Halal Meets Beauty: Mora Cosmetics' Triumph in Achieving Halal Certification
A Year-Long Journey with Halal Watch World Culminates in a Landmark Achievement for Inclusive Cosmetics
Minara El-Rahman with Mora Cosmetics product
The cosmetics world just gained a new standard-bearer. After a demanding year-long journey, Mora Cosmetics has officially earned its Halal certification — a milestone that reflects the brand’s deep commitment to ethics and excellence. Through Halal Watch World’s rigorous oversight, every product was verified to be free of pork derivatives, animal by-products, alcohol, and anything considered najis (impure). For the beauty industry, this achievement marks more than a certificate; it signals a meaningful step forward.
At the center of this story is Minara El-Rahman, the founder of Mora Cosmetics and a true trailblazer working to close the gap between faith and beauty. We recently sat down with Minara to learn about the heart behind her brand and what the halal journey truly means to her.
When asked how it all began, Minara traced the roots back to her childhood. “The journey started when I was actually a young girl,” she recalled. “I just always would try the latest and greatest, and I would never really see myself reflected in the marketing materials for these beauty companies.” That absence left a lasting impression. As she put it, not seeing yourself represented as a young person “really kind of makes you motivated to be the first.”
But representation was only part of the picture. As a practicing Muslim, Minara felt that her values should extend to everything she used — including cosmetics. “It was important to me to always consume halal products,” she explained. That conviction soon raised a simple but powerful question: “Why am I not using something that I know is either vegan or halal?”
The path forward, however, was far from smooth. As a hijabi founder, Minara faced obstacles that many entrepreneurs never encounter. “As a woman who wears a hijab, I think that people kind of view you in a different light,” she shared. Reaching out to vendors and laboratories often meant being underestimated. “I wasn’t being taken seriously,” she admitted — a challenge she had to push through on her way to building something the market had never seen before.
Minara El-Rahman with Cheif Creative Officer Jasmine Dayal
On the ethos of Mora Cosmetics, Minara remarked, “So for me, I don’t want to do anything unless I do it with excellence… We know that in our faith, there’s this concept known as Ihsan, which is excellence.” This is reflective in their efforts in gaining the Halal certification, proving their commitment not just in words, but in tangible actions. On their decision to pursue the certification, Minara emphasized, “While we can always say that we are halal, having that certification gives the customer the peace of mind of knowing that we have gone through the rigorous work that needed to be done on the back end to ensure that the products… are indeed halal.”
Minara expressed her broader vision for Mora Cosmetics, emphasizing inclusivity and representation, “For us, we want to make our products as inclusive as possible… but we also wanted to introduce Halal.” The Muslim community, she revealed, has shown great support: “I think that the Muslim community has been very welcoming… And now that we can announce that we’re Halal Certified, I feel like there will be even more support behind the brand.”
With a commitment to the environment, sustainability, and ethics, Minara believes in making informed choices: “People, when they actually do the research… they’ll know that it’s clean and sustainable. It may be a little bit more money but it’s worth the investment.” Ending with a note on their social responsibility, Minara concluded, “We always make sure that we invest in charities with our profits. We always make sure that we’re doing everything with the right intention.”
Through their partnership with Halal Watch World and their unwavering commitment to excellence, Mora Cosmetics sets a precedent in the world of beauty. As we look ahead, it’s evident that with brands like Mora leading the way, the beauty industry is poised for an ethical revolution.
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