Today we’d like to introduce you to Annie Qaiser.
Hi Annie, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Nearly 15 years as a new mom, I became aware of the impact of body care of products. I was horrified at the thought of using toxic and synthetic ingredients connected to long-term health issues.
As a Muslim, I was aware of avoiding products containing fats and byproducts from impermissible sources. I created our products based on our requirements. Finding natural body care products that utilized ingredients that mattered to us on a cultural level and followed our faith requirements wasn’t easy. As others began requesting our products, my husband encouraged me to create a wellness brand. Over the years, we have refined our products and created our products based on what our friends, family, and customers have suggested. After years of researching and refining, my husband and I launched Silk Road Wellness at the end of 2018. Our halal* skincare and wellness brand is a unique combination of traditional healing, prophetic wisdom, and modern beauty standards, a bold fusion of Eastern and Western herbal knowledge.
We created the brand to accommodate Muslims, but as we scale our business, it is evident that halal is universal and offers natural healing benefits to all.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
In 2019 and early 2020, our newly founded business started gaining traction. Due to the arrival of the pandemic, in-person events and selling directly to customers screeched to a halt. Our business projections and finances were nose-dived as seemingly everything was shutting down. The pandemic was affecting supply chain demands, and the uncertainty of a vaccine was making customers turn to alternative natural ingredients and small locally owned businesses to offer support and get products faster.
However, this situation taught us a major business survival strategy, and we didn’t even realize it: pivoting. We quickly jumped into action. Our basic e-commerce platform underwent a facelift to better service the many orders coming in. Social media presence had to be prominent as this was our main way of reaching customers. Numerous pandemic-related problems negatively impacted many BIPOC small businesses, and thankfully, governing bodies and organizations realized this and were able to provide grants and offer support in various ways.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Silk Road Wellness is the first and only natural skincare and wellness brand in the USA, inspired by Islamic wellness traditions and halal principles. Our luxurious handcrafted products are halal-certified and alcohol-free, designed to accommodate the personal beliefs of the largest overlooked market in the multi-billion dollar beauty industry.
Halal is an Arabic term and refers to selecting the best and highest standard of everything – from ingredients, sources, business ethics, customer relations, and more. Halal refers to a holistic lifestyle and covers all the fragmented beauty alternatives such as clean beauty, green beauty, sustainable beauty, zero waste beauty, organic beauty, animal cruelty-free, and more.
Consumers are becoming aware of how toxins in wellness products harm their health and the environment. From harmful single-use plastic packaging to deadly microbeads in facial cleansers, there is no doubt that the cosmetics and wellness industry plays a huge role in environmental distress. Our customers are conscious of their consumption, the impact on the environment and ecosystem, the effect on the local economy, and lessening the toxic aftermath of synthetic personal care products. As stewards of the Earth, we take responsibility and offer eco-conscious reusable packaging with plant-based sustainable ingredients. When people make conscious decisions impacting the environment, they leave everything better than how we found it.
Handcrafted in Minnesota, we use powerful and healing botanicals such as blackseed, moringa, frankincense, aloe, turmeric, and olives. All of our halal-friendly products – solid lotions, natural deodorants, toothpowder, tea spice blends, face masks and polishes, lip care, hair care, and more – are inspired by Islamic wellness practices and South Asian culture. Our ingredient list is transparent and easy to understand, so customers know what they use. Our products are made in small batches, resulting in high-quality skin and body botanicals that are affordable and fresh.
We are proud of our Pakistani heritage, Islamic faith, and Minnesotan roots. Our goal is to procure ingredients from local sources as much as possible, helping sustain the economy and supporting local businesses. We also purchase ingredients from Pakistan and Canada directly from the local small businesses there to ensure a positive impact on livelihoods.
What would you say has been one of your most important lessons?
We contribute generously to the beauty and wellness industry. There are over 1.8 billion Muslims globally and zero representation in the beauty and wellness industry, and we want to change that. It’s time to create a change representing our skin tones, values, beliefs, and culture. As a Muslim and Pakistani-owned business, it is humbling to be on a platform that breaks stereotypes for other Muslims and ethnicities. As the nation’s first halal-certified natural and handcrafted skincare company, we hope to leave behind a legacy of awareness and accountability. When people make conscious decisions impacting the environment, they leave everything better than how we found it. It takes a village. And we’re all a part of this village.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.silkroadwellness.com
- Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/silkroadwellness/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SilkRdWellness/
