Halal Beauty Products Are For Everyone

The halal beauty market is thriving, not only because of the growing Muslim population globally, but more non-Muslims are also using halal beauty products due to their benefits.

Head of Wardah International Business Shabrina Salsabila said there is an increased awareness of halal products among non-Muslims because they believe the ingredients are safe and not harmful.

“It is not only targeted for Muslims but also non-Muslims, as they also see halal products as safe and use non-harmful ingredients. I believe that’s why the halal beauty industry is growing,” she told The Malaysian Reserve in an interview recently.

One of the biggest challenges in penetrating the halal beauty market is the lack of standard guidelines for halal certification and the high costs associated with these cosmetics.

However, Shabrina believes receiving the halal certification is not difficult.

“Actually, our raw ingredients, a lot of them are imported from Europe and some other countries. Thankfully, since the halal beauty awareness is rising now, a lot of our suppliers start to obtain certification for their products,” she said.

According to an industry forecast, the global halal beauty market is expected to reach US$54.16 million (RM223.98 million) by 2022 from US$20.25 million in 2015, where it recorded a compound annual growth rate of 15.2%.

Apart from non-Muslims, the increasing demand for halal beauty products is also due to the rise in purchasing power of the growing Muslim population and the desire of young Muslim women to associate their interest in fashion and make-up with Islamic loyalties.

The Indonesian halal skincare and cosmetics brand Wardah has also made it affordable for everyone.

They conduct corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs for the bottom 40% and middle 40% communities by assisting them with their hygiene.

“We plan to have a lot of CSR programs this year. We started by providing the sanitizing kit. Earlier this year, we prepared hand sanitizers and collaborated with HungerHurts.”

Wardah launched its new “Signature Series Wardah Hydra Rose” in Malaysia earlier this month to address dehydration and dry skin problems among women.

Shabrina said the product was launched in its home country last year. Although Indonesia’s population is larger, the hydrating market is larger in Malaysia in terms of percentage.

“We see the opportunity here for the hydration market for skincare, especially during the pandemic, where many industries are slowing down. But for skincare, many still buy and use the products because they have ample time for their skincare routine at home,” she said.

Wardah Hydra Rose products are formulated using European specialty roses, which are sustainably grown and harvested, and contain Avalanche Rose Oil extract with water-based 72 hours Hydrating Active.

It uses the micro-encapsulated technology, which has a similar composition to the skin-produced Natural Moisturising Factor by binding water at the outer layer of the skin.

The series consists of five products: The Wardah Hydra Rose Gel-to-Foam Cleanser, Wardah Hydra Rose Petal-infused Toner, Wardah Hydra Rose Micro Gel Serum, Wardah Hydra Rose Dewy Aqua Day Gel, and Moisture Rich Night Gel.

There will be a one-day mega Shopee exclusive today where customers can enjoy giveaways, contests, and promotions. Shopee app users will be given a 10% discount for every purchase of three Wardah products in a single transaction.

“After three years of having a local presence and serving our Malaysian customers, we want to strengthen our commitment to our customers in Malaysia.

“We believe this is the first step to getting closer to our customers and building a more personal relationship with them. We want them to know we understand them and are constantly looking to improve our offering and meet their specific needs,” Shabrina added.

Meanwhile, Wardah Hydra Rose ambassador and model Qasrina Karim said after using the products for a few days, her skin glows and looks more supple.

“I use the night moisturizer before I sleep. I put quite a generous amount so that I feel like I’m wearing a mask when sleeping and when I wake up the next morning, I have a glow and my skin is hydrated,” she said.

Of all the products that she uses from the series, Qasrina particularly enjoys using the toner because it is unlike any other toner she has ever used.

Wardah also announced the “Digital Beauty Advisors” initiative to help women who have lost their jobs during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Anybody who has a smartphone can qualify as a Wardah beauty advisor and build a new income stream from every product inquiry that comes through Wardah’s Facebook and Instagram pages in Malaysia. For every successful sale they make through Pancake, these beauty advisors will be incentivized.

The initiative is supported by Momentum Commerce Sdn Bhd, which enables customer service inquiries from social channels to be redirected to Wardah’s digital beauty advisors.

“This solution is built to help and supercharge the brand’s sales by providing an improved customer experience. Working with Wardah, we knew a personalized touch would connect beauty buyers and translate into a more fruitful relationship,” said Momentum Commerce COO Eddy Yap.

All Wardah Hydra Rose products are available at Watsons and Guardian retail outlets nationwide, and online on Shopee, Lazada, and Zalora.