Are Vegan Cosmetics Halal?

The vegan lifestyle of not consuming animal-derived foods is becoming more popular in society year after year. This lifestyle initially meant only not eating animal-derived foods, but later spread to other areas, including using plants for clothing and cosmetics.

Specifically, in cosmetics, many body- and beauty-care products, such as makeup and skincare, claim to contain no animal ingredients. Vegan cosmetics manufacturers, with slogans of "back to nature" or "eco-friendly," indicate that their products use only plant elements.

Raafqi Ranasasmita, M.BioMed, corporate secretary manager of LPPOM MUI, explained that vegan cosmetics derived from plant ingredients may be an option for Muslim consumers. A production process that does not use animal compounds as raw materials can reduce concerns that these products are contaminated by uncleanliness or involve the exploitation of religiously forbidden animals or animals not slaughtered according to Islamic law.

But can vegan cosmetics automatically be claimed to be Halal cosmetics, as is currently advertised? "Not necessarily," said Raafqi, a Halal auditor at LPPOM MUI.

According to him, even if they claim to use plant ingredients, this does not guarantee that vegan cosmetics involve no unlawful elements. For example, they may be using auxiliary materials to produce raw materials derived from animal products of unclear Halal status, including animal enzymes used to process compounds. In addition, fermentation-derived materials also matter, because they may use a medium containing animal ingredients.

The same goes for the use of alcohol in cosmetics. According to Raafqi, alcohol's function in cosmetics such as skincare usually serves as a solvent, emulsifier and preservative, which can minimize bacterial growth and help maximize the absorption of the product into the skin.

Laws on the use of ethanol in pharmaceutical products are stipulated in MUI Fatwa No. 11 of 2018 concerning cosmetics containing alcohol/ethanol, and MUI Fatwa No. 26 of 2013 concerning Halal standards for cosmetics and their use.

The Fatwa emphasizes that using cosmetics for decorative purposes is permitted, because the materials used are Halal and harmless. Meanwhile, consuming/ingesting cosmetics that use unclean or unlawful ingredients is unlawful.

On this issue, Raafqi advises consumers to be selective when choosing vegan cosmetics. "Do not be easily fooled by a unilateral Halal claim from a manufacturer or trader. Make sure the cosmetics used are truly Halal-certified," he said.