26
Lifestyle
@Halal | may-june. 2020
Staying
power
of halal cosmetics
It’s so much more than just a beauty trend
Photo: @prettysuci/Instagram
By ANNAMARIE HOULIS
With the growth of collective
eco-ethical consciousness,
“organic” and “vegan” labels
on cosmetic packaging are
ubiquitous. But there’s a third
label that’s not necessarily
green and nonetheless becoming ever more
pervasive — “halal”.
According to a recent report by Grand
View Research, the global halal cosmetics
market was valued at US$16.32b in 2015 and
expected to reach US$52.02b by 2025. Why
the sudden uptick? The halal market isn’t
trying to be the next health craze boasting the
latest and greatest; instead, it’s filling a void
in the industry for which there was always
a demand.
Muslims comprise more than 23 per cent
of the global population, according to a Pew
Research Center estimate, and younger
generations are emerging as conscious consumers.
Their purchasing power has merely
amplified the demand for a developing halal
market and, as a result, companies are being
pushed to diversify their product offerings.
They’re more than willing to comply with
halal certification requirements that are
increasingly necessary to export to certain
countries — so a lot more labels are being
disseminated.
The term “halal,” as it applies to cosmetics,
simply means products that have been
manufactured, produced and composed of
ingredients permissible under Islamic Sharia
law. Other elements are deemed “haram”,
meaning their consumption is forbidden.
Cosmetics are usually applied topically. The
skin is the body’s largest and most absorptive
organ. Gwyneth Paltrow and other advocates
of natural beauty products would be the first
to remind you of that. So, it’s plausible that
users still consume ingredients indirectly.
Hence, many religious Muslims seek alternatives
to mainstream makeup brands.
worldwide Demand
“The demand has always been there worldwide,
especially in Muslim countries,” says
Safia Ghanim, technical auditor and manager
of the ISWA Halal Certification Department
at the USA Halal Chamber of Commerce, Inc.
“Halal isn’t another trend. For Muslims, Islam
is our way of life, which includes consuming
and using Halal products.
“In brief, halal cosmetics are products that
must not have any of the following: human
parts or ingredients thereof; any animals that
are forbidden for Muslims [to consume] or
A halal lip cream.
Like INIKA, many
halal brands are less
focused on shelving
seasonally attractive
products, as beauty
standards always change.
that are not slaughtered according to Sharia
law; anything decreed as najs (defined as
filth, including things that are themselves
not permissible such as pigs and their derivatives,
blood and carrion, fluids or objects
discharged from humans’ or animals’ bodies,
such as urine, excrements, blood, vomit and
pus); alcohol from alcoholic drinks (khamar);
contamination from najs during preparation,
processing, manufacturing or storage.
“All elements must be accounted for, such
as the manufacturing procedure and the storage,
packaging and logistics.”
Many consumers confuse vegan products
with being halal-certified, too. Indeed, vegan
products do not contain any animal byproducts,
but they can include alcohol. Likewise,
some halal-certified brands use Islamic
Sharia law-compliant ingredients. These perhaps
wouldn’t be considered entirely ethical
by brands that promote sustainability, like
silicone-based polymers, dimethicone and
methicone.
Moreover, many companies “greenwash”
with misleading or vague terms that make
consumers think they are buying organic. But
there’s a large, much more multifaceted certification
process companies must undergo
before they can slap on that halal label.
“Certification is the only way for a company
to export to certain countries or sell its
products as halal. A company cannot claim