By Aaliyah Shaikh

This type of nail polish is a fairly new cosmetic item to come onto the market but despite this, in the beauty community halal nail brands are becoming increasingly popular and for good reason.

The word ‘halal’ is usually associated with food, so it may be confusing when used to describe nail polish. However, the word translates to ‘permissible’ in English and therefore is not just limited to food. The word can be used to describe anything that is permitted according to the Islamic Law, hence the introduction of halal nail polish brands. 

Halal nail polishes are water permeable and wudu friendly. This means that Muslim women can now enjoy beautiful manicures and pedicures and feel confident they can still perform ‘wudu’, a pre-prayer washing of the body, properly. Halal nail polish is also a great alternative to regular nail polish as it does not contain any toxic ingredients, thereby helping to preserve the good health of your nails. Another great benefit is that despite being water permeable, the polishes do not chip or peel more easily than regular nail polishes.

Whether you are a Muslim or not, these nail polishes are a great addition to your collection. Below are four amazing halal nail brands so get ready for sleek and healthy nails this lockdown!

Niya Cosmetics

Niya Cosmetics is great because it is actually halal certified and does not contain any harsh chemicals that you find in regular nail polishes. If you do not particularly like the smell of nail polish, Niya polishes are fragrance free so won’t leave a lingering chemical smell. On top of the great health benefits of their nail polishes, they also have luxury packaging and beautiful shades ranging from reds to nudes. If you are looking to feel extra glam, Niya also does lip and nail polish bundles in one shade. It is a great way to look put together at home or for your local Tesco shop!

Lena Cosmetics

Lena is a well-known premium finish nail brand. They are breathable and halal friendly and are affordable at around £8.95 each with some even cheaper! They offer base and tops coats and polishes with holiday themes, for example right now there is ‘Valentine’s Chic’ in celebration of Valentine’s Day. As well as this, they have variations of neutral shades, glitter, holographic, matte, neon and many more. Their website is easy to use as you can shop by colour, finish and popular polishes. Lena also has ‘Lena Royalty’ which is a reward system for ‘Lena queens’. It allows you to earn points for money you spend, which you can then redeem for money off future payments. By just creating an account you can earn 100 points! They are definitely worth checking out!

786 Cosmetics

786 Cosmetics is another great find for halal nail polishes. They have been tested and verified as 100% halal and wudu friendly by Kalamazoo Islamic Center (KIC). Their polishes last anywhere from 7-10 days with only one coat. With each nail polish inspired by places around the world for example, ‘Izamal’ and ‘Bahrain’, they all have a unique beauty. They are priced around £9.99 and have a huge variety of different shades which they claim suit all different skin tones. 786 Cosmetics are well known and used by many influencers. They also donate 20% of profits to helping refugees around the world combat the difficulties brought on by Covid-19 by providing fresh water and meals, which is amazing! If you like to get creative with your nail designs, they also have a ‘Nail Art’ segment on their website with tutorials on how to get your nails looking on point with designs.

Mersi UK Cosmetics

The final brand we have for you is Mersi Cosmetics. They are halal certified by the ISWA Islamic certification department and are PETA certified vegan and cruelty-free which is always a great advantage with cosmetic brands. Much like the previous brand, each polish is inspired by worldwide beauty, but in this case the natural wonders and nature, for example the ‘Northern Lights’ and ‘Rotomahana’. Like all of these brands, Mersi’s nail polishes are free of any harsh chemicals so whilst providing you with gorgeous colours to wear, they also protect and look after your nails. They also use fast-drying technology which is great for those who hate waiting for nails to dry. The nail polishes are priced at £8.99 and come in a huge range of colours from orange and pink to deep greens and blues. From January of this year, Mersi started providing 20% of profits to non-profit organisations such as UNICEF and TheWaterProject to help build wells and provide underprivileged communities and underdeveloped countries with fresh clean water.

Every day, more brands are trying to accommodate religious women’s needs and wants from the beauty industry. Halal nail polishes are a great product to introduce to your collection. Anyone can wear high-quality affordable polishes, whilst also supporting inclusive cosmetic brands who do good for the community. All brands and products mentioned are available in the UK.