THOSE who know about waxing will tell you that it can be quite a painful experience.
After all, there is little joy in pulling one’s hairs off the body.
However, for 24-year-old Noorain Mohd Said, waxing or rather selling waxing products, has made her laugh all the way to the bank.
In just one year, the Universiti Malaya (UM) student has made RM3.4 million selling her own organic waxing product online using the brandname “Norah”.
Starting the business in 2012 with only RM124, Noorain managed to secure orders from all over Malaysia.
A majority of her patrons were fellow university students, many of whom eventually went on to become her distributors.
Noorain, who is in her final year of Bachelor’s in Education, majoring in chemistry and physics, said it all happened when she realised there was great potential in marketing waxing products.
“The idea came when I realised the beauty industry lacked skincare products for waxing.
“I wanted to do something about it, so I started researching on wax and I was fortunate enough to have my lecturer and the university’s facilities to develop the product,” she said.
Noorain said she wanted to make a product that was organic so everyone with every skin type could use it.
She eventually used organic ingredients of honey, sugar, concentrated lemon and tea tree oil. The product proved to be a success when orders came pouring in.
Her brand has gained popularity in other countries, such as Brunei, Singapore, and Indonesia, the Philippines and also the United States, where her waxing products are sold by her distributors.
In a week, one Norah distributor — a student from Universiti Putra Malaysia — raked in RM11,200, confirming the product is in demand and profitable.
Noorain yesterday shared her success story with other undergraduates at the Siswapreneur showcase at Berjaya Times Square.
The event was organised by the Higher Education Ministry to inspire students to be confident in securing an income or job after graduation.
“We are hoping that with such inspirational stories, students will realise that they have to also look into becoming job creators using their entrepreneurial acumen instead of just working for others,” Higher Education Ministry secretary-general Tan Sri Dr Noorul Ainur Mohd Nur said.
Participants at the event included students of International Islamic University of Malaysia, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, polytechnics and community colleges.