Major skincare brand cancels contract worth millions with actress after she adopts niqab
The husband of popular Malaysian actress Neelofa has claimed that a major skincare brand cancelled their contract with her after she adopted the niqab
The husband of a popular Malaysian actress has claimed that a major skincare brand cancelled their contract with her after she adopted the niqab. The niqab is a veil worn by some Muslim women that covers the face and hair, leaving only eyes visible.

Independent preacher and actor Haris Ismail said in a viral video that his wife Neelofa lost out on a contract worth millions because she chose to adopt the niqab, according to a report in Kosmo. However, Haris also added that the skincare brand later returned and offered more money to Neelofa — a Malaysian actress and television presenter who rose to fame when participated in a drama queen competition, Dewi Remaja.
Skincare brand backs out
“There was a big company from France selling facial care products. They said, 'Neelofa is wearing a niqab, so we need to think again about whether to hire her or not.' They terminated a contract worth millions of ringgit,” Haris said in his viral video.
The televangelist claimed that the company came back a few years later and offered more money to Neelofa when they realised her popularity and saw her style being copied.
“Then, the company that fired her came back with an offer many times higher than before, they asked and begged Neelofa to become an ambassador,” Haris revealed.
“If it were me, I would ask them to resume projects worth millions like this, but Neelofa didn't choose that. When she wears the niqab and highlights the 'trendy' way of wearing it, many people buy it,” the preacher added.
Haris said he was sharing his wife’s story to encourage Muslim women to practice modesty.
Who is Neelofa?
Neelofa, 36, is a Malaysian actress, TV host and entrepreneur. She featured on the 'Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia' in 2017, with the piece describing her as a “household name” in her native country.
Neelofa is involved in a number of business ventures, including the Muslim women’s clothing brand Naelofar Hijab. She adopted the hijab in 2013 and was first spotted in a niqab in 2020.
ABOUT THE AUTHORSanya JainSanya Jain is an Assistant Editor with Hindustan Times Digital. She has nearly a decade of experience in covering offbeat stories that speak to the everyday experience - from viral videos to human interest copies that spark conversation. Her interests stretch across business, pop culture, social media trends, entertainment and global affairs. Before joining Hindustan Times, Sanya spent two years with Moneycontrol and five years with NDTV. She holds an undergraduate degree in English literature from St Stephen’s College, Delhi, and a master’s in journalism from the Xavier Institute of Communications, Mumbai. Sanya has a sharp eye for spotting emerging trends and looking for newsworthy angles to elevate viral posts into meaningful narratives. She was the first one, for example, to cover Narayana Murthy’s remark on 70-hour work weeks that sparked a national conversation. She is equally at ease writing about business leaders as about the common man, about issues of national importance and memes that amuse social media. Sanya enjoys speaking with content creators, newsmakers and entrepreneurs to transform everyday moments into engaging, slice-of-life stories that resonate with readers. When she is not working, Sanya can be found curled up with a good book. Born and raised in Lucknow, she has spent the last several years in Delhi. She is deeply interested in animal welfare and now spends a lot of her time running after her destructive orange cat.Read More

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