Halal nail varnish that makes a difference: Mersi Cosmetics

Considering your impact on the world has come to the forefront of many people’s consciousness recently. From having an awareness of how you might be contributing to climate change and the suffering of others across the globe, this hopeful shift in thinking has increasingly fallen on consumers’ wary shoulders. With so many different brands and products on the market, it can be tricky to remember which beauty product has the right credentials. Greenwashing – where a brand uses green-coloured branding or words that are synonymous with being eco-friendly when the truth is far from it ­– has also made choosing the right lip gloss that much more confusing.

Luckily, there’s a new trend in the beauty world. Halal nail varnish, such as Mersi Cosmetics, can assuage these fears, whilst giving you a glistening, long-lasting coat of polish. Mersi Cosmetics is vegan, breathable and halal. But what does halal actually mean? It’s commonly used in relation to meat, food, personal care products, cosmetics and recently, nail polish – it is not a term that is limited to just food. In relation to nail varnish, halal means that it is entirely cruelty-free and hasn’t been tested on animals. Halal cosmetics need to be certified as such and cannot contain prohibited alcohol (according to Islamic law). By being vegan as well, this ensures that Mersi’s polishes do not contain any animal-derived products or toxic chemicals either, further safeguarding against the murky areas of the beauty supply chain.

Mersi’s nail varnishes come in over 20 different shades, named after natural wonders across the globe, each telling its own story. Take their “Red Beach” nail varnish for example. This was inspired by the largest wetland and reed marsh in the world, Red Beach in Panjin, China. This famous landscape is home to brightly coloured floras and many birds that hover over the rich green landscapes; it’s a popular place to visit.

Additionally, the unique, breathable and Halal nature of this nail varnish is what makes it ideal for Muslim women. For those that aren’t familiar, daily prayers in Islam are preceded by ablution (or cleansing) with water. As normal nail varnish creates an impermeable barrier and prevents proper cleansing, most Muslim women avoid traditional nail varnish altogether. However, the breathability of Mersi Cosmetics’ nail polish means this ritual can be completed with beautifully painted nails. Here you can read further about what is Halal nail polish.

There are other benefits too. Typical nail polish seals off your nails from oxygen and hydration, resulting in brittle and unhealthy nails. It’s often overlooked but our nails need hydration and oxygen too. Most nail polishes are made up of neat, tight molecular bonds, stacked on top of each other like bricks. The molecules that make up breathable formulas on the other hand – are made up of a staggered structure. Imagine a staggered brick laying pattern that allows water and oxygen to fall through the spaces.

Breathable nail polish creates a permeable layer which can prevent hangnails, discolouration and dehydrated cuticles. Does this mean it will chip away easily? Although this might sound likely, the answer is no. Mersi’s nail polishes are made from a formula that is non-peel-able and made to perform. It’s far more durable than early generations of breathable formulas. It’s chip-resistant and lasts up to ten days. This makes it appealing for both Muslim and non-Muslin women.

Finally, alongside their new website launch, Mersi has announced their “Five Shade Mission Sets”, which aims to donate 20% of their proceeds to causes such as the Yemen Crisis, Lebanon Relief and Black Lives Matter.

The editorial unit