Who Is Nura Afia? CoverGirl Names Hijab-Wearing Beauty Blogger As Newest Ambassador

Nura Afia, a practicing Muslim, has been named as the brand ambassador for CoverGirl, one of the largest cosmetics companies in the United States. The beauty blogger will feature in a new CoverGirl commercial and a huge billboard in New York City's Times Square wearing a hijab.

Afia joins the ranks of supermodels and pop stars, including "Modern Family" star Sofia Vergara and singer Katy Perry, to represent the cosmetics brand that has emphasized on inclusivity and diversity. She is now part of the CoverGirl's new So Lashy! mascara campaign.

“I grew up being insecure about wearing the hijab, and I never thought I would see Muslim women represented on such a large scale,” Afia told Refinery29.

Afia became popular on social media with her YouTube tutorials about date-night makeup and berry lips, with some videos dedicated to styling a turban hijab. This has gained her over 200,000 subscribers on her YouTube channel, with her most popular video getting over 300,000 views.

“I hope [this campaign] will show Muslim women that brands care about us as consumers and we’re important, especially hijabis,” Afia reportedly said. “We can be featured on TV, can be featured on billboards in Times Square, can be represented.”

Afia's appointment comes shortly after CoverGirl announced makeup artist and social media star James Charles as its first male spokesmodel.

Hijab, a headscarf worn traditionally by Muslim women, has gained prominence in the U.S. and Europe over the past few years. Anniesa Hasibuan, an Indonesian fashion designer, held the first runway show where every model wore a hijab in September. In 2015, model Mariah Idrissi wore a hijab in a video campaign for H&M.