Maysoon Hamad of Dearborn shows off her red lipstick from her halal, vegan and kosher cosmetics company, Alwan. The company offers 15 shades of the organic, botanical and chemical-free lipstick in the collection.
By ZEINAB NAJM
Times-Herald Newspapers
DEARBORN — Inspiration can come from anything around you, including from children.
Maysoon Hamad of Dearborn was inspired by her three daughters to start the first halal, kosher and vegan cosmetic company, Alwan.
One of her daughters was in cosmetology school, another learned about applying makeup through video tutorials and blogs and the last daughter enjoys modeling.
“They all have very sensitive skin and I have a young one with eczema,” she said. “So I found myself reading labels and becoming more conscious as to what we are applying on our skin.”
Her idea really hit the ground running two years ago after Hamad took a closer look at the makeup she and her daughters used.
She said the certified brand is the only one of its kind in the world creating and selling halal, kosher and vegan cosmetics products.
Hamad likes to put an emphasis on using products that are GMO free, organic, botanical, chemical-free and cruelty-free products and free of any animal products.
“I also wanted to have a clear conscious when choosing our products,” she said. “So I started formulating out of my home.”
Hamad decided to make her products halal, kosher and vegan because she also noticed people were adapting to that lifestyle.
“Alwan is a diverse brand which will cater to all religious beliefs, cultures, sizes or personal preferences,” she said. “Making Alwan very unique, we don’t discriminate against anyone and want to cater to all.”
The name of the company, Alwan is the Arabic word for colors which was something Hamad wanted to stress.
Hamad spent her time in formulating and research meetings to ensure her products are affordable for everyone.
The process to get certified halal, kosher and vegan products is not a simple one.
Hamad has to look for animal, swine and alcohol in ingredients as well as who handles the products, site and formula reviews, ingredients, who’s packing, where is it manufactured, policies and the procedures of the facilities when creating the cosmetics.
“I don’t want to say it was a hard process to get certified in all three but it was a lengthy and costly one that took months,” she said.
Currently, Alwan sells 15 shades of lipstick on its website which launched on March 9. Eye and lip liner, water preamble nail polish, moisturizer and cleansing lotion will be available in the coming months.
“Alwan is going to add to the line every month with the intention that by the end of the summer it will have a full cosmetic line,” Hamad said.
Hamad plans to promote the natural cosmetic line throughout the metropolitan Detroit area, and eventually have a nationwide audience.
“Our next plan is to distribute and utilize target markets overseas and in the Middle East,” she said. “Alwan’s future plans include small stores in key cities around the world.”
Collaboration is also a big part of Hamad’s plans for Alwan.
“Alwan has partnered up with other small business owners on various future projects,” Hamad said. “We will also collaborate our products on models, social media and websites to help promote each other’s lines.
The cosmetic company will be making it’s first appearance at the Islamic Society of North America convention in Chicago this fall as well as other nationwide events yet to be announced.
For more information on the cosmetics go to Alwan Cosmetics’s website, www.alwanco.net.
(Zeinab Najm can be reached at [email protected].)