When I was younger, I never talked to my mother about beauty. My mother always said, "Halima, don't worry about makeup. Worry about what's underneath it," she always said. She didn't understand why I loved cosmetics because she didn't grow up in an environment where cosmetics were acceptable. The idea of Muslim women wearing makeup is different now than it was 20 years ago for my mother, who grew up in Somalia. [But] things are starting to change. If you go to the Middle East or any Muslim-majority country, you will see many women wearing hijabs and full beat faces. I mean, contouring, blush, everything! That is our femininity. But there is still a misconception that wearing a hijab means you don't care about your appearance. I wear the hijab because it makes me feel comfortable and confident. Society needs to understand that just because a woman wears a hijab does not mean she suddenly loses her femininity.

I am so lucky to see little girls now! It wasn't that long ago that I could flip through a fashion magazine and not find a woman wearing a hijab or a woman of color who looked like me. Nowadays, it's not uncommon. Besides, these women live in an age where they can learn about makeup on YouTube; some brands, like Uoma, have over 50 colors of foundation. We didn't have that at all. There was a time when you couldn't even find your own shade of foundation. The constant advancements in the beauty industry are something I love to see.

However, we must remember that confidence is something that shines from within. It is not about spending a fortune on makeup to make yourself feel better. The secret is to work on making sure that you are just as perfect, on point, and shining on the inside as you are on the outside. That's what will stay with you forever. [This article appeared in the March 2020 issue of Marie Claire.

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