MBB’s “Fresh Friday” series takes a look at new beauty brands (and venerable O.G. brands that are new to me). Let’s discover new makeup!
Guys, do you remember what you were doing at 15…? I’ll tell ya, I certainly wasn’t running my own makeup line, LOL! Say hi to Raazika Cosmetics, a new cruelty-free indie line founded by high school student Khadija Ikram, who started the brand fueled by her passion for makeup and her desire to help her community. The brand donates a portion of all proceeds to anti-bullying campaigns.
Yeah, at 15 years old, I was marching around a football field with a flute in a band uniform while simultaneously plotting ways to up my GPA… I wasn’t starting my own business (although I wish I had!).
In Arabic, Raazika means “one who provides for others,” and the line is cruelty-free, fragrance-free and Halal-certified, meaning that the ingredients are permitted within Islamic or sharia law (you can read more about it here if you’re curious), and they’re available now online. The brand is still quite small and very new.
Within the line, there are full-coverage foundations ($36 each), a couple of contour kits ($49 each), vegan brushes ($16-$30 each), a sprinkling of eye makeup (there’s a mascara and a liner), liquid lipsticks ($27 each) and lip pencils ($17 each), so it’s not Fenty big, but it’s not a teeny, tiny product range either.
Everything’s priced within the Too Faced/Make Up For Ever/Smashbox range. Like, their Hi-Def foundation, which I’ve tried — I think it’s pretty good (super full-coverage!). It’s $36 for a 0.68-oz. bottle, and a little goes a loooong way. I almost want to call it concealer-coverage worthy because it’s SO pigmented and intense, and now that I think about it…it looks and feels very similar to NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer. I’ve worn shade C45 Caramel a few times, and I like how it looks in pictures, in particular, because of how well it blurs my pores. Straight-up hides everything.
I’ve also tested two of the brushes, the Faux Jumbo Buffer and the Small Pointed Face, which are pretty soft and less stiff than usual for synthetics (as you know, some synthetic brushes feel very stiff). If you like Real Techniques or It Cosmetics brushes, I think you’ll like these, too.
Oh! — the matte liquid lipsticks? Just like the foundations, they’re *very* pigmented, but they do kinda dry out my lips…
If you’d like to learn more about Raazika Cosmetics, check it out online.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
P.S. TGIF!!!!
It amazes me what our youth are capable of accomplishing. Zack has a friend who has owned his own entertainment company (DJ’s and all) since probably about age 14. He works at Bar Mitzvahs, school parties, department store holiday events, etc. He just got accepted to NYU School of Business and could probably teach them a thing or two.
Have a good weekend!
This is so inspiring! I love it when young people take initiative like this, it’s so inspiring to see. I really hope this brand takes off and they’re able to build campaigns around their social mission – thank you for featuring this!
Wow, this is amazing! I’ve never heard of this brand, but I’ll definitely check them out now. Thanks!
Ooh. Very intrigued about this foundation! I love a full coverage foundation. Will have to investigate. . .
Karen you are hair goals! ;-D
Hmmm, sounds promising! I’d love to try the foundation. I do wish there was a shade guide though. I could either be snow white or creamy.
Yeah … at 15 I was way too busy with boys and my friends LOL. I didn’t get my shit together until my mid to late 20’s!
Your skin is so glowy and gorgeous here!
When I was 15 I had no clue about makeup, business and thankfully about bullying.
Full coverage foundation sounds fun!
Way to go Khaduja. The world definitely needs a little more kindness!