Leicester woman fulfils halal cosmetics firm dream
As a young Muslim child growing up in Leicester, Nadia Gani loved wearing make-up but struggled to find halal-certified products.
She hoped one day she could create a cosmetic brand that would comply with Islamic teaching.
"When I was little I used to watch my mother putting make-up on," she said.
"Since then I've had a craving to have my name on a lipstick - my mum even used to put a sticker on her lipstick with my name on it."
Halal cosmetics do not contain alcohol and animal extracts, which many high street products include.
"I couldn't use some lipsticks because it had pig extracts in it," she said.
Dream come true
Mother of two Nadia, 27, said her dream to have her own halal make-up collection has now come true.
In July, with the help of her husband and family, she launched Miracle Halal Mineralz.
"I come from a very creative background as a family, my parents were both goldsmiths," Nadia said.
"My husband and my mum have been the most supportive people. They have never said 'no' to any of my suggestions."
The businesswoman, from Evington in Leicester, studied science as a student but felt it was not the path she wanted to take.
"I then trained as a beautician because I felt most make-up had too many chemicals and started researching natural minerals like beeswax," she said.
'We are all beautiful'
"We are all beautiful, but there's nothing wrong with enhancing our beauty and confidence with make-up."
However, the former beautician does not agree with trying to change your appearance by creating a "mask".
Nadia said she and her husband make about 24 items a day in an industrial unit in Earl Shilton.
She believed a British label was one of the reasons she has had inquiries from around the world including Australia, Zimbabwe, Saudi Arabia, Dubai and Pakistan.