What is Halal nail polish? Yes, it exists!

What does it mean for something to be halal?

Halal is an Arabic word that means permissible and is used to describe an action or product that is acceptable under Islamic law. While the term most often refers to food and food preparation, these days it’s also used to describe a wider range of items, including pharmaceuticals, personal care products and even cosmetics.

What are halal cosmetics?

We all know that what you put on your skin is just as important as what you put in your body. Unfortunately, not all beauty products are created equally — something you must take note of if you live by certain personal or religious standards. Practising Muslims, for example, must only use halal cosmetics that have been manufactured, produced and made from halal products.

While we all love a good vegan, cruelty-free, organic beauty product, it’s important to note that these labels don’t always mean the product is halal! Vegan cosmetics may not use haram (the opposite of halal) animal by-products, but they may contain alcohol or other haram ingredients.

If you’re in need of halal cosmetics, the best way to ensure their integrity is to purchase from a halal-certified company or to do some research on the ingredients yourself.

Can nail polish be halal?

While certain foundations, lipsticks and other cosmetics have been approved as halal, there’s one beauty product that still sparks debate. Can nail polish really be halal? Those who say no usually come back to two main concerns.

Impermissible ingredients

Like any cosmetic, nail polish can be made with halal or haram products and ingredients. Most traditional nail polishes are automatically haram, thanks to their inclusion of certain animal products or alcohol, and it can be difficult to find a nail polish that forgoes these ingredients.

Inconvenient application

Of course, halal nail polish — made from permissible ingredients and processes — does exist. So why does the debate go on?

The second concern has to do with the practice of Wudu or ablution — the act of cleansing the body before prayer — that must be done before each of the five daily prayers required for practising Muslims. During Wudu, water must cover certain parts of the body, including the hands and feet. The problem? Traditional nail polish isn’t usually water-permeable, which means that in order to complete the ablution process correctly, the nail polish must be removed before each prayer. Talk about time-consuming!

Halal nail polish is possible — if it’s made correctly

So, what if there were nail polish that met both of these concerns? A nail polish that was made with halal products and processes which was also Wudu-friendly?

Luckily for nail polish lovers everywhere, there is! Some companies, including Sienna, have recognised the need for a nail polish that looks great but still allows the wearer to adhere to their religious standards.

Truly halal nail polish not only uses natural, healthy and permissible ingredients, but it also utilises a unique, breathable formula that allows water to fully permeate the polish and reach the nail bed. This makes it possible to perform Wudu properly, even while wearing your polish.

Where to find the best halal nail polish

If you think that high-quality cosmetics should be accessible to anyone, so do we! Here at Sienna, we believe beauty is for everyone, regardless of personal or religious beliefs, standards or needs. We’re overjoyed to be able to include the best halal nail polish in our line of sustainable, ethical and stunning beauty products.

We’re proud to hold a current Halal Certificate from the Halal Certification Services (HCS), which means that our nail polishes completely meet every requirement for halal standards. Our line of nail polishes is made using the proper processes and ingredients and formulated to be water-permeable and Wudu-friendly.

Browse our range of products today to find organic, halal, cruelty-free, ethical and sustainable nail polish that’s beautiful on you and better for the planet.