Bengaluru: After scoring success in Gujarat and Aurangabad, Iba Halal Care now opens its franchisee store in Bengaluru near Safina Plaza, Commercial Street area; this marks the brand’s entry into Southern India market. Iba Halal Care – India’s first halal cosmetics brand was launched in Ahmedabad with two company-owned stores in Sept 2014. This was followed by stores in Surat, Vadodara and Aurangabad.

Halal cosmetics are a new range of beauty and personal care products that are free of non-halal ingredients such as alcohol, pig fat and other animal derived ingredients, and harmful chemicals like sulfates and parabens.

“India is home to world’s second largest Muslim population, yet there is no cosmetics brand in the market that caters adequately to the ethical needs of this large consumer segment. Iba Halal Care aims to fill this gap by making available a range of Halal certified products that are also vegan and cruelty-free to offer peace of mind to Muslims as well as vegetarians”, says Mauli Teli, CEO and Managing Partner at Ecotrail Personal Care, the company which has launched Iba Halal Care in the market.

Halal is an Arabic word for ‘that which is lawful or permitted’. The concept of Halal is rooted in science and ensures that all products are free from impurities, are ethical, safe and effective.

Iba offers over 80 products for head to toe halal care – face creams, lotions, hair oil, shampoos and conditioners, lipsticks, kajal, foundations, hair colors, soaps, attars, men’s deos, exotic fragrances and more. Unlike ordinary personal care and cosmetic products each Iba product is certified halal as a proof of its quality standard and purity. Iba is unique since it is not only a halal certified range but is vegan and cruelty-free as well.

“Careful research and high quality standards have been maintained throughout development and manufacturing to ensure that our products have Halal integrity, are of world class quality and are safe and effective for daily use”, highlights Grishma Teli, VP of R&D and Managing Partner at Ecotrail Personal Care. “Source of every ingredient going into our products is thoroughly researched and confirmed to ensure that our products are 100% free of non-halal ingredients such as pig fat, other animal derived ingredients, alcohol as well as harsh chemicals”.

“What has found great acceptance across consumers in Ahmedabad and other cities where there are Iba stores and among online buyers across the country is the high quality standards and affordable prices at which Iba products are available – Rs. 40 – Rs. 350. This is indeed an advantage to a large segment of customers”, says Ali Hussain Momin, founder of Ummat Infomedia and a regular Iba customer.

Iba Halal Care products are also becoming available through shop-in-shop counters in local supermarkets. Mr. Nadeem Jafri, founder of Hearty Mart Supermarkets in Gujarat says “We have launched Iba products in our supermarket chain across Central & North Gujarat; given its high quality and affordable price range, Iba is finding acceptance in consumers and its own space amongst other cosmetics brands that are sold in our shops”.

Mr. Dilip Vadgama, Chief Operating Officer, Ecotrail Personal Care says “the halal trigger in cosmetics has led to consumers switching to Iba products. Majority of customers coming to our store appreciate the quality and value that the brand offers and hence are not only loyal customers but they also buy a variety of products from us such as fairness cream, face wash, hair oil, fragrances. Lipsticks are their favorite as they didn’t have a halal option available and can now use them with ease. We have also made Iba products available in many leading cosmetics and medical stores across Aurangabad which has substantially added to their sales”.

In order to meet demand and increase accessibility to Iba products across cities and in smaller towns, the company also offers a ‘shop-in-shop’ model. Currently the brand is available in 100+ cosmetics shops, medical stores and supermarkets in Western India.

Company plans are underway to further expand into South India with franchisee stores planned in Mysore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kozhikode and Mallapuram among other cities. Till then the consumers can meet their need for halal cosmetics through online purchases from Amazon, Flipkart, Snapdeal, Purplle & Nykaa.