The rising demand for halal cosmetics

Ena created Cocomess as there weren't many halal haircare products available in the market with natural ingredients. - The Star/Faihan Ghani

One-Stop Halal Marketplace

Previously, local halal brands were marketed through advertisements in Malay female publications or you’d see the odd billboard ad of a local beauty brand.

So there wasn’t a place where Muslim women could find and buy halal cosmetics.

To meet that need, Prettysuci.com – a beauty and skincare retail portal dedicated to halal-certified products founded by Tunku Datuk Indera Kaiyisah and Natasha Ozeir – was born.

Tunku Kaiyisah (right) and Natasha launched Prettysuci.com because they saw a gap in the market and developed a marketplace for halal cosmetics and skincare. – The Loft Studio Asia

“As business partners, Tunku Kaiyisah and I are always looking for opportunities. While she was presented with an idea to trade local organic spa products, she saw a gap in the market for halal beauty and shared this idea with me to develop a marketplace for halal cosmetics and skincare,” says Natasha.

Prettysuci.com was launched in May with 26 brands onboard and according to Tunku Kaiyisah, sales are constant and they are receiving requests for more brands to come onboard.

For their in-house products they are considering the opening of a flagship store in Kuala Lumpur in the second quarter of 2018.

“Initially we were only shipping locally but we kept getting demands from Singapore, Brunei, Britain, Germany and the Gulf states. So now we ship worldwide,” says Tunku Kaiyisah.

She says each country has their own halal certification bodies and they are on a list that is recognised by Jakim.

“The rise in global demand for halal cosmetics is possibly due to more access through e-commerce. Muslim fashion and lifestyle is also breaking barriers globally with Nike, Lancome, Dolce and Gabbana embracing modesty in their collections, which also helps the halal beauty movement spread its wings,” says Tunku Kaiyisah.

“Conscientious consumers like to identify themselves with an ethical brand. From a halal beauty standpoint, that means safety, cleanliness, and cruelty-free and animal byproduct-free products. Halal also stresses upon cleanliness during manufacturing, packaging and storage – attributes which many appreciate and it’s not just what Muslims want,” Natasha adds.

“We feel that halal cosmetics should transcend all customers, which is why we stress upon quality whenever we test for new brands and products that want to come onboard.”

“Halal cosmetics are another option for all beauty lovers who want safe and convenient beauty products,” Tunku Kaiyisah says.

Makeup For Muslims

As a professional makeup artist KL-based Naliza Othman, 22, frequently stocks up on makeup products.

“I’m a big fan of Sephora and I usually buy from them or from boutiques of global brands. As a Muslim, I am concerned about halal products but I also trust global brands,” says Naliza who has been a professional makeup artist for five years.

“None of my Muslim clients ask whether the makeup I use on them is halal. When they learn that I use branded cosmetics, they are happy as they are familiar with the brands. All this while, people have been using international brands and no one has questioned its ingredients.

“I think the sudden demand for halal cosmetics is because people are concerned about a product’s origins. Also, for local brands, a halal certification is a marketing benefit,” Naliza says.

Rubi says it's important for her to use halal products as she wants to feel confident about a product's origins. – Rubinur Afni Jamaludin

For peace of mind, homemaker Rubinur Afni Jamaludin, 34, buys her cosmetics only from local brands.

Better known as Rubi, she says, “It’s important that I use halal products so that I feel confident when I’m doing my prayers five times a day. Halal products gives me 100% assurance that I’m clean.”

“A halal product means the production processes are clean and non-permissible ingredients are not used in the factories that produce halal products.”

Sharmilla Abdullah, 32, who quit a banking job and is now pursuing a Masters in Counseling, likes buying her cosmetics over the counter, but never online.

While she doesn't mind if a cosmetic is not certified halal Sharmilla says she is concerned if the brand is known to be non-halal. – Sharmilla Abdullah

“My regular purchases are foundation, compact powder, eyeliner, lip colour, cleanser, moisturiser and night cream. It’s not really important that a product has halal certification, as long as it serves its purpose well. However,

I might be apprehensive if I knew that a particular brand is known to be non-halal.”

She notices that there are more cosmetic choices locally especially with the arrival of new local beauty brands. and sheShe feels that the younger generation are more conscious buyers while Muslims have larger buying power today.

“I would like to see more choices o ffor cosmetic products - whether it is eco-ethical, organic, skin colour inclusive or halal certified,” Sharmilla points out.