Can nail polish really be halal?
There are many products now claiming to be breathable and permeable, thereby ablution compliant
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As I made my list of resolutions for the new year, I knew one of them would prove particularly challenging. I have never struggled with the spiritual side of my faith, but some of the practical parts — namely, praying five times a day — have tended to fall by the wayside due to a lack of discipline, lifestyle conflicts and my obsession with always having my nails done.
As a relatively low-maintenance (read lazy) woman, getting a manicure would help me feel that I was at least slightly put together. But I have now given up my bi-weekly gel manicures, embracing the even more natural look for 2025. Although I have been blessed with good nails, it never feels quite the same as a shiny new set. That’s how I recently found myself falling down the halal nail polish rabbit hole.
The impermissibility of nail polish for prayer is not necessarily in the lacquer itself — although some Muslims are put off by the alcohol and animal-derived products in many mainstream polishes. It’s the fact that traditional nail varnishes are usually oil-based and therefore prevent water from reaching the nails, a prerequisite of both ghusl and wudhu, the ritual washing Muslims must perform before their daily prayers.
So-called halal nail polishes are water-based and it is claimed that they do not create a barrier between your nails and water during ritual ablutions. Marketed as breathable, the majority also have vegan, cruelty-free and “non-toxic” or “5-free” credentials, meaning they are made without the use of harmful chemicals such as formaldehyde, dibutyl phthalate (DBP), and toluene — toxic compounds that give polish a glossy finish but can be harmful for your nails.
Spotting a gap in the market, cosmetics companies began launching breathable halal nail polish in the mid-2010s. The UK-based luxury brand Nailberry released its pioneering L’Oxygéné formula in 2014, introducing a nail polish that was permeable to air and moisture vapour, as well as vegan and cruelty-free. However, it was inspired by the founder’s interest in nail health, rather than catering specifically to a Muslim clientele.
In 2017, Orly collaborated with media platform Muslimgirl.com to release the #HalalPaint range, featuring shades including the awkwardly named Ig-Noor the Haters and What the Fatima?. Other major beauty brands including OPI and Nails Inc have followed suit and now offer breathable polishes.
There are also plenty of smaller, Muslim-owned brands offering halal options. Tuesday in Love was founded by Dr Umar Dar after months of testing polishes in his kitchen as a gift to his wife. Its products are halal-certified by the Halal Certification Services of Canada (HCSC) and proceeds from every sale are donated to Islamic Relief Canada to help children and families from Palestine.
Based in the US, Maya Cosmetics holds an official Wudu certification from the Halal Natural Products Academy and shows customers how to apply its products to ensure water permeability during wudhu. In the UK, Lena Cosmetics was created with the intention of making high-quality, halal-friendly nail polish more accessible and offers a range of shades with tongue-in-cheek names such as Pray and Slay and Light My Shisha. The company also provides water permeability reports on its website.
In 2024, L’Atelier Green Paris, an eco-conscious brand founded by two French-Algerian sisters, claimed to have invented the world’s first plant-based halal gel polish.
But not everyone is convinced by nail products being marketed as halal. Some bloggers and influencers, including scientist Maham Ayaz and journalist and presenter Abigayle André, have carried out at-home water permeability tests and discovered that some nail polishes that claim to be halal do not actually allow water to pass through. In other cases, the water has to be rubbed into each individual nail for a few seconds to ensure permeability.
Imam Mansoor Rafiq Umar, chief executive of Halal Watch World, a US-based halal certification organisation and watchdog, believes Muslims should be very cautious about the assertions that nail varnish is ablution-compliant. “It’s a bold claim to say that water can go underneath a product and still remain on the surface of the nail. It’s scientifically questionable,” he says.
Though the composition of the product may be halal in itself, “in order for it to be wudhu-compliant, the water must flow over the nail, and that is something we [Halal Watch World] have yet to see, and yet to give a certificate for,” Umar says.
One alternative comes in the form of Aisha’s Nail Stain, a fully-permeable henna colouring that stains the nails and doesn’t create a barrier to the nail bed. But if you’re still looking for a sleek manicure, there are a few things to keep an eye out for. Check the polish is permeable and not just breathable, do your research to ensure your chosen brand has the necessary certification to prove the polish is both halal-certified and ablution-compliant, and make sure to closely follow instructions on how to apply the product and perform wudhu while wearing it.
Alternatively, many companies that sell breathable polishes pride themselves on their products being quick-drying, easy to remove and reapply, which is the safest bet if you still have concerns.
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