Halal Oral Care
SCIENCE EDITION
Why certified, trustworthy oral care has been so hard to find – and what changes that
Finding truly Halal oral care is harder than it should be. Most products don’t disclose enough. Labels are vague, certifications are absent, and for anyone who takes ingredient integrity seriously, whether as a matter of faith, health, or both, the oral care aisle has historically offered very little.
I’m Dr. Elena Johnston, a dentist and co-founder of Akla. I built this brand with my co-founder, a designer, because we saw a gap the mainstream industry wasn’t interested in filling: a luxury, science-led, fully certified line you could trust completely. Halal certified. Cruelty-free. Fluoride-free. Alcohol-free. Formulated in Switzerland and packaged in aluminum and glass. This is for anyone who has stood in a drugstore aisle wondering whether there’s anything there they can actually use.
Why Halal oral care is more complex than it looks
Halal compliance in oral care goes beyond the obvious. Alcohol is the ingredient most consumers identify first, and rightly so: ethanol — the volatile alcohol found in alcoholic beverages — appears in a significant number of conventional mouthwashes, and for many observant Muslim consumers that alone disqualifies most of the market.
But alcohol is only the beginning. Halal compliance also requires scrutiny of glycerin and its source (animal-derived glycerin is common in oral care), flavor and fragrance compounds (which can carry alcohol-based solvents), colorants, and whether manufacturing equipment is shared with non-Halal products.
A product that avoids ethanol but contains porcine-derived glycerin is not Halal. One that calls itself “alcohol-free” but relies on alcohol-based flavor carriers may not qualify either. This is why certification matters more than a label claim.
What Halal certification actually means
Akla’s full product line is Halal certified by HCS Switzerland Halal Certification Services, a globally recognized certification body. This is not a self-declaration. It means an independent third party has reviewed every ingredient, every source, and every step of the manufacturing process against established Halal standards.
For our customers, that means one less thing to question. Every component in Akla’s toothpaste and mouthwash has been examined and verified. The certification exists so you don’t have to do the research yourself, though every detail is laid out on our ethics page if you want it.
The mouthwash – alcohol-free and Halal certified
Akla's Moroccan Mint Mouthwash is ethanol-free, fluoride-free, and Halal certified by HCS. It contains no ethanol, no fluoride, and no ingredients that conflict with Halal standards.
The formula is built around glycerin, a plant-derived humectant that cushions and hydrates rather than strips, and Cetylpyridinium Chloride (CPC), a well-studied oral care ingredient that freshens breath and supports a balanced oral environment without relying on alcohol to carry it. A peer-reviewed review of mouthwash efficacy published in PubMed Central points to CPC’s role in plaque and gingival control.
Its aromatic profile draws on Moroccan mint flavor and spearmint oils — botanical, layered, and clean without aggression: a rinse that feels like ritual rather than compromise. It is housed in a glass bottle with a custom metal cap. No plastic. No ethanol. No uncertainty
The toothpaste – Halal certified & science-led
Akla's Vanilla Spearmint Toothpaste is Halal certified by HCS and formulated with pharmaceutical-grade hydroxyapatite which is the same mineral that tooth enamel is made of and contains a concentration recognised as safe for use in oral care by the European Commission’s Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS).
Hydroxyapatite is biomimetic: it mirrors the natural composition of enamel, so it works with the surface of the tooth to leave it feeling smoother and more comfortable, without fluoride. It is paired with pure pearl powder, a heritage ingredient valued across centuries for its mineral density and gentle polishing properties.
The formula is fluoride-free and gluten-free, and carries both HCS Halal certification and Leaping Bunny cruelty-free certification. No animal testing at any stage of development or production. It is packaged in an infinitely recyclable aluminium tube, because ingredient integrity and environmental responsibility belong in the same conversation.
Cruelty-free & Halal – a natural pairing
Both Halal and cruelty-free standards share a foundational value: respect for what goes into a product, how it is made, and who and what is affected in the process.
Akla holds both because they reflect the same commitment. Leaping Bunny means no animal testing, anywhere in the supply chain, at any point. HCS Halal certification means every ingredient has been verified against rigorous standards of sourcing and integrity. For consumers who hold both values, a product carrying both in the luxury space is genuinely rare.
A community premium oral care has overlooked
Premium oral care has grown significantly over the past decade. But the Halal consumer, one of the largest and fastest-growing segments globally, has largely been an afterthought in that growth.
Akla was co-founded by two women, and the decision to pursue Halal certification wasn’t a market calculation — it was a values decision. Inclusivity belongs in luxury, and transparency belongs in oral care. If you’ve wanted an oral care line that meets your standards without compromising on experience, formulation, or design, this was built for you.
Explore Akla’s complete Halal certified oral care ritual — toothpaste and mouthwash, certified by HCS, formulated in Switzerland, and made to be trusted completely.
Common questions about Halal oral care
Is mouthwash halal?
Not automatically. Many conventional mouthwashes contain ethanol, and others use alcohol-based flavour carriers or animal-derived glycerin, any of which can make a rinse non-Halal. The reliable way to know is third-party certification rather than an “alcohol-free” label alone.
What can make a toothpaste not halal?
Common issues include animal-derived glycerin (often porcine), animal-sourced ingredients or processing aids, alcohol-based flavour solvents, and shared manufacturing equipment with non-Halal products. Certification reviews all of these against established standards.
Is Akla’s oral care Halal certified?
Yes. Akla’s full line — both the Vanilla Spearmint Toothpaste and the Moroccan Mint Mouthwash — is Halal certified by HCS Switzerland (Halal Certification Services), an independent body that verifies every ingredient, source, and manufacturing step.
Is Halal oral care also cruelty-free?
Not always, but Akla’s is. The line is Leaping Bunny certified cruelty-free in addition to its HCS Halal certification, so there is no animal testing at any stage. The two standards share the same underlying respect for sourcing and process.
