Most of us think about the word Halal being related only to the things we eat. For most Muslims, Halal has no relation whatsoever to personal care products. It is important to note that a huge number of personal care products including but not limited to toothpaste, shampoo, body wash, all sorts of creams etc., include gelatin derived from animal sources. As Muslims we cannot use these products as they are a source of impurity (albeit due to very small quantities of impure substances).
Me and my wife recently ordered a Burt’s Bees head to toe starter kit from ebay. We had already looked up the products on the Burts Bees Website and found that they used mostly natural ingredients in their products. The peculiar thing about Burts Bees products is that almost all of their products contain Bees Wax. You can have a look at the Burt’s Bees head-to-toe starter kit on ebay by clicking here. Please note that this is an affiliate link.
My wife emailed Burts Bees to check whether they use any ingredients from animal sources. They were nice enough to reply and I quote
“We use the following animal bi-products
Bee Bi-products: beeswax, honey, royal jelly
Lanolin: from sheep’s wool…extracted after wool has been sheared.
All ingredients can be found on our products as well as on our website.
If you have any additional questions please feel free to contact us by
reply email.”
As far as I know none of these ingredients is Haram which means that we can use the Burts Bees products. Me and my wife are quite happy to have found a good personal care products company which has suitable products for Muslims.
I think Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America (IFANCA) should negotiate with Burts Bees and have them certified Halal.
assalamo3alikom: can you tell me abaout the sorce of the vitamin D3 of the walmart’s milk . thankyou!
Comment by samira — May 20, 2008 @ 9:32 am
Walaikum Assalam,
I really do not know the source of Vitamin D3 but there is one hint. If that milk has a Kosher symbol on it, indicated by a “K”, then that does not contain anything from animal sources which means that it should be fine.
I will be making a new post about Kosher products, especially which categories can be used by Muslims.
Thanks for your comment.
Comment by nixbox — May 20, 2008 @ 11:57 am
In regards to the “K” or the OU symbol, the OU is from the Orthodox Union that certifies by going through many walkthroughs in factories and warehouses of many products that are produced both here and abroad. The “KSA” which resembles hebraic symbols is of a near orthdox as well as a Chabadic nature in how the product is prepared.
One thing to keep in mind — is that if you are looking for Kosher products, there will also be either a “D” next to the symbol or the symbol by iteslf. A “D” indicates dairy which means that as per the Laws of Kashruth, the product should not be used where the dish may be of a meat product because milk and meat should never mix.
I’ve studied and compared the similarities of Kosher/Halal for years but if the product contains any shellfish such as oyster shell, then the product will never have any kind of a kosher mark on it.
And yes, I am Jewish.
Shalom
Comment by Hinda — June 12, 2008 @ 1:11 pm