november-december . 2020 | Glam Halal
Lifestyle
29
Redefining halal beauty All the best vegan , cruelty-free and halal beauty products from homegrown cosmetic brands
By Jason Lim
CONTRARY to popular belief , what is vegan and cruelty-free isn ’ t necessarily halal-certified , and what is halal isn ’ t necessarily wudhu-friendly .
For a better understanding of these terms : a vegan product means that it is free from animal derivatives ; a cruelty-free product means that no animal is harmed or tested on in the making of the product ; a halal-product implies that it is permissible in Islam , and a wudhu-friendly product means that it is not waterproof and can be water-permeable .
The Sun shows eight homegrown cosmetic brands serving up Muslim-friendly beauty products .
1 . Nita Cosmetics
Aznita Azman founded her namesake brand in 2016 , describing it as “ fun , quirky and unapologetically upbeat .” Inspired by her travel adventures , she incorporates Malaysian customs , traditions , and even cuisine , into the product name and packaging .
Aznita shared : “ Nita is the personification or embodiment of every young woman out there who has dreams of seeing the world , and who wants to live every day to the fullest .”
The brand ’ s extensive range of hypoallergenic makeup products are not only made by halal-compliant manufacturers , but they are also vegan and cruelty-free . Its most impressive and inclusive line – the Mikrofon Foundation with 15 shades in total is the first of its kind in the local cosmetics scene .
2 . So . Lek Cosmetics
Co-founded by siblings Dahlia Hadirah Juhari and Luqman Hakim Juhari in 2016 , So . LeK takes its name from the Malay word solek ( which means makeup in English ), and the phrase “ So ? Relax !” often used by the siblings .
Since day one , the brand ’ s lip creams that are formulated with moisturising properties have remained a fan-favourite over the years .
From the eyes and face to lips and nails , So . Lek indeed has you covered with its halalcertified , paraben-free , cruelty-free and wudhu-friendly products .
3 . Orkid Cosmetics
Tech and beauty serial entrepreneur Raeesa Sya founded Orkid Cosmetics in 2016 to fill a gap in the Muslim beauty market and was listed in the 2018 Forbes 30 under 30 Asia list .
“ The halal product business is one area that is less tapped by Malaysians . I feel that halal cosmetics have far fewer players , hence the establishment of Orkid Cosmetics ,” Raesesa shared .
Besides hitting all the right notes of being vegan , non-toxic and cruelty-free , the brand ’ s specialised liquid lipsticks are formulated using high-quality imported ingredients and made fresh in Malaysia .
4 . Sugarbelle Cosmetics
Muslimah fashion mogul Belle Al-Yahya built Sugarbelle Cosmetics from the ground up , making it the first Malaysian brand to be recognised and sold in drugstores .
The brand first started in 2014 with only a handful of liquid lipsticks , and now includes a wide range of makeup essentials that are hassle-free and easy to wear , such as its latest Gold Series collection 2020 with lipsticks , foundation , eyeliner and eyeshadow .
5 . Breena Beauty
Beauty blogger turned entrepreneur Sabrina Tajuddin co-founded Breena Beauty with her husband Tawfiq Nasir in 2014 to introduce high-quality yet affordable makeup essentials for Malaysian beauty enthusiasts .
The star of all the products is its widely acclaimed makeup brushes made with the finest and softest synthetic bristles . Be it contouring the face or shading the eyes evenly , the 12 brushes are specially designed to give an overall flawless makeup application .
6 . Velvet Vanity
Never have we seen a local cosmetic brand that has gained such cult status the way Velvet Vanity has .
Founded in 2016 , this brainchild of Adlina Nadhirah is inspired by the youth and pop culture , and speaks to everyone , from makeup hobbyists to working professionals .
Velvet Vanity checks all the hallmarks we ’ re looking for and more , by also being fragrance-free , notable respect that most would appreciate for peace of mind .
Replace your regular lip balm with Velvet Vanity ’ s Glossy Glo Lip Oil that is formulated with apricot , mulberry , jojoba and rice bran oils that deliver moisturising and skinhealing results .
7 . Pretty Suci
Established by two entrepreneurs , Tunku Dato ’ Kaiyisah Kamil Ikram and Natasha Mohammad Ozeir , Pretty Suci is noted for being the first halal cosmetics brand to be sold in Sephora .
Besides their very own beauty products , the founders also launched a one-stop online store in 2017 that is touted as “ the world ’ s largest halal beauty portal ”, hosting over 30 halal beauty brands from all over the world .
8 . Muka & Co
Founded by Nabilah Mohd Isa in 2018 , Muka & Co embraces real beauty with an enjoyable experience for a simple solution that works . Inspired by her new phase of life as a mother , Nabilah created an all-in-one serum and primer-foundation blend to get that effortless , “ no makeup , makeup look ”.
The Tint Glo Serum with SPF 35 was most recently given a new sustainable and environmentally-friendly packaging facelift , made with sugarcane tubes of 89 per cent biobased organic carbon .
The clinical-formulated product is also hypoallergenic , non-comedogenic ( doesn ’ t clog pores ), mineral-based , chemical-free , cruelty-free , halal and wudhu-friendly .