Imagine an ad for hair products that features a model who won't show her head. Hard to envision, isn't it? L'Oreal Paris has quite possibly made beauty history by casting a hijab-wearing woman to model for a new campaign for the Elvive range of hair products. Amid a bunch of British women from diverse backgrounds, ethnicities and ages stands Amena Khan, wearing the hijab, in the brand's new video, saying, "Whether or not your hair is on display doesn't affect how much you care about it."
Amena is a beauty blogger, YouTube vlogger, has founded a cosmetics company called Ardere Cosmetics, a false eyelashes brand Lashionery and a fashion company called Pearl Daisy, where she designs hooded hijabs or Hoojabs as she calls them. Oh, and she's a mother. She has been covering her head in public since her 20s, but doesn't wear a hijab at home, around family.
Talking about L'Oreal's pathbreaking move that takes inclusiveness and diversity in beauty advertising to new levels, Amena told Vogue UK, "You have to wonder, why is it presumed that women (who) don't show their hair don't look after it? The opposite of that would be that everyone who does show their hair only looks after it for the sake of showing it to others. And that mindset strips us of our autonomy and our sense of independence. Hair is a big part of self-care."
The ad has clearly touched a nerve with women, many of whom left messages of support and encouragement to Amena and L'Oreal for the unexpected move on social media.
Amazing campaign by Loreal! So HAPPY to see my gal @amenaofficial on a hair commercial. Very empowering😌 💕💕 I get asked a lot why I spend so much on hair care if nobody sees my hair. Well I SEE my hair. Isn't that a good enough reason? https://t.co/TqlebHV6R9
— Jayyida Badhry (@jayyida) January 19, 2018
Guys I've just watched @amenaofficial's L'Oreal hair advert. I'm in tears, I love it. This is amazing for a muslim woman who wears a headscarf to be on an advert for HAIR, like girl yes we also want to be represented and have hair products to suit our needs. This is beautiful <3
ADVERTISEMENT— R (@Ralliikhan) January 18, 2018
LOVE this campaign! Women who wear hijab definitely care about taking care of their hair & have to actually work harder to keep it healthy under the scarf. @amenaofficialhttps://t.co/kFFDvcUxwG
— Riham Osman (@Riham_Osman) January 18, 2018
My heart soars seeing my friend @amenaofficial in the new L’Oréal hair campaign. She is the epitome of poise and grace and she pushes for representation for Muslim women everywhere. I love my friend and love that the world gets to see her light. Keep shining boo! https://t.co/Xg5i565Qod
ADVERTISEMENT— Nabela (@Nabela) January 18, 2018
The campaign is largely being seen as an important step towards giving diverse voices representation in media and fostering a feeling of belongingness among people who don't always get to see characters that look like them in pop culture.
Like Amena said, "(Growing up) I didn't see anyone I could relate to in the media. It was always a cause of celebration when you saw a brown face on television."
In recent years, with social media quick to police brands and hold them to the messages they are propagating, brands around the world are waking up to the need to widen their definitions of beauty. Inclusiveness and representation of women of all ages, shapes, sizes and ethnic backgrounds has been a hot-button topic in fashion and beauty advertising.
While brands are still struggling to find the balance between encouraging women to buy more and more products even as they tell them they're beautiful just as they are, ads like these are like a breath of fresh air and a definite move in the right direction. In a world seemingly hurtling towards severe Islamophobia, egged on by political leaders fanning the flames of racial and communal hatred, watching Muslim men and women gain visibility and, hopefully, acceptance in mainstream media is an important step. That brands are taking up the cudgels is a heartening sign.
L'Oreal, though, is not the only one, though. In the past, there have been several brands that have grabbed headlines for their efforts towards inclusivity.
Last year, Nike's commercial featuring five female professional and everyday athletes from different parts of the Arab world went viral.
إيش حيقولوا عنك؟
— Nike Middle East (@NikeMiddleEast) February 18, 2017
يمكن يقولوا إنك تخطيتي كل التوقعات.
justdoit# pic.twitter.com/2IP79Z7lnK
The same year, superstar rapper-cum-designer Kanye West made news for using a hijab-wearing Somali-American model to unveil his new, more adult, Yeezy collection at the New York Fashion Week.
In 2016, CoverGirl, one of the largest cosmetics companies in the United States, announced its first hijab-wearing brand ambassador, Nura Afia, a popular beauty vlogger.
Why, even Playboy featured a fully clothed Muslim journalist wearing a hijab in its October 2016 issue.
What are the ads that touched your heart? Tell us in the comments below.
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