So this gluten-free thing popped up because my cousin’s got celiac disease, and she asked if my makeup stash was safe. NYX is like half my collection, right? Figured I’d do a deep dive since their website’s FAQ section is useless for this.
Started by grabbing every NYX product from my bathroom counter. Checked the labels one by one with my phone flashlight – some of that ingredient print is microscopic! Mostly focused on anything that sounded wheaty: “triticum vulgare” (fancy word for wheat germ oil), barley extract, anything with “hydrolyzed” in the name. Found this weird ingredient called “secale cereale” in a lipstick, which turned out to be rye seed extract after some frantic googling. Scratched that lipstick off the safe list immediately.
Then spent three nights emailing NYX customer service about specific products. Their replies were all copy-paste jobs: “We don’t add gluten intentionally but can’t guarantee against cross-contamination.” Total corporate speak. So I called their toll-free number and actually got a human who sounded as tired as I felt. She confirmed they don’t test finished products for gluten and said “assume everything could have trace amounts.” Not helpful.
Next phase was detective work. Joined this gluten-free beauty Facebook group – those ladies know their stuff. Someone shared screenshots from NYX’s European site that actually listed gluten-containing products (why’s Europe get better info?!). Cross-referenced that with my collection. The Butter Glosses? Mostly clean. That popular Matte Liquid Liner? Contains wheat protein. The Micro Brow Pencil? Safe ingredient list but made in a factory that processes oats. Risky.
Final verdict after two weeks of this madness:
- Lip products are Russian roulette – found gluten in 4 out of 12 I checked
- Face stuff like foundation seems safer but no guarantees
- Their setting sprays all have grain alcohols
Ended up making my cousin a “probably safe” bag with NYX products that passed ingredient checks, printed out the suspect ingredients list for her, and told her to patch test everything. Still tell her to rub products on her elbow first before using near her mouth. Maybe I’ll switch to certified gluten-free brands eventually, but man, NYX’s dupes are too affordable to quit cold turkey.
