- Wardah, Indonesia’s first halal cosmetics brand, was founded by a pharmacist.
- It overcame initial skepticism to become a major beauty player.
- Wardah now exports globally and continues to innovate in clean beauty.
A beautiful beginning
Nurhayati Subakat, a pharmacist from Padang, Indonesia, transformed her passion for quality skincare into Wardah, the country’s first halal cosmetics line.
Launched in 1995, Wardah overcame initial skepticism about halal makeup to become a beauty powerhouse, exporting IDR 22.9B worth of products to Malaysia by 2020.
Wardah’s journey wasn’t without challenges. After a decade of door-to-door sales, the brand opened its first physical store in 2004.
A complete redesign and relaunch in 2009 set the stage for explosive growth, overcoming supplier hesitations about halal ingredients.
Halal goes global
Now producing over 135 million units annually, Wardah has expanded beyond makeup to include skincare and hair products.
The brand’s commitment to halal-certified, cruelty-free ingredients has attracted both Muslim and non-Muslim customers seeking ‘clean’ beauty solutions.
Wardah’s success has paved the way for new ventures, including a men’s skincare line and expansion plans across Southeast Asia.
