Question
What is the ruling of animal glycerin in skincare products such as lipliner?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate
Products that contain animal byproducts are best to avoid unless one is sure that the animal byproduct underwent such a change (during production) that none of its original qualities remain, and it has essentially become a different thing. This is called istihala or a complete transformation. [Maydani, al-Lubab fi Sharh al-Kitab]
This is seen in the transference of alcohol to vinegar, the former being impure and then becomes pure when made into the latter. [Ibid.]
If you are not sure of the above, there are many alternative products that can easily be found in stores. See the Halal Muslim Guide for alternatives.
Impurity
Regarding the lipliner, which is made from animal glycerin, replace it with a halal alternative. As for things that the lipliner touched, it is not obvious that the impurity transferred to those things, therefore consider them all pure.
This is based on the principles: all things are pure until proven otherwise. [Ibn Nujaym, al-Ashbah wa al-Nazair]
In order for the transference of impurity to be established, the traces of the lipliner must be clearly manifest in the object with which it came in contact. [Tahtawi/Shurunbulali, Hashiyat Maraqi al-Falah]
This is not possible to know after the fact. Due to this, the ruling remains that the objects contacted are pure because we cannot prove otherwise.
Hope this helps
Allah knows best
[Shaykh] Yusuf Weltch
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani