For some Muslim men and women, wearing traditional nail polish is not an option. The act of wudu, a ritual ablution performed before prayer, requires that water must touch every part of the body; nail polish, it’s believed, creates a barrier between the skin and the water.
Very few mass-market American brands cater to practicing Muslims in this sense, which is why Orly’s porous Breathable collection got so much buzz when it launched last year. Now, the brand has taken it one step further by partnering with MuslimGirl.com, the largest online Muslim women’s platform in the country, to release #HalalPaint, a limited-edition collaboration of six halal-certified colors.
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This new collection goes beyond just offering a viable solution to traditional nail polish for women who feel like they’re forced to compromise on beauty: With MuslimGirl.com chief of staff Azmia Magane and founder Amani Al-Khatahtbeh as the driving forces behind it, #HalalPaint aims to create an experience tailored for Muslim women, by Muslim women. “Collaborating on a breathable nail polish line for Muslim women means creating space for them in the beauty industry by making options available that cater to their needs,” Al-Khatahtbeh tells us.
To that end, Magane says that it was important to her that she and Al-Khatahtbeh be directly involved in the ideation of the line — from the formula to the cheeky shade names. You’ll find “What the Fatima?”, “Ig-Noor the Haters”, and “The Perfect Amani-cure”, named after Al-Khatahtbeh, in the lineup. “I think a lot of Muslim women will be just as excited about [#HalalPaint] as we are,” Magane says.
“Not only is #HalalPaint legit halal-certified, but it’s [also] an answer to a beauty practice that some Muslims have otherwise found to be difficult coupled with their religious practice,” Al-Khatahtbeh says. Thanks largely in part to social media, she says, “The beauty industry is responding to this, responding to us, and making way for us. It’s an important moment to be a part of.”
The limited-edition collection officially launches today, so pre-order the six-piece set on halalpaint.com, where it retails for $49, while you still can. With Argan oil, pro-vitamin B5, and vitamin C all combined into one wudu-friendly formula, it’s as good for your nails as it is for making the beauty industry (and the world) a little brighter and more inclusive.