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What Makes Halal Skincare and Cosmetics Unique
The principles of Halal apply to every aspect of the life of Muslims and the use of personal care products is not an exception. The ingredients in Halal skincare and cosmetics must meet rigorous requirements. They must not contain any kind of alcohol or fat derived from pigs, for example. In fact, most ingredients of animal origin are not allowed. These include derivatives like L-cysteine, for instance. The products must be cruelty-free. This means that the manufacturing methods do not include experiments on animals.
It is quite challenging for consumers to check all the ingredients found in traditional skincare and cosmetic products simply because most of them are chemical compounds derived from natural sources or synthesized in labs. That is why the easiest way for Muslims to ensure that they will be applying Halal products on their face and body is to look for the Halal seal of approval.
How the Vegan Principles Apply to Personal Care Products
Only ingredients coming from plant sources, including derivatives, are allowed in vegan cosmetics and skincare products. You should not expect to find even beeswax or milk protein in them. Animal oils which are traditionally used for making skincare products and makeup are replaced by plant oils, which are packed with vitamins and minerals. As a rule of thumb, vegan products designed to be applied on the skin are cruelty-free. This is an integral part of the vegan philosophy.
Given the specifics of vegan products, most of them qualify as Halal, provided that there are no traces of alcohol. The Halal skincare and cosmetic items which contain permissible ingredients coming from animals, however, are not suitable for vegans. One such example is lanolin. It is Halal because it is derived from the wool of sheep after it has been removed in a humane way. Since according to veganism any use of ingredients derived from animals is equal to the exploitation of these creatures, lanolin cannot be used in vegan products.
What’s Present in Vegetarian Products and What’s Not
Vegetarians can use all vegan skincare and cosmetics products plus ones which contain ingredients coming from animal by-products other than the flesh. Beeswax and honey are examples of ingredients found in vegetarian products such as lipstick and facial masks respectively. They are not permitted for vegans, however other examples of animal-derived ingredients which are allowed for vegetarians include lanolin, which is extracted from wool, and all kinds of proteins coming from milk and eggs, which are often used in products for hair conditioning.
Ingredients which come from the meat, bones and skin of animals cannot be found in pure vegetarian cosmetics and skincare products. One notable example is collagen, which is typically sourced from shellfish. It is replaced by a compound coming from a plant source.
Are vegetarian skincare and cosmetic products also Halal? Many of them are with the exception of those which have alcohol. Similarly, vegetarians can confidently use Halal cosmetics which don’t have any ingredients derived from animal flesh.