This New Egyptian Makeup Brand Uses Chemicals to Stay Cruelty-Free and Environmentally-Friendly

Fulltime mom, jewelry designer, yoga teacher and artist, Reham Fareed, is trying her hand at makeup, launching the only artisan, small batch, mineral-based and cruelty-free makeup brands made and produced entirely in Egypt.

After Alchemetics Cosmetics launched in December 2018, Fareed expanded her line to include everything from bronzers, blushers, eyeliners and eyeshadows to her own bottles of illuminating prepping essence offering her customers a full and healthy make-up look, all cruelty-free as well as environmentally-friendly.

Cruelty-free makeup is makeup which, from start to finish, is not tested on animals. Fareed goes further, however, to ensure that no harm effects anyone involved in her makeup production by having formulas and ingredients developed synthetically in their labs to mimic natural minerals.

“In India, they employ children to collect natural minerals and mica, [silicate minerals used in most cosmetic products], and are heavily involved in abuse of child labor,” says Fareed. “It’s a human rights issue.”

Rather than making claims about being an 'all-natural' brand using no chemicals, Alchemetics Cosmetics uses the basic chemicals and ingredients that help create environmentally friendly, safe and healthy products both for the producers and consumers.“Not everything that is chemical is bad,” Fareed tells us. “My sources are 100% safe, and more important, they are environmentally friendly.”

Some of the products are also beneficial for the skin and hair. Their brow pomade, for instance, uses natural oils that help the product stick and last longer, as well as help the hair follicles grow.

“What I try to do is infuse some of the products [e.g. prepping essence] with vitamins and organic oils to try to make it healing and healthy,” says Fareed.

As her interest in skincare and boosting healthy, natural beauty grows, she is now working on a skincare line which she anticipates will be ready by the end of this year.

As a small batch line, Alchemetics Cosmetics currently works through online orders and delivery across Egypt via its Instagram page.