
In products leveraging on religious values, the most important element of the brand’s success & continuity lies in having an untainted reputation, with the public identifying and believing in the brand’s integrity, moral values and honesty. In our Social Media world any veering from the straight path becomes all too apparent… And that is why I am wondering why the following story hasn’t hit spotlight and angered the public, because personally, I felt really duped when I found out this, by just doing simple google search. But let us start from the beginning.
Layla Mandi has recently been all over the media promoting her new line of Halal cosmetics OnePure now sold in Dubai, which she conceived after converting to Islam and finding out ”that even touching haram animals was forbidden and it was natural for me to understand that to use haram products on my body would prohibit me from praying. I would absorb forbidden ingredients into my skin which I could not wash off”(from the company’s about page). Layla’s pitch of sincere devoutness came packaged in photos of her proudly sporting a abaya and a loosely draped hijab, both on the OnePure website and across the media… making us perceive her as someone who embraced Islam in all of its details and lived by it.
It appears is at least in part a Marketing ploy. Because, only a few weeks before all the PR action Ms. Mandi is bravely sporting her blond hair and beautiful décolté line at Canada Day Party (also in Dubai). Now i like to give people the benefit of the doubt but it is pure hypocrisy to pretend to live a certain lifestyle to make more sales! And wouldn’t her product still sell without this dress-up? whether is deception or indecisiveness it certainly doesn't add up to me.
How do you feel about this?

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19 comments:
first of all there is nothing to support her "cant touch 'haram' animal" theory. thats pure bullshit.
and yes - angry is a word i would use.
Uhhhh... :/
I think the whole thing is highly unfortunate. The cosmetic line itself is certainly desirable and needed (not only to Muslims but also to just about anyone interested in natural products, including for example, Orthodox Jews and vegans). That said, the hypocrisy of this woman's marketing scheme is all too apparent and rather disgusting.
it just makes me a sad keenah :(
WHen I first saw the abaya+hijab photos of her, I thought, well that's nice, but what's the point of that half-on hijab?!? :p (I know it's a 'style' that some ladies like to wear)
That second picture is just shocking! Did she not realize someone would see that photo?! I wonder if this WILL damage sales. Will be interesting to find out!
hannah id say that it would, i was thinking of buying it until i saw the price and her boobage.
Thats a drastic difference.
It's like going from the Mosque to Hooters ?:/ Not cool!
yikes. hypocrisy is so haram.
I don't want to backbite her as my good deeds will be very valuable to me in the hereafter. I do think, however, that it wasn't necessary if she wanted to make sales. Muslims buy a ton load of products from non muslims ALL the time. What we don't appreciate though is being lied to. InshaAllah we are wrong and the sister is just going through an indecisive phase.
May Allah swt guide us all.
This is where I point out that there are many great companies that are halaal and don't feel the need to blab it all over the place. :)
Unfortunately, many people will do anything for money, astaghfirullah, may Allah SWT save us from this. May Allah SWT guide her to the Straight Path and give her sincere repentance for her actions.
Allah is the only judge. we dont know her we just ask Allah to guide us all to the straight path. i have no comments other than that. May Allah forgive us
Umm, I just thought it was interesting that she was a recent convert and she wore a half hijab, although that comment seems to support the theory that all converts are 100% hardcore super muslims, I just thought she'd wear proper hijab.
But we never know now do we :\
Talk about Hypocrisy :) all these comments and all this backbiting is hypocrisy, Islam doesn't tell you to talk about people and post their pictures without hijab even if it was already on the internet, you shouldn't help with that. the funny thing to me is that people talk about hypocrisy but at the same time assume and judge :)
Uh...no comment really.
Well, if this is true (and really Islamically we should make 70 excuses for her as to why this happened) she wouldn't be the first person to use Islam to market a product. In fact I know of one company marketing to Muslim women (who poses as such) and is actually a non Muslim (never was in fact).
Anyhow, her skin does look great IMHO.
So a couple of excuses could be - it's an old photo and someone leaked it to get back at her.
It was a private photo and someone shared it without thinking.
Maybe she did have a change of heart and does embrace hijab now.
I don't know. I hope that we Muslim sisters can support one another to make the best choices in this life. My favorite verse from the Qur'an is
"Invite (all) to the Way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious: for thy Lord knoweth best, who have strayed from His Path, and who receive guidance." [Sura 16 an-Nahl (The Bees), Ayah 125]
May Allah subhana wa Taala guide our hearts and actions ameen.
Kelly
the picture was taken at a public event after the hijab pic on website was posted and before the PR events started. i feel it is necessary for people to be informed when their is something deceptive going on and i do believe that this is the case.
I see. I can understand how you feel.
Unfortunately none of us are perfect, especially myself.
Only Allah swt knows what is in a person's heart.
We can all only do our best :)
Anyhow back to your regularly scheduled programming, sorry to butt in. You have a beautiful blog though!
With warmest wishes and regards
salaam alaikom
Kelly
but really who cares. When i buy a product i look at two things, is it halal and does it suit me. who made it, etc is something i really don't care about
but really who cares. When i buy a product i look at two things, is it halal and does it suit me. who made it, etc is something i really don't care about
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