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Editorial note: Market figures cited in this article are estimates based on publicly available industry reports and may vary by source. HalalExpo.com aims to present the most current data available but readers should verify figures for business decisions. Sources include the State of the Global Islamic Economy Report, DinarStandard, and national halal authority publications.
Halal skincare requires avoiding ingredients derived from prohibited sources — primarily pork by-products, insects, and certain types of alcohol. The challenge is that cosmetics labels use INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients) names, which are often Latin or chemical terms that obscure their origin. This guide gives you a practical reference to navigate those labels confidently.
For observant Muslims, the halal principle extends beyond food to anything that comes into contact with the body — including skincare, makeup, and personal care products. Most Islamic scholars apply the same prohibited-source principle to cosmetics as they do to food: if an ingredient is derived from a haram animal or processed in a way that renders it impure, it should be avoided.
There is a secondary debate among scholars about whether cosmetics applied externally — not ingested — are subject to the same strictness as food. The majority position, followed by certification bodies such as JAKIM (Malaysia), BPJPH (Indonesia), and ESMA (UAE), is that halal cosmetics must be free from all haram ingredients regardless of application method. This is the standard followed by certified halal beauty brands.
The practical difficulty is that the cosmetics industry uses thousands of ingredients, many with names that give no indication of their origin. A single moisturiser may contain 20 or more INCI-listed ingredients. Knowing which ones to scrutinise is the first step.
The following ingredient categories are considered haram or doubtful (mashbooh) by mainstream halal certification standards:
Porcine (pig-derived) ingredients are the most clearly prohibited. They appear in skincare more often than consumers realise:
Alcohol in cosmetics is one of the most nuanced halal questions. Not all alcohols are the same:
The following ingredients are considered doubtful because their source varies by manufacturer:
The following are generally considered halal and are widely used in certified halal skincare products:
EU and US cosmetics regulations require ingredients to be listed in INCI format in descending order of concentration. Here is a practical approach:
Rather than auditing every ingredient yourself, look for products certified by a recognised halal authority. The most widely accepted certification bodies for cosmetics include:
Browse all certified cosmetics companies in the HalalExpo Business Directory or filter by the Cosmetics category on our Certifiers page.
| Ingredient | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Carmine (E120) | Haram | Insect-derived red dye |
| Porcine Gelatin / Collagen | Haram | Pig-derived — avoid unlabelled sources |
| Lard / Adeps Suillus | Haram | Pork fat |
| Shellac | Haram (majority) | Insect secretion |
| Ethanol (high %) | Haram / Mashbooh | Context-dependent — see certification standard |
| Glycerin (unknown source) | Mashbooh | Request source documentation |
| Stearic Acid (unknown source) | Mashbooh | Can be animal or plant-derived |
| Lanolin | Halal (majority) | Wool-derived — generally permissible |
| Cetyl / Stearyl / Cetearyl Alcohol | Halal | Fatty alcohols — not intoxicating |
| Niacinamide | Halal | Synthetic B3 |
| Hyaluronic Acid (fermentation) | Halal | Confirm biosynthetic source |
| Plant Oils & Extracts | Halal | Argan, jojoba, aloe, rosehip etc. |
| Zinc Oxide, Titanium Dioxide | Halal | Mineral, inorganic |
| Salicylic Acid | Halal | Synthetic or willow bark |
Reading skincare labels for halal compliance is a learnable skill. The highest-risk ingredients are carmine, porcine gelatin/collagen, and high-concentration ethanol — these are the ones to check first. For glycerin and stearic acid, contact the manufacturer if the product is not certified halal.
The most reliable shortcut is to choose products certified by a recognised halal authority such as JAKIM, BPJPH, or IFANCA. These certifiers audit ingredient sourcing, manufacturing processes, and cross-contamination controls — so you do not have to do it label by label.
Use our Halal Ingredient Checker for quick lookups, explore certified halal certifiers worldwide, and browse halal-certified beauty companies in the HalalExpo Directory.
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