We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Saliah Mustafa a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Saliah, appreciate you joining us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
Sabreen Cosmetics was born out of our desire to honor the life and legacy of my sisters and I aunt, Nabeehah Sabreen. She lost her valiant battle with Breast Cancer in 2009, and we founded our brand in 2016. Throughout her life she was unapologetic and lived life on her terms, and we wanted to create a brand that honored her and the magnificent woman she was. Creating a luxury beauty brand was a strategic process. Our long-term vision was to create a luxury brand that offered non-toxic or “clean” formulations that inspired women to be unapologetic. During our research we found that almost 75% of products marketed to women of color have potentially harmful ingredients. Also, more than 50% of the products sold in the United States and Canada are formulated with harmful ingredients. With commonly sourced toxic synthetics, petroleum-based ingredients, and heavy metals such as lead, aluminum, and chromium are often used as cost effective formulation options. These ingredients are often linked to a myriad of health complications such cancer, hormone disruption, developmental and reproductive damage. Collectively we found an opportunity in the market to deliver luxury beauty products that we safe for people and the planet.
Saliah, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I am a luxury entrepreneur with a background in Pharmacy and Healthcare Management, and an MBA. Prior to entering the beauty industry, I had no connections. However, I was able to utilize some of my healthcare background to assist in the R&D and formulation process of our cosmetics products. Having no connection to the industry allowed me to not be confined by industry norms. My naivete allowed me to explore and believe that the impossible is possible. During the formulation of the Nura Gloss, our chemist at the time informed me that it was impossible to formulate a lip gloss without the key ingredient “Polybutene”. After conferring with another chemist, in addition to my diligent research, we found a perfect replacement ingredient that was safe for our patrons, the planet, without sacrificing performance. The chemist was shocked and pleased that I pushed him to believe that impossible is possible. Since 2019, Nura Gloss has been well received. During that scenario, I learned the importance of being unapologetic and never apologizing for what I believe in. Had I not advocated for my idea, the Nura Gloss would not exist. It is moments like this one that I hope serve as inspiration for our patrons. Our mission is to inspire women to revel in the absolute freedom of living life on their own terms, hence our mantra BE UNAPOLOGETIC ™.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
Our reputation was built primarily on our crafting innovative product formulas. Our goal is to always deliver the safest and luxurious products for people and the planet without sacrificing performance or ethics. Sabreen Cosmetics has earned Leaping Bunny and PETA certifications. In addition, our products are also Good Face Project approved. More recently, our brand was recognized by Breast Cancer Prevention Partners “Campaign For Safe Cosmetics” Non-Toxic Black Beauty Project. Sabreen Cosmetics was named a “Top Black-Owned Beauty Brand” and our products earned the Non-Toxic Black Beauty seal. The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics’ Non-Toxic Black Beauty Project was guided by a 17-member advisory committee made up of leading NGOs and scientists working to improve Black women’s health by addressing the toxic beauty products marketed to them. Earning the designation greatly benefited our brand, in addition to our strategic PR efforts with our PR agency. As a sister-led company, we are also proud to be WBENC certified, woman owned company.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
The following books have significantly impacted me as an entrepreneur in the luxury sector.:
Aesthetic Intelligence – Pauline Brown
The Business of Aspiration – Ana Andjelic
I highly recommend them if you are looking to learn different strategies to stand out in your market.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sabreencosmetics.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sabreencosmetics/
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/sabreencosmetics
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sabreencosmetics
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/hausofsabreen
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sabreencosmetics1196