Fatwa #1990124 March 2012Australia
Is it permissible to use lipstick with carmine in it? How about blushes or eye liners.
Question
Assalam-o-Alaikum I would like to ask you the Is Carmine present in lipsticks is halal? Can those lipsticks or blushers be used which have Carmine? Moreover if not lipsticks can we use blushers or the eye shadows and eye liners that contain Carmine? What about lanolin and Beeswax, is make up remain halal by their inclusion? I had all previous make up and I want to throw it out if Carmine is haram as I have found doubts on it which I did not know before. JazakAllah
Answer
Carmine or E120[1] is a crimson red pigment derived from Cochineal, a “scale insect”, by crushing and boiling dried insects in water to extract the carminic acid and then treating the clear solution.[2]
SANHA (South African National Halal Association) has conducted detail research on Cochineal and declared it impermissible for consumption. Hence it will not be permissible to use the lipsticks which have carmine in them.[3]
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Mawlana Faisal bin Abdul Hameed
Student, Darul Iftaa
Canada
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
www.daruliftaa.net
[1] http://www.food-info.net/uk/e/e120.htm accessed 22/03/2012
[2] http://www.food-info.net/uk/colour/cochineal.htm accessed 22/03/2012
References
- http://www.food-info.net/uk/e/e120.htm accessed 22/03/2012
- http://www.food-info.net/uk/colour/cochineal.htm accessed 22/03/2012
- http://www.askimam.org/fatwa/fatwa.php?askid=17374592c08ea3770e41e15a487e570b
- Ibid.