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Features
Malaysian News
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May 14, 2008 14:40

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Not Only Lipsticks' Eye Shadows And Mascara?

By Soraya Jamal

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KUALA LUMPUR, MAY L4 (Bernama) Whenever a conversation switches to things like cosmetics and toiletries, one cannot helP but think of products that improves a persons PhYsical
appearance.

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A person would list, among other things, lipsticks, eYe

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shopping list for cosmetic while shampoos, deodorants and soaps may be added in if she is also looking for toiletries.

The cosmetics industrY is not an industrY limited to

only mascaras, eye shadows and lipsticks, neither it is solely based on age, gender and social strata factors.

HALAL FACTOR...

EntrePreneur

Mrrhammad
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Hamudi Abdul Khalid with a set of r r'H;;" products. Pix: SoraYa Jamal

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cleanse the body, like adding fragrance and suppressing odours.

Consumers worldwide spend billions of Euros on these products annually. Last year alone, the sale of cosmetic products reached 126 billion Euros, equivalent to RM605 billion, with 55 per cent of the turnover coming from Europe.

In terms of the world's major cosmetic producer, this figure speaks for itself. Next to Europe in the list of producer countries is the United States while Japan
comes in third.

HIGH DEMAND
Back to the local scenario.

Lately the demand for cosmetic and toiletry products has surged aS consumers are fast becoming aware on the need to improve their physical appearance.

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The influx of cosmetic products from Malaysia's neighbours like the Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand has signalled local entrepreneurs to actively venture into this industry.

and health care and this should be utilised by the country's

Malaysia has its own tips and practices as well as herbal concoctions on body
cosmetic

entrepreneurs to boost the portion of their economic cake in the local cosmetic and toiletry industrY. The country's herbal industry is estimated to be worth more than RM4.55 billion a year, growing at 20 percent annually. A huge chunk of these herbal products is consumed by the local cosmetic, toiletry and healthcare industries. ESTABLISHED BRANDS
Malaysian cosmetic entrepreneurs have not been idle in

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the market. They have

come out with their own home-grown brands'

Among the popular brands are clara International, safi, Nona Roguy and Sendayu Tinggi, which have created their own niche markets.
Recently, Bernama had the opportunity to talk to several of these local cosmetic
entrepreneu rs. w $*r*g*t'Yin'le w eafend*r'

SPA OPERATOR TURNED COSMETIC ENTREPRENEUR

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The general lack of confidence with cosmetic products available in the local martEt was what spurred 38-year-old Rohana Ismail to venture into this
industry.

"I started as a spa operator in Terengganu, At that time, it was quite difficult for me to recommend any cosmetic product to my clients as I did not exactly know
its origion and constituents.
"Hence, the best way is to create my own cosmetic products," she said. Rohana's bold venture paid off handsomely. The encouragement and assistance came from the Ministry of Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development (MECD) as well as joint research with Sirim Bhd. This had enabled Rohana to come up with her own brand of cosmetic products last year.

"If we know what the ingredients of a particular cosmetic product are, then it would be much easier to deal with any allergy caused by using it. My clients are very particular on the products that I use for their spa treatment," she said.
Based on Rohana's own concept and idea, Sirim had produced a formula that contains herbs and fruits like green tea, mulberry, peppermint and kiwi.
Nano technology, to ensure better consistency and absorption, came into play.

The result of this effort?

Rohana is now proud to display her own brand of cosmetic products, which she named as Orchid RoYale. So far there are six products line under her brand. They are facial cleansers and scrubs, body lotion, massage cream, milk shower mix and skin-care essence' Prices range from RM30 to RMBO for each item.

Rohani said she spent RM300,000 middle-income grouP.

to set up Orchid

Royale, targeting

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"My products are halal and safe to use as I picked the ingredients myself. My husband, who is a specialist, helps me out in the medical aspect. I had also worked at a hospital, so if there is any problem, I would know how to deal with it," she said.
HALAL COSMETICS The lack of cosmetics and toiletries in the local market that have the halal factor had prompted Muhammad Hamudi Abdul Khalid, to produce the El Hajj line of products five years ago.

A graduate in textile technology from the University of Philadelphia, United States, Hamudi focused on the need to have cosmetic that are halal but also
deodorant-free. He started with a paid-up capital of RM200,000 and his initial market was for those on a haj pilgrimage,

Hamudi based his products on the harsh climate weather is very much different than in Malaysia.

in Saudi Arabia. There, the

The heat is almost unbearable in Mecca between March and August while the mercury in the thermometer record low readings during the cold season,

Medina, located north and

condition compared to Mecca.

at a

higher altitude, exhibits harsher climatic

To reduce health complications caused by the harsh weather condition, pilgrims are advised to use skin-care products. "Who else understand and are aware of the need to use halal products other than the Muslims themselves. Do the products have animal contents? If they do,

were the animals concerned slaughtered according to the Muslim rites?"

asked.

he

According to Hamudi, he does not classify the El Hajj products, which are developed by the company's own experts, as cosmetic. Instead they are aptly Iabelled as skin-care products.
Apart from being free of deodorants, El Hajj products are also free of alcohol and

toxic chemicals.
The products are water-based, making them non-oily and easy to wash off while performing ablution. They are enriched with anti-oxidants like vitamin E and pro vitamin 85, substances which have been proven to be skin-care effective.' RELIGIOUS OBLIGATION

The El Hajj product line have been given the nod by the Health Ministry and Islamic Advancement Department (Jakim) as well as Saudi Arabias Standards
Organisation (Saso).

"El Hajj is not only halal in its making but also halal throughout the whole process including the financial resources. This venture is not just profit-oriented, it is a religious obligation as well," said Hamudi.
El Hajj production facility is based in Pulau Pinang. The brand's line of products include the El Hajj moisturiser, lip gloss, facial cleanser and heel balm. Prices range from RM10

to

RM22. A

full set for Umrah or Haj trip only

cost

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RM69.

TheElHajjrangeofproductsareavailableatthecompany.sagentsand and Tesco' OisiriUutors-as wlll it f'yputturkets like Mydin, Carrefour,-Giant well as in and Brunei as These products nave in esiablished market in Indonesia
West Asia.

''GROOM BIG'' FOR COSMETICS ENTREPRENEURS

MECD in- collaboration with Realising the potential of the local cosmetic industry, organised

(Frim), have Sirim and the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia focusing on the cosmetic and herbal industry' various developmeniprogtut*es
Bu mi

geared at unearthing competitive Among these are the groom big plan of action
Putera entrePreneu rs'

entrepreneurs These programmes are also aimed towards assisting Bumiputera products via research and development (R&D) develop their respecipe cosmetic apart from penetrating the international market'
processing of raw materials, The programmes are focused, among others, on the products, mirket study and Sirims incubator actions' aevetopirent of existing

to the good The programmes also include providing industrial facilities according packaging and

quality standard uno practices, tratat certification, product

branding.

per cent of the seminars, training and workshops are also packaged in. Eighty via grants with the rest coming funding for the respective projects are borne from the respective participating entrepreneurs'

--

BERNAMA

We p rov i d e (s u bsc ri Pti o n'based) news coverage in our Newswire service.

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