<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Kao products include these (mostly well-known) brands:

Ban
Biore
Curel
Guhl
Jergens
John Frieda

I wrote the company with regard to a John Frieda shampoo product, but
their answer seems to encompass all their brands, since the reply
came from Jergens/Kao, not just John Frieda.

PLEASE -- no flame mails about not being concerned about gluten
toiletries and cosmetics.  These are often products that we get in
our mouths (e.g., shampoo) or on our hands (e.g., lotions).  I
personally had a horrible DH-like breakout over my ears after using a
John Frieda shampoo, which ended up causing the lymph nodes behind my
ears to swell up quite badly.  I know it is said that you cannot
contract DH from contact with gluten, so perhaps it was simply a skin
reaction that looked like DH.  But enough to concern me to contact
the company:


>From: <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: Jergens, Reference #  001191826A.
>Date: Mon, 26 Sep 2005 10:00:17 -0400
>
>Dear Suzanne:
>
>Thank you for your email.
>
>We cannot guarantee that any of our products are gluten free. Gluten
>comes from plant sources.  We purchase ingredients from varoius
>vendors.  Our vendors can change the origin for each ingredient at
>any time without our knowledge.
>
>
>Cordially,
>Kao Brands Consumer Relations Department

* Visit the Celiac Web Page at www.enabling.org/ia/celiac/index.html *