Halal make-up market poised for massive growth over four years
The global halal cosmetics and personal care market is poised to grow by $28.34 billion by 2024, says research company Technavio in a report. Meanwhile, a June report by Prophecy Market Insights says the global halal cosmetics market was worth $26bn last year, and is expected to be worth $52bn by 2025.
An obvious definition of halal beauty would be products that steer clear of alcohol and animal products, notably pork. As Deni Kirkova, PR and influencer manager for Sydney’s Inika Organic, puts it: “The halal certification guarantees our products do not contain any haram or prohibited ingredients.”
However, the concept is more deep-rooted than that. “Halal literally means permissible
… to ensure the purity and cleanliness of your sources,” explains Suhel Heetawala, managing director of Shafat Trading, which distributes India’s halal-certified Iba Cosmetics in the Middle East.
“Apart from the ingredients, the production process should also be halal-compliant to ensure a product is healthy and safe for human consumption. Most importantly, being halal makes sure the products are ethical, free from animal cruelty and harmless to the environment.”
Some ingredients that halal-compliant products avoid include: carmine (red colouration), which is derived by crushing cochineal beetles; fat from pigs, cows and sheep; animal hair, skin and bones; beeswax; and alcoholic spirits and scents.
“Animal fat is used excessively in cosmetics manufacturing to provide a moisturising effect to lipsticks and creams. We replace this with plant-derived emollients and fats, such as shea butter, castor oil, cocoa butter and Moroccan argan oil,” says Heetawala. “Animal-derived ingredients are not considered halal because one cannot be sure where they came from.”
Beyond technicalities and certification, halal is a spiritual concept. As Shelina Janmohamed, author of Generation M: Young Muslims Changing the World, writes: “Pointing to the Quranic concept of tayyab, a growing number of young Muslims are imposing their own, exacting ethical standards on the things they buy. Literally speaking, tayyab means good. But this idea of goodness is multifaceted.
“Essentially, being tayyab means that every element of the product must meet halal standards, from how workers are treated and animals are cared for to the environmental impacts of a product’s packaging. For some, even the advertising and marketing must be true to halal and tayyab principles.”
Vinicius Torres, sales director at Prolab Cosmetics, Brazil’s first halal-certified line, says: “Halal certification not only provides a seal of good manufacturing practices and quality, but also connects us with customers looking for a close connection with a brand that respects their culture and values … for products they will use and be proud to share within their communities.”
Prolab launched its halal portfolio in 2015 with two products. The following year, it extended its halal offering to 20 products, including 30 shades of hair colour that use plant-based keratin (rather than animal hair and horns).
Clearly, halal goods translate to heady profits. Inika Organic, for example, experienced 28 per cent growth last year, says Kirkova, and has grown year on year.