The simple act of feeling beautiful has the capability to transform how we feel about ourselves as well as how the entire outside world perceives us. It is as simple and as complicated as that. Knowing this, one woman in Brooklyn has created a welcoming salon for Muslim woman who wear hijabs, to come and get primped and preened without judgement or discrimination. According to Islamic law, women who wear hijabs are not allowed to show their hair to any men outside of their family.
Owner and founder Huda Quhshi decided to open Le’Jemalik (“for your beauty’ in Arabic) to have a comfortable, female-only space, where Muslim women wouldn’t think twice about taking some time out for themselves, to feel well taken care of and, in particular, relieved to take off their head scarves without shame or fear that they will be seen by male outsiders. “We want women to come in and feel completely relaxed,” Quhshi says. “They can take their scarf off and feel at ease like they were at home and get any service they need done.”
The salon’s main purpose is to provide a safe space in which Muslim women feel both accepted and comfortable. In addition to haircuts and waxing, the Bay Ridge, Brooklyn salon caters to Muslim women’s specific beauty needs – offering services like henna tattoos and mani-pedis with ‘halal’ nail polish – which is breathable and does not interfere with the devout Islamic tradition of washing body parts before prayer.
Le’Jemalik Salon and Boutique opened its doors January 29, and also features a bridal boutique in the basement where it resells formal dresses at discounted prices. The salon was already enthusiastically received, finally offering a clever solution to a community that until now often felt overlooked. Le’Jemalik is women-only, but Quhshi explains that all women, no matter their ethnicity or religion, are welcome.
