Duaa Kassoumeh (@duaa.kassoumeh): a hijab idea for someone starting out
Duaa Kassoumeh unboxed her Laura Veils hijabs, loved the fabric and shared a hijab idea for anyone thinking of starting to wear hijab.
Some creators post a product. Duaa Kassoumeh (@duaa.kassoumeh) posted a thought for someone she had never met: a woman somewhere who is thinking about wearing hijab and needs a small push. That is the reel we remember most from the autumn of 2024.
Who she is
Duaa makes mom lifestyle and UGC content in the UAE, covering beauty, fashion, family, finds and places. More than 100,000 people follow her. The first line of her profile, in Arabic, sums up how she works:
"بجرب قبلك..وأحكيلك الصراحة قبل ماتشتري"
In English: "I try it before you, and tell you honestly before you buy." So when she says she likes something, her followers listen.
How we know her
We reached out to Duaa for one thing: honest feedback. We had a small chance to send her a few hijabs and hear what she really thought, nothing more. She went further than feedback. She shared our hijabs in her stories and made a video with them.
Four weeks with our hijabs
Duaa did not post once and move on. She lived with our hijabs for weeks and kept coming back to them.
- 30 October 2024: she opened her parcel on her stories, tagging @lauraveils as she pulled each hijab out.
- 1 November 2024: she posted her reel, with the caption below.
- 6 November 2024: she shared another look and wrote "تفضلو في أحلى من هيك؟", which means "here you go, is there anything prettier than this?"
- December 2024: more stories. One read "Gorgeous look!", another thanked us for the lovely styling in our hijabs.
- January 2025: we shared her photos in our Malaysian heavy chiffon in deep plum, purple and pink.
The reel
Her caption, in her own words:
"وصلني حجابات بتجنن وقماشتها حلوة قلت دائما بفيدكم باشياء اقل منها اعطيكم فكرة حجاب لعل وعسى كون دفعة لوحدة بدها تتحجب"
In English: the hijabs that arrived are gorgeous and the fabric is lovely. She always shares useful things, so at the very least she wanted to give a hijab idea, in case it pushes someone who wants to start wearing hijab.
Watch the reel by @duaa.kassoumeh on Instagram
The reel has more than 300 likes and more than 300 comments, which tells you how many people wanted to talk about it.
The look, piece by piece
- The hijab: a soft purple, worn over a darker plum inner cap. The two shades of the same colour make the face look framed and finished.
- The drape: neat and close around the face, with the long side brought over one shoulder and left to fall.
- The top: a cream blouse with soft, full sleeves.
- The mood: calm and gentle. Eyes down, no fuss.
The darker cap under a lighter hijab is the clever part. It gives a clean line at the forehead, it stops any hair from showing, and it adds depth without adding another colour.
A hijab idea for someone starting out
Duaa's reel was for the woman who is just beginning. If that is you, here is the simple way in.
1. Choose one easy fabric. Malaysian heavy chiffon is a kind first hijab. It is opaque, it does not slip, and it forgives a wrap that is not perfect yet.
2. Wear a cap underneath. A tie cap holds your hair and gives the hijab something to grip. Pick black and nude to start, or a cap a shade darker than your hijab, like Duaa.
3. Start with one style. Pin under the chin, take one side around the back of the head, pin it above the ear, and let the other side fall. Practise it for a week before you try anything new.
4. Start with colours you already wear. A soft purple, a nude or a black will go with most of your clothes, so the hijab feels like part of you, not a costume.
5. Give it time. Every woman who wears hijab easily today once stood in front of a mirror with pins in her mouth.
Why purple works
Purple is softer than people expect. A muted purple or mauve near the face warms the skin and looks gentle, not loud. It sits beautifully with cream, white, grey, black and denim, and a deeper plum underneath keeps it grounded.
Know the fabric: Malaysian heavy chiffon (georgette)
Most of the UAE knows this fabric as Malaysian chiffon or Malaysian heavy chiffon. Because the surface has a soft grain, a lot of people also call it georgette. It is not the light, sheer chiffon used for occasion shaylas. It is heavier, and that weight is the whole point.
- Look: matte, with a soft grain. No shine in photos.
- Coverage: opaque, so you do not need an undercap for coverage.
- Hold: it grips the cap and does not slide back during the day.
- Size: 2 m long, enough to wrap, pin and still let it fall.
- Best for: every day, work, university, and as a shayla.
By November 2025 it came in more than 100 shades, and it is still our biggest colour range. You can compare them side by side in the Shade Studio.
Shades to try
For Duaa's look, start with Purple and Violet, then try the softer Dusty Mauve and Lavender Mist. Pair a lighter shade with a darker cap for the same framed finish.
- Purple – Moja Malaysian Heavy Chiffon Hijab · AED 15.99
- Violet – Moja Malaysian Heavy Chiffon Hijab · AED 15.99
- Dusty Mauve – Moja Malaysian Heavy Chiffon Hijab · AED 15.99
- Lavender Mist – Moja Malaysian Heavy Chiffon Hijab · AED 16.99
For the layer underneath:
- Black – Moja Tie Cap – Breathable Thin Jersey Underscarf · AED 11.99
- Beige Brown – Moja Tie Cap – Breathable Thin Jersey Underscarf · AED 12.99
Looking after it
Hand wash in cool water, or use a gentle cycle inside a laundry bag. Do not wring it; press the water out with a towel and dry it in the shade, because strong sun fades dark colours over time. Iron on a low setting. The full routine is in our care guide.
Questions
What is the best first hijab for a beginner?
An opaque, non-slip fabric such as Malaysian heavy chiffon. It holds its shape, does not slide back, and does not need perfect pinning to look neat.
Why wear a cap in a different colour from the hijab?
A cap one shade darker gives a clean line at the forehead and adds depth. You can also match it exactly, or choose black for dark hijabs and nude for light ones.
How many pins do I need?
With Malaysian heavy chiffon, usually one under the chin and one above the ear. Bulb pins hold well without snagging the fabric.
Find your fabric
Every hijab we sell is Moja, and every one is 2 m long (kids hijabs are 1.5 m). Here is the quick way to choose:
| Fabric | Best for | From |
|---|---|---|
| Malaysian heavy chiffon (georgette) | Everyday, office, summer | AED 15.99 |
| Jersey | No-pin everyday | AED 20.99 |
| Modal cotton | UAE summer, no ironing | AED 18.99 |
| Modal printed | Soft everyday prints | AED 19.99 |
| Bubble satin | Eid, weddings, dinners | AED 28.99 |
| Organza shimmer | Occasions, over an underscarf | AED 21.39 |
Ordering
Order by 10:30 AM (Monday to Saturday) and Express delivery reaches you the same day in Dubai, or the next day in the other emirates. You can pay cash on delivery anywhere in the UAE, and orders over AED 199 ship free.
Thank you, Duaa
For trying it first and telling it honestly, and for thinking of the woman who is just starting out.