Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sarah Zareen. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Sarah, we’ve been so fortunate to work with so many incredible folks and one common thread we have seen is that those who have built amazing lives for themselves are also often the folks who are most generous. Where do you think your generosity comes from?
The definition of generosity for me is my family, and more specifically my parents – Humaira & Hidayath Peeran. They showed my brother, Salmaan, and I that generosity goes beyond just the financial. It is important to show respect & love to people whom society perceives lesser than you. Our dining table has seen everyone from dignitaries to the plumber that happened to drop by during dinner time.
I have many memories of my Parent’s being generous. One of my earliest is of their place in Jeddah always with guests. And these were relatives/friends of someone they know, who needed a safe place to stay while they were en route to Hajj!
One of the things that people say when they come to my Parent’s place in Bangalore, is that it feels like home. That is the place they’ve nurtured, a place where everyone is welcomed, and shown that they matter in this world. That is the example I follow at Ishq-Ancestral Healing for Your Skin & Hair. When you visit Ishq’s booth at a local market, you are seen as a beautiful energy that is important, and whose light goes way beyond the fine lines & wrinkles. At Ishq, your concerns are listened to, and valued.
Generosity is community based. My Parents shared all the resources they had, and I try to do the same. Whether it is sharing my financial resources or the learnings as a micro business owner, or uplifting my peers in the beauty industry. Seeing my co business owner’s achieve their goals is one of my favorite things!
The model my Parent’s follow, and one that I try to as well, is of Prophet Muhammad (May Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him). His life is the pinnacle of generosity. If I live my life, even a teeny tiny bit, like his, I would consider myself successful.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
Ishq (ee-shuh-quh) in Urdu means Love. We are a woman of color owned micro business with the mission of making organic skincare simple, sustainable & accessible for everyone while supporting racial & social justice causes locally & globally. Ishq products are intentionally handcrafted with locally sourced, sustainable pure ingredients. Descendants of a long line of healers in Southern India, we consider it a huge honor to serve your skin & hair care needs.
I LOVE sharing my ancestral healing recipes, and stories with you. One of my favorite things is seeing your face relax with a smile as you experience an Ishq Organic product. It’s like you can feel all the love and goodness that’s put in it. Each Ishq product has a history of healing skin & hair. Take the Ishq Scalp Oil. One of my most vivid childhood memories is watching a huge pot with mysterious smells on Grandmother’s wooden stove. I don’t need to close my eyes to see the play of light from the even huger stone chimney! My Ancestors have been healing scalp & hair with this oil for generations, and now I get to share it with you. 2024 is the year I do more experience based events, like healing retreats, and Ishq Scalp Oil Workshops. I have a couple lined up in partnership with local stores like Coral Story Beauty in Portland, OR.
It would be disservice to my Ancestors if Ishq didn’t support racial and social justice causes locally & globally. One half of my family have been gifted “Yunani” (Greek medicine) healers and the other half were renowned Sufis, spiritual advisors to kings, and spiritual guides to the people who became their disciples. I have grown up absorbing the wisdom from both branches that was passed on to us in little and big ways. A big part of it is to speak up when we see injustice, and take action against it. Ishq clients and partners know that we stand for:
– Decolonization through land back to Indigenous people, which includes Palestinians
– Recognizing the current systems uphold racial privilege
– Valuing & recognizing Black brilliance monetarily and intellectually
At Ishq, breaking down capitalist colonialist barriers is a daily work. I refuse to be pit against my beautiful peers in the Beauty industry. I constantly promote them, and refer clients. I refuse to allow the lack mentality of “If they buy from them, then that means less money for me”, set in. Blessings are abundant, and are meant to be shared.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Number One: Know your why You have to know why you’re doing what you’re doing. You have to feel it deep in your bones. That will help you formulate your mission. Don’t do anything that goes against it.
Number Two: Branding
This will take time & modifications, and that’s okay. What is important is to stay consistent to build brand loyalty. Ishq clients know what they are getting, and expect it – sustainable healing done intentionally and consciously. After October 7th, when businesses started posting in solidarity with Palestine, they lost tremendous amount of followers. Ishq did not lose a single one. That’s because Ishq’s stand against Genocide was clear from the very beginning. It’s even in the info packet I send out to prospective partners
Number Three: Trust Your Gut
Listen to your body. Listen to your heart. There is a reason why a particular place/person/circumstance feels off. Your body knows and is warning you. Listen to her.
What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?
They gave me room to fly, and provided a safe space for me to fall. By that I mean that they never silenced my voice. For a small built South Indian teenage girl to have arguments with adults about environmental issues in the 90’s was supposed to be a strange thing. My parents empowered me to have opinions, and to voice them with strength.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ishqskincare.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ishqskincare/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ishqskincare/
Image Credits
Irina Negrean Sean KP
