Our entire skincare range is now fully halal certified, covering both the ingredients and the way each product is made. There is one exception, which we explain below. This achievement took us several years and was not a simple process. We want to share what the certification involves and why we chose to pursue it.
The standard is stricter than many people think
When it comes to skincare, halal still follows the same core principles as with food. It is not something brands can claim on their own. An official certifying body reviews both the formula and the facility, and the certification must be renewed and checked regularly. It is not a one-time approval.
For skincare, the audit usually checks four main areas:
No alcohol used as a solvent, preservative, or fragrance carrier.
This requirement has been one of the hardest to work with because ethanol is one of the cheapest and most common ingredients in modern cosmetics.
No animal-derived ingredients from non-halal sources.
No cross-contamination during manufacturing.
The manufacturing facility is inspected, not just the ingredient list on paper.
Traceable sourcing for every raw ingredient.
Why our founder wanted to see this through
Su-Mae is not Muslim, which is why she wanted to clearly explain why this was important to her:
"I'm not Muslim myself, so this journey wasn’t about my own beliefs. For me, it was about earning the trust of every customer who chooses us—no matter their background—by being fully transparent about what’s in our products and how they’re made. Getting halal certification for skincare is far from simple. It took us years of careful checking, from every ingredient to every step in the manufacturing process. It is an expensive commitment and at times, it was slow and honestly quite tedious. But that’s exactly why I felt it was important to see it through to the end." — Su-Mae, Founder of B/SKIN
You don't have to be Muslim for this to matter to you
This is where many people get confused. Halal certification exists to meet a real and specific need for Muslim customers who require Shariah-compliant products. For them, it is a matter of values, not just an extra feature. However, the standards set by the certification can benefit others as well. Its focus on traceable sourcing and strict manufacturing standards also appeals to anyone who values ingredient transparency.
Not every halal certification is the same
Halal certification isn’t a one-size-fits-all standard. It differs depending on the country, the certifying body, and even the type of product. For B/SKIN, we chose to get certified by Indonesia’s official halal authority. They don’t just certify food—they also have a proper system for skincare and cosmetics. In Singapore, things are different: the halal certification body here only covers food and consumables, so there’s actually no official way to get skincare certified locally. That’s why we went with Indonesia’s system as it was important for us to have a genuine, audited certification.
Where we're not quite there yet
There is one exception: the Flawless Finish Perfecting Loose Powder. The current formula does not contain any non-halal ingredients, but it has not finished the certification process yet. We are already working on a reformulated, certified version.
How this is different from "vegan" or "cruelty-free"
People often group these three labels together and assume they mean the same thing, but they do not.
Vegan
Confirms no animal-derived ingredients or byproducts. Says nothing about alcohol content or how the product is manufactured.
Cruelty-Free
Confirms no animal testing. A product can be cruelty-free and still contain animal-derived ingredients from non-tested sources, or alcohol.
Halal Certified
Confirms no alcohol, no non-halal animal-derived ingredients, and an independently audited, traceable manufacturing process.
B/SKIN products are halal-certified and cruelty-free, but not vegan as a small handful of our formulas use bee-derived ingredients such as honey, propolis, royal jelly and pollen.
Halal certification does not require a product to be vegan. It only requires that any animal-derived ingredient comes from a permissible and traceable source, which is true for bee-derived ingredients.
We prefer to explain the reasons behind what is on our packaging, rather than just using it as a label without meaning. If you have questions about any product, feel free to contact us at customercare_sg@bskin.com
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