In Mah Hussain-Gambles’ world, science does not have to be exclusively technical or industrial, it can be pure and ethical. As a trained pharmaceutical chemist, she drew on this reasoning to launch Saaf Pure Skincare, a line of products that takes its name from the Persian word for pure. ‘I first started developing creams for my husband, who has very sensitive skin and needed pure ingredients. Having set up a website to help people track the claims certain beauty products make, such as being fair trade or organic, I knew just how many lacked any kind of stamp or proof to back up their claims.’
More than an eco-ethical appeal
The line now features eleven eco-ethical skincare products, i.e., certified organic, cruelty-free, vegetarian or vegan and containing no alcohol or GMOs. But perhaps its most original selling point is that Dr. Mah, as a practising Muslim, has made the products compliant with the Islamic principles of halal. ‘Consumers all over the world are now looking for products that are pure and environmentally friendly,’ she explains, ‘but ours are also halal-certified, not just because they contain no pork or alcohol, but by abiding to age-old principles of wholesomeness that eliminate harmful ingredients and exploitation of people or animals.’
Lean, green and clean!
Obtaining certification for halal, which means ‘permissible’ in Arabic, proved to be one of the biggest hurdles her small business had to face. Yet despite the lack of certifying bodies in the West and general unfamiliarity with halal rules, Mah was determined to achieve this goal. ‘My idea has simply been to roll all the purest elements into a single line for everyone, both Muslims and non-Muslims alike, be they motivated by environmental, ethical or religious concerns.’
The booming global halal cosmetic market is estimated at over US$560 million and growing fast. Mah is therefore bracing her cottage industry for success. ‘We outsource everything to UK companies, which makes our overheads close to zero. That’s how we managed to survive the recession, even though we launched internationally in 2008, bang in the middle of it!’ The challenge has been worth it, with sales going out to 13 countries and counting. In keeping with the company’s green ethics, sales, marketing and training are all operated via the website, meaning Saaf runs a virtually paper-free office.
Mah harbours a particular admiration for Body Shop founder and eco-cosmetics trailblazer Anita Roddick, both for her success in building an international eco-ethical brand and for her personal implication in her company: ‘In niche markets, people generally like to know the story behind a brand, they like to see the person behind it,’ Mah feels.
Favouring the feelgood factor
She set up her company when full-time employment became incompatible with looking after her twins and has structured it to be able to reconcile family commitments with entrepreneurship. Branching out on her own was also a logical way to fulfil her desire to use her skills to do more for people. ‘I’ve often been viewed as a bit of a mad scientist, even when I was younger, when I would make environmentally friendly nail varnish for my friends! I’ve always wanted my inventions to make science as feminine as possible. I want women to feel good about our products, not just in their skin, but in their conscience as well.’
