At the helm of Syedewa Cosmetics, its CEO unveils the artistry behind formulating makeup that honours the nuances of Asian skin

This story is one of nine on The Peak Singapore’s Power List. The list is an annual recognition that celebrates and acknowledges individuals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, influence, and impact within their respective fields and the broader community. 

Our theme for this year is Joy, honouring business leaders who have contributed to spreading happiness, enhancing well-being, and uplifting the spirits of those around them. This theme responds to recent global challenges, highlighting the need for resilience, compassion, and, most importantly, joy in our lives to navigate uncertainties with grace and efficiency.

As an interviewee, Syed Mohamed Fahmi Syed Shabthar, 37, is a challenging profile to crack. It's not because the founder of Syedewa Cosmetics avoids questions or deflects difficult queries. Rather, the onerousness stems from Syed seeing his work as CEO as just that — work. "I don't like to tell people that I'm a CEO. I usually say I run an online business and sell makeup," he explains with a laugh.

But bring him into a Sephora, and you will see his mind go into immediate overdrive. "You see this lipstick, Zat?" he asks, showing me one of Kosas' Satin Lipsticks. "See how there's a space around the product inside the tube? That space is what causes the lipstick to move and be unstable. I have the same issue with my lipsticks, too, and now I'm trying to figure out how to improve our packaging for our customers."

It’s evident that Syed's love language at Syedewa Cosmetics is customer satisfaction. You may think this is a given, but for Syed, his raison d'etre is that his customers feel beautiful when they use his products. "It's in our nature to be beautiful," he believes, pausing to gather his thoughts. And then, as if in assured affirmation, "They have to be and feel beautiful. It's non-negotiable," he insists.

Inclusivity, unplanned

Today, Syed offers a wide range of shades for his lip products. He has 21 full-sized Matte Lip Lacquers, each named after a favourite city — Kyoto, Doha, Barbados, Amman. His newly launched lipsticks feature 20 shades with similar place-inspired names.

Additionally, he offers 14 shades of lip-liners and 40 shades of his mini lip lacquers, which often sell out quickly. Beyond lip products, Syed has 12 shades of Artist Fluid Liquid Foundation, currently being reformulated for better application.

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"Malaysia should just crown you the King of Lipsticks," I joke. Syed grins, chuckling slightly at the suggestion that he can be a royalty of any type. "I just want my customers to be able to find makeup that is best suited for their skin tone — that has always been my main goal," Syed explains when asked why he offers such a wide shade range.

"When I started as a makeup artist some 10-plus years ago, the makeup products at that time were only for people with fair skin tones and the Chinese community. There were a few shades suitable for customers who are Malay. Even Lancome then only carried five to six shades, all ivory tones."

Unbeknownst to him — but only because such things weren't commonplace then — Syed was championing inclusivity in the beauty industry some eight years before the movement became popular. By intentionally creating a wide shade range in his inventory, Syed assures — nay, guarantees —  his customers that no matter their skin tone, he will have a shade just for them. 

Joy, eventually

As he puts it, authenticity is central to his ethos. "It's because I am true to myself and true to my products. I don't tell my customers that my product offerings suit all skin tones. I'm quite objective when it comes to what I sell."

Syed posits that his brand of honesty is a quality that customers appreciate. He pairs it with a penchant for educating them about the nature of the product, how it works, and what type of skin tone it would best suit. "Customers nowadays like product offerings with a side of knowledge and education and demonstrated with a touch of intellect."

It's a point Syed takes very seriously, given how actively he holds social media live streams to explain Syedewa Cosmetics' latest launches. Over 90 minutes (though most times stretching to two hours), Syed studiously tries on one lip matte after another, wiping his lips between shades.

All these efforts are to encourage his customers to repeat their purchases, share their finds on social media, and hopefully promote his offerings to their circles. "I've even been asked what brand of lip mattes I'm using," he says, laughing.

This brings me to a question I've been mulling over: Does it bother him that not everyone knows who he is, especially after those countless hours of live streams, sometimes even while on holiday? He shakes his head, his answer a mix of humility and foresight. "I want my brand to be successful on its merits without my involvement. It's funny but also a good sign," he explains.

The conversation shifts effortlessly as he continues, "You know, Zat, we live in a world that is so hard, so stressful. I think I bring joy through my makeup products and the occasional silly videos — people like that. And if I can bring joy to the world, it's something I don't mind doing."

For more stories on The Peak Power List, visit here.