Nura Afia is an American beauty vlogger. In November 2016, CoverGirl cosmetics company named her one of its brand ambassadors.[2] Afia is the CoverGirl's first brand ambassador who wears a hijab.[3]
Early life
Afia grew up in Aurora, Colorado, with five siblings, and attended Smoky Hill High School.[citation needed] Her mother, Anne, was born a Christian in Lebanon to Swiss-Lebanese parents, and converted to Islam prior to marrying Afia's father, who is Moroccan.[4] In 2011, when she was 18, Afia married Asef Noorzai, a childhood friend.
Career
While at home with her first baby in 2011 named Laila Noorzai, Afia began watching beauty videos online.[5] She was inspired to start recording her own videos, using electronics borrowed from family. Over time she grew her channels to reach 213,000 YouTube subscribers and 300,000 Instagram followers.[3][4] Afia also began to do photo shoots and work with modest fashion brands.[4]
In November 2016, as part of a campaign to feature models from diverse backgrounds, CoverGirl cosmetics named Afia as a brand ambassador.[6] She was the first hijab-wearing model to be a brand ambassador for CoverGirl when she began modeling their new mascara product called "So Lashy! BlastPro."[3][7] She received many messages of support from Muslim women pleased to see a model in a hijab, however she was also criticised as hypocritical for both covering up with a hijab and seeking attention through make-up.[5]
