JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<link rel="stylesheet" href="//netdna.bootstrapcdn.com/font-awesome/3.2.1/css/font-awesome.css">
<p class="wrapper">
    <input class="icon" type="text" placeholder="&#61442;" />
</p>

CSS

.wrapper {
    font-family:'arial', sans-serif;
}
input.icon {
    padding:5px;
}
input.icon::-webkit-input-placeholder {
    font-family:'FontAwesome';
}
input.icon::-moz-placeholder {
    font-family:'FontAwesome';
}
input.icon::-ms-input-placeholder {
    font-family:'FontAwesome';
}