Written by Afnan Jaber
At The Nour Company, we have always believed that the commodities you use should be a reflection of what you stand for. That's a sentiment that Humanity by Sidra, who we are excited to collaborate with, feels less like a partnership and more like a unity.
There's something deeply personal about the products we reach for every day.
The scent that greets you in the morning, the texture that melts into your skin after a long day. The ritual of it; unhurried, quiet, and undoubtedly yours. We don't really stop to think about where these things come from, who made them, or what values were poured into them alongside the ingredients. But we definitely feel it. Somewhere beneath the surface, we feel whether a product was made with heartfelt intention or just manufactured for profit.
That feeling is exactly what drew me to Humanity by Sidra, and why I knew this collaboration was meant to happen.
Meet Sidra
Sidra is the founder of Humanity by Sidra, a small, muslim-owned, handcrafted skincare brand rooted in Vista, California. To better understand her brand, you need to first understand the woman behind it.
When I spoke to Sidra, what immediately stood out to me was her warmth, her inviting presence, and the confidence she carries in her work. Our conversation flowed with ease, and there was a sincerity in the way that she spoke to me that made it feel both personal and meaningful. She came across as a deeply kind and intentional mother, and had me at ease from the very first word.
Her story began, like so many meaningful ones do, with her family. In the wake of the Israeli occupation’s terror on Gaza, Sidra found herself, along with many others in her community re-evaluating the brands she supported. As a Palestinian woman, Sidra’s story resonated with me on a personal level. Her decision to be intentional about the brands she supports reflects a commitment to values that many of us carry with us daily, shaping not just what we buy, but what we stand for. That’s the exact reflection that Sidra did, and when she looked closely at the skincare industry, she noticed something super troubling: many of the most prominent skincare companies held values that conflicted deeply with her own, the very values that separate her moral rights and wrongs. This is where Sidra took a step beyond others, and instead of simply searching for alternatives, she did take action by making her own.
“I started with soap, body butter, and lip balms," she shared. "Slowly, the word spread and people started purchasing my soaps."
What began as a quiet act of care for her household, a chemical test and balance of mixing, testing, and refining recipes at home, blossomed into something her local community couldn't stop talking about. By April 2024, Humanity by Sidra officially launched. By the following year, Sidra was showing up at pop-ups across the region, and her brand was spreading in the way that only truly authentic products do. The adoring word of mouth, the trust, and amazing results people could feel on their skin truly made her product one that spoke for itself.
Humanity: A Brand Built on Values
The name Humanity by Sidra isn't a marketing tagline. It is an embedded mission statement.
"My brand stands for humanity," Sidra told me plainly. "Humanity first, to bring empathy back to one another."
That thought process shapes every single product she creates. Sidra formulates with her children in mind, which means that the bar for what makes it to market is exceptionally high. No cutting corners, no questionable ingredients, and no compromises that she wouldn't be comfortable explaining and giving to her own kids.
"Everything I make is made for my family first," she said. "If I can make safe, non-toxic products for my family, I feel comfortable selling it to others. No shortcuts. If I am not happy, the products will not make the shelf."
That is the kind of standard that simply can not be faked. It shows up in the texture of her lotions, the richness of her body butters, and the way people who use her products just keep coming back. They were not sold a product, but they found something very real, wholesome, and filling a real gap.
This is a gap in the market that she also elaborated on with me. Many commercial skincare options don't account for the needs of Muslim women, and were packed with harsh chemicals that left skin dry and irritated rather than nourished and healthy. Humanity by Sidra was created to fill that void in a thoughtful and careful manner.
"I want people to smile when they use my products," Sidra explained to me. "That they got their money's worth. I finally feel that my recipes are exactly how I want them to feel on my customers."
What makes Sidra’s story even more compelling is that her ambition was never purely commercial. From the start, she envisioned a brand that could help its community, and she is already accomplishing this vision. Humanity by Sidra has donated to Doctors Without Borders and the ICNA Women’s Shelter in San Diego. These are not simply footnotes or PR moves, but the very heartbeat of why this brand exists. Sidra built a brand she could proudly stand by, one that earns with quality and passion, and gives with care and compassion.
The Collaboration
When the founder of the Nour Company, Valeria, reached out to connect with Sidra, the alignment was clear. The values were the same, and the commitment to the community was the same. The belief that what you put on your body matters. When Sidra was approached about this collaboration, she was candid about her reaction.
"My heart actually skipped a beat," she said. "I didn't expect it at all since we have only met once. Valeria is one of those people who you only need to meet once to know she's an amazing human being, and for her to trust me with her brand, I feel grateful."
It goes both ways. For Sidra, the decision to collaborate with any business isn't taken lightly. She spoke thoughtfully about her process. "One thing that I look into for me to want to work with other store owners is knowing what a wonderful reputation they have in the community. I supply two other stores at the moment, and I can tell you that Valeria is just like them. Sweet, kind, and makes you feel like family."
That’s the standard she holds, and we are equally as proud to have met it.
Together, The Nour Company and Humanity by Sidra set out to create something that felt like a natural extension of both of our visions. Not just a product, but a statement. The result is a signature scent lotion, crafted by Sidra’s hands and inspired by a familiar favorite, designed to be just the lotion you reach for without thinking and smile when you do. When you pick up this lotion, you're holding something that started as a mother's act of love for her children. Something refined over months of testing until it was exactly right, and most importantly, something made with an enormous amount of heart.
That’s what Humanity by Sidra brings to every product, and that's exactly the heart and soul we want to welcome and promote at The Nour Company!