Can I use cosmetics or medicines that contain alcohol or gelatin?

For cosmetics applied externally (perfume, lotion, most skincare, and many medicines applied to the skin), the majority of scholars hold that alcohol content does not make the product impermissible to use, since the ruling against alcohol relates primarily to drinking it, and external use isn't consumption; this is why alcohol-based perfume is widely accepted even among scholars who are strict about ingesting alcohol. Gelatin capsules and gelatin-containing medicines follow the same logic as food gelatin (see Q5) — the concern is the source (pork vs. halal-sourced or synthetic).

For genuine medical necessity, though, the ruling shifts further: most scholars agree that when no acceptable halal-sourced or alcohol-free alternative is reasonably available and treatment is genuinely needed, using a medicine containing gelatin or alcohol is permitted under the broader Islamic principle that necessity (darurah) permits what would otherwise be restricted, within reasonable limits. In practice, halal-certified or gelatin-free/alcohol-free alternatives are increasingly available in India and are the preferable first choice when accessible.

Source: general fiqh distinction between ingesting alcohol and topical/external use; see SeekersGuidance "What Is the Ruling on Alcohol in Cosmetics, Shampoo, and Medicine?" and IslamQA on alcohol in food and cosmetics; general fiqh principle of darurah (necessity).