Even though the Muslim community makes up more than one-fifth of the global population, the beauty industry has been slow to include and cater to them. However, the tide is slowly turning as more and more brands are recognising the importance of inclusivity and diversity. One emerging trend within the industry is the rise of Halal beauty products.
Halal beauty products are those that adhere to Islamic guidelines, including Sharia law. These guidelines stipulate that products should not contain any ingredients that are derived from animals that are not slaughtered according to Islamic rites, such as pigs, blood, reptiles, and insects, among others. Halal products are also required to be free from alcohol, which is prohibited in Islam.
The popularity of Halal beauty products has been on the rise in recent years, driven by the increasing awareness of product safety and the rise of the Muslim population. But it's not just Muslim consumers who are embracing Halal beauty products. Non-Muslims are also drawn to them for their natural, environmentally friendly, and green ingredients.
To gain more insight into the Halal beauty industry, we spoke with Maria Akbani, Marketing Director at Hair Gain, a Halal-certified hair care brand. Akbani shared that Hair Gain offers inclusive products, such as their hair gummies that are free from animal gelatine, which is impermissible under Muslim dietary laws. Hair Gain's commitment to Halal standards is important not only for Muslim consumers but also for anyone who is looking for high-quality, natural hair care products.
In general, Halal beauty is quite underrepresented in mainstream beauty campaigns. I’m glad to see brands roll out campaigns in Ramadan but this is due to following seasonal trends as opposed to really being aware of the power of the Muslim pound throughout the year. After seeing the rise of veganism and this being translated as representation of beauty brands and products, I don’t see Halal beauty following suit.
I think that some brands feel that by catering to vegan beauty, they are encompassing Halal beauty, however, given that honey and beeswax are permissible, Halal ingredients are different. Further, we have seen a rise in clean and ethical beauty, from the sourcing of ingredients to packaging and fulfillment. When a brand has recyclable packaging or is proactively trying to reduce its carbon footprint, they make sure that they shout about this and let current and potential consumers know. These are all principles of Halal beauty, yet brands rarely signpost “Halal” in their marketing.
I love that Hair Gain is unapologetic about advertising their Halal logo and try to be a brand that doesn’t alienate this category of customers.
Brands have to take into account salient social issues and consider the sentiment of their target demographic, and the society they live in when deciding key messaging for a brand. Unfortunately, we cannot ignore the fact that Islamophobia is still rife, with a lot of prejudice against the Muslim community. I have worked with brands where discussions would be had about diversity and inclusion, and if there was talk of a Muslim model wearing a Hijab for a campaign, there would be an obvious level of discomfort. The idea of openly supporting or aligning with the Muslim community is one that brands still grapple with and the fact of the matter is that they will struggle to get Muslim clients if they are not represented in their communication.
The second challenge is a genuine lack of understanding of what the term “Halal” means. A lot of brands do not have in-house training on the term, yet may actually be selling into the Middle East, South Asia, or Africa. I think this is something that is concerning, because coming from a legal background, the more information you know about the term, the more you can operate within the definition. This also assists with removing stereotypes surrounding Halal beauty or haircare, for example, you do not need to be wearing a Hijab to want to purchase Halal-certified products.
During Ramadan, it’s great to switch on the TV and see some really beautiful advertising for the month. Tesco is a great example of this where they show a Ramadan advert during prime time and it is very well executed. It’s of course not as popular as, for example, the John Lewis or Coca-Cola Christmas advertisement, but you can see that a lot of thought has gone into it.
Specifically for beauty, we can see a lot of Eid and Ramadan campaigns. Beauty campaigns focus on keeping skin hydrated during fasting, and other edits that combine products or brands with permissible ingredients. Some retailers support Islamic charities during Ramadan, where a small percentage of your purchase can be donated. This is absolutely fantastic and is significantly different from what I had seen a few years ago.
It’s important to understand the power of appealing to an audience that has Halal considerations. Brands can definitely take note of campaigns in the Middle East that spend a lot of time and effort to ensure that the Halal element of their products are front and centre for all mass market products. It’s interesting because the same product in the UK is marketed entirely differently in, for example, the United Arab Emirates, despite both countries being melting pots of culture and religion.
Removing stereotypes is a great first step – for example, just because a woman chooses to wear the Hijab does not mean that she doesn’t care about the health of her hair or scalp. Just because Muslims have a month of fasting doesn’t mean that they don’t care if their skin suffers and are looking for products to work around them. Again, understanding that the Halal concept is broader than just the ingredients, it looks at the provenance of the brand and the wider offering, which is something that needs to be marketed a lot more effectively.
In conclusion, Halal beauty products continue to gain popularity and become less of a niche as the beauty industry recognises the importance of inclusion and catering to diverse consumer needs. It's crucial to remove stereotypes and understand that Muslim consumers' needs go beyond their religious practices and to continue to push for more representation of this underrepresented beauty segment.
One way to push for more representation of the Halal beauty segment is through social media. Many Muslim influencers and beauty bloggers have already started to share their favourite Halal products with their followers, and some have even launched their own Halal beauty lines. By supporting and amplifying these voices, we can help to bring more attention and awareness to the importance of Halal beauty. Additionally, by working together, we can create a more inclusive beauty industry that truly caters to the needs of all consumers.
By Lubona Chibwa
Even though the Muslim community makes up more than one-fifth of the global population, the beauty industry has been slow to include and cater to them. However, the tide is slowly turning as more and more brands are recognising the importance of inclusivity and diversity. One emerging trend within the industry is the rise of Halal beauty products.
Halal beauty products are those that adhere to Islamic guidelines, including Sharia law. These guidelines stipulate that products should not contain any ingredients that are derived from animals that are not slaughtered according to Islamic rites, such as pigs, blood, reptiles, and insects, among others. Halal products are also required to be free from alcohol, which is prohibited in Islam.
The popularity of Halal beauty products has been on the rise in recent years, driven by the increasing awareness of product safety and the rise of the Muslim population. But it's not just Muslim consumers who are embracing Halal beauty products. Non-Muslims are also drawn to them for their natural, environmentally friendly, and green ingredients.
To gain more insight into the Halal beauty industry, we spoke with Maria Akbani, Marketing Director at Hair Gain, a Halal-certified hair care brand. Akbani shared that Hair Gain offers inclusive products, such as their hair gummies that are free from animal gelatine, which is impermissible under Muslim dietary laws. Hair Gain's commitment to Halal standards is important not only for Muslim consumers but also for anyone who is looking for high-quality, natural hair care products.
In general, Halal beauty is quite underrepresented in mainstream beauty campaigns. I’m glad to see brands roll out campaigns in Ramadan but this is due to following seasonal trends as opposed to really being aware of the power of the Muslim pound throughout the year. After seeing the rise of veganism and this being translated as representation of beauty brands and products, I don’t see Halal beauty following suit.
I think that some brands feel that by catering to vegan beauty, they are encompassing Halal beauty, however, given that honey and beeswax are permissible, Halal ingredients are different. Further, we have seen a rise in clean and ethical beauty, from the sourcing of ingredients to packaging and fulfillment. When a brand has recyclable packaging or is proactively trying to reduce its carbon footprint, they make sure that they shout about this and let current and potential consumers know. These are all principles of Halal beauty, yet brands rarely signpost “Halal” in their marketing.
I love that Hair Gain is unapologetic about advertising their Halal logo and try to be a brand that doesn’t alienate this category of customers.
Brands have to take into account salient social issues and consider the sentiment of their target demographic, and the society they live in when deciding key messaging for a brand. Unfortunately, we cannot ignore the fact that Islamophobia is still rife, with a lot of prejudice against the Muslim community. I have worked with brands where discussions would be had about diversity and inclusion, and if there was talk of a Muslim model wearing a Hijab for a campaign, there would be an obvious level of discomfort. The idea of openly supporting or aligning with the Muslim community is one that brands still grapple with and the fact of the matter is that they will struggle to get Muslim clients if they are not represented in their communication.
The second challenge is a genuine lack of understanding of what the term “Halal” means. A lot of brands do not have in-house training on the term, yet may actually be selling into the Middle East, South Asia, or Africa. I think this is something that is concerning, because coming from a legal background, the more information you know about the term, the more you can operate within the definition. This also assists with removing stereotypes surrounding Halal beauty or haircare, for example, you do not need to be wearing a Hijab to want to purchase Halal-certified products.
During Ramadan, it’s great to switch on the TV and see some really beautiful advertising for the month. Tesco is a great example of this where they show a Ramadan advert during prime time and it is very well executed. It’s of course not as popular as, for example, the John Lewis or Coca-Cola Christmas advertisement, but you can see that a lot of thought has gone into it.
Specifically for beauty, we can see a lot of Eid and Ramadan campaigns. Beauty campaigns focus on keeping skin hydrated during fasting, and other edits that combine products or brands with permissible ingredients. Some retailers support Islamic charities during Ramadan, where a small percentage of your purchase can be donated. This is absolutely fantastic and is significantly different from what I had seen a few years ago.
It’s important to understand the power of appealing to an audience that has Halal considerations. Brands can definitely take note of campaigns in the Middle East that spend a lot of time and effort to ensure that the Halal element of their products are front and centre for all mass market products. It’s interesting because the same product in the UK is marketed entirely differently in, for example, the United Arab Emirates, despite both countries being melting pots of culture and religion.
Removing stereotypes is a great first step – for example, just because a woman chooses to wear the Hijab does not mean that she doesn’t care about the health of her hair or scalp. Just because Muslims have a month of fasting doesn’t mean that they don’t care if their skin suffers and are looking for products to work around them. Again, understanding that the Halal concept is broader than just the ingredients, it looks at the provenance of the brand and the wider offering, which is something that needs to be marketed a lot more effectively.
In conclusion, Halal beauty products continue to gain popularity and become less of a niche as the beauty industry recognises the importance of inclusion and catering to diverse consumer needs. It's crucial to remove stereotypes and understand that Muslim consumers' needs go beyond their religious practices and to continue to push for more representation of this underrepresented beauty segment.
One way to push for more representation of the Halal beauty segment is through social media. Many Muslim influencers and beauty bloggers have already started to share their favourite Halal products with their followers, and some have even launched their own Halal beauty lines. By supporting and amplifying these voices, we can help to bring more attention and awareness to the importance of Halal beauty. Additionally, by working together, we can create a more inclusive beauty industry that truly caters to the needs of all consumers.
By Lubona Chibwa
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