Halal Skincare Ingredients
Finding halal skincare ingredients that actually have a noticeable effect on the skin can be challenging. Although natural ingredients are often good for the skin, troublesome issues such as acne and blemish-prone skin may find that the gentler ingredients just don’t cut it. So, we’ve put together a list of ingredients that we highly recommend, and that have been scientifically proven to give visible results.
Salicylic Acid
What is it?
Salicylic acid is a naturally occurring active ingredient, however much like vitamin C it can also be synthetically produced. Salicylic acid can be found in the bark of willow trees, or in fruits (such as berries) and vegetables. Synthetic salicylic acid is produced by the biosynthesis of phenylalanine or phenol.
What does it do?
In skincare, salicylic acid increases cell turnover, which means that it exfoliates the skin. Exfoliation provides a number of benefits, one of which is that it can unclog pores, reducing the debris that lives inside them. This is great for acne-prone skin as it helps to regulate the skin and keep the top layer of cells clean and healthy. Salicylic acid does however have a drying effect, so we recommend moisturising the skin after using products with this ingredient in them.
Vitamin C
What is it?
Vitamin C is found naturally in fruits and vegetables, in particular citrus fruits such as oranges, however it can also be synthetically produced. Ascorbic acid is the most common type of vitamin C found on the market today; this is a synthetic vitamin C derived from corn starch, corn sugar or rice starch.
What does it do?
In the body, collagen is made using vitamin C. Products containing vitamin C are therefore likely to aid in skin repairing and regeneration, and are often marketed as brightening – they help to smooth the skin’s surface and reduce dullness. Vitamin C has also been shown to reduce hyperpigmentation (fade dark marks) and therefore even out skin tone.
Glycolic Acid
What is it?
Glycolic acid is an AHA acid (alpha hydroxy acid), which means that it’s a naturally occurring ‘fruit acid’ although synthetic substitutes are often used in cosmetics and skincare. Naturally occurring glycolic is a derivative of sugarcane and is extracted using the reactive solvent extraction method. Glycolic acid has the smallest molecular size of all AHA’s, which means that it penetrates the skin most easily and therefore has a stronger effect.
What does it do?
Glycolic is well known for its exfoliating capabilities and is often used as a chemical peel. Often found in products that target the reduction of wrinkles, glycolic has been found to penetrate the deeper layers of skin and stimulate the production of collagen, which increases skin thickness. Because it’s an exfoliator, glycolic is often recommended for acneic skin as it stimulates cell turnover, which unclogs pores.
Rosehip Oil
What is it?
Known for its positive skin benefits, rosehip oil is extracted from the seeds of the wild rose bush. The oil contains pro-vitamin A and can be extracted in a variety of ways including solvent extraction, cold-pressed extraction and supercritical extraction. The quality of the end product will often be determined by the extraction method, for example supercritical extraction is known to be the best.
Rosehip oil contains antioxidants, essential fatty acids, provitamin A, vitamin E and vitamin C.
What does it do?
Rosehip oil is commonly used for smoothing and reducing fine lines. It’s also very effective as an anti-inflammatory and can improve the look of scars.
Acai Oil
What is it?
Acai oil is derived from the fruit of the acai palm which grows in the Amazon rainforest. Acai is high in phenolics and nutritious palmitic fatty acids. The oil is most commonly extracted via cold-pressed extraction.
What does it do?
Acai oil is great for restoring skin elasticity and reducing the effects of ageing. It helps to soothe the complexion as it has an emollient effect that can heal cracked and dry skin. Acai oil also contains anti-bacterial properties which makes it great for acne-prone skin.
Finding the Right Halal Skincare Ingredients for You
While the above ingredients have been proven to be effective in many cases, everyone reacts differently to various ingredients. What may be deemed a miracle treatment by one person, could in fact cause irritation on another. A lot of the time trial and error is required before you find the right skincare routine for you.
That said, the variety of halal products and ingredients available on the market is steadily expanding. We’re excited to see what innovative new formulas are created under the halal umbrella, so stay tuned for more!