Fatwa No : 25245
Ruling on Alcohol Added in Cosmetic Products as an Ingredient

Ruling on Alcohol Added in Cosmetic Products as an Ingredient

1. What is the ruling on the use of alcohols (natural/organic/synthetic) in cosmetics and personal care products?
(Natural/organic alcohol is made from fruits, vegetables, herbs, grain, crops etc.)
(Synthetic alcohol is made artificially or from chemicals)
2. What is the ruling on the use of alcohols (natural/organic/synthetic) in pharmaceutical industries (i) as an ingredient (ii) and as a processing agent/aid?
3. What is the ruling on using alcohols for cleaning equipment in food industries?
4. What is the ruling on homeopathic medicine which is alcohol based?
5. What is the ruling on the use of genetically modified organisms (agricultural/animal) sources in Halal cosmetics and personal care products?

الجوابُ حامِدا ًو مُصلیِّا ً

Generally, the alcohol added in such products is usually extracted from things other than grapes and dates, such as; wheat, barley, sulfur, flowers, chemicals or other fruits and vegetables. However, the scholars have differed in their opinions regarding the usage of this type of alcohol. Hence, if the products in which this type alcohol is added are not intoxicant, then it would be allowed to consume them, but it is still better to avoid using such products. However, if it is acknowledged through proper research that the alcohol added in any specific product has been extracted from grapes or dates, and that the natural and intrinsic qualities of the extracted alcohol (from grape or dates) have not been changed through any scientific or alchemic procedure (i.e. by the use of chemicals etc.), then such products will be impure, and its internal and external usage will not be permissible as per Shari’ah.
And Allah knows best.