away all my cover girl and pg products! I will not support a company who is not interested in the health of their customers. proctor and gamble u just lost a customer! i

That post you are responding to is 4 years old. We should never go off of such old info for product ingredients. Ingrdients and manufacturing practices change over time.