Cosmetics, kashrut, and shemitah
Question
We like buying local Israeli produce wherever we can. Does one need to be careful when buying cosmetics and soaps that contain herbs, fruit extracts or olive oil, that they don't contain shemitah produce or other problematic produce?
Answer
Rabbi Moshe Bloom
Lechatchilah, it is always best to purchase soaps and cosmetics with kashrut certification.
Note, though, when it comes to shemitah issues, the vast majority of cosmetics companies use imported extracts.
If you are not sure or cannot find out and the product is not certified, it is nevertheless possible to buy and use such products (since the likelihood of the products being imported is very high).