LONDON: Amena Khan, who earlier this month became the first woman wearing a headscarf to feature in a major mainstream hair campaign for L’Oreal, appears to have stepped down from her role in the campaign due to anti-Israel tweets she made in 2014 during the Israel-Gaza conflict.
Taking to Instagram on Monday, the British beauty blogger said: “I deeply regret the content of the tweets I made in 2014, and sincerely apologize for the upset and hurt they have caused.
“Championing diversity is one of my passions, I don’t discriminate against anyone. I have chosen to delete them as they do not represent the message of harmony I stand for.”
Making a reference to the L’Oreal campaign, she added: “I recently took part in a campaign, which excited me because it celebrated inclusivity.
“With deep regret, I’ve decided to step down from this campaign because the current conversations surrounding it detract from the positive and inclusive sentiment it set out to deliver.”
Khan has since deleted the anti-Israel tweets she made during the 2014 conflict, but a screenshot shows them below:
In the campaign promo video, Khan wears a pink outfit with matching headscarf. Speaking to Vogue UK about the message of the promo, she pointed out that even though she does not show her hair in public, she spends most of her time at home or with family without a headscarf. She explained that hair care is important, whether it is seen or not.
The new ad for L’Oreal’s hair-care product line, Elvive, features a diverse cast of women and men with different hairstyles and the French cosmetics company has joined brands such as Nike and CoverGirl, who have also featured Muslim women in recent ad campaigns.
