Middle Eastern brands founded by Arab influencers and makeup artists continue to proliferate in the market, while start-ups like Asteri are challenging regional stereotypes, and local brands like Amouage and Huda Beauty are playing on the international stage. The rise of beauty brands created by Arab women, for Arab women, is representative of a new wave of creative female entrepreneurs embracing increased freedom and an empowered vision of Middle Eastern womanhood. These dynamics have global beauty conglomerates and investors scouting the region for the next breakthrough brand.
PEACEFULL
Launched: 2021 - UAE
Founded by Emirati influencer, Salama Mohamed, Peacefull was born out of Salama’s personal journey of not being able to find clean, effective, results-driven skincare products in the region. A vitiligo sufferer, she spent years formulating the perfect products for sensitive skin. All Peacefull products are backed by K-beauty and halal.
YASKIN NATURAL
Launched: 2021 - UAE
Founded by Kuwaiti-Palestinian born, Yasmeena Khalil, Yaskin Natural was born out of her own struggle to have a clear, radiant complexion. The hand-blended range of botanical products draw on the wisdom of ancient rituals and techniques to offer luxurious skincare essentials.
BARKHA BEAUTY
Launched: 2018 - UAE
Barkha Beauty was founded by Dubai-based Indian Barkha Shewakramani. The brand offers a makeup range catering to diverse skin tones. The philosophy of the brand is to offer a high range of quality beauty products that are pocket friendly.
MARIAM EM
Launched: 2022 - UAE
Founded by Mariam Almazrouei, Mariam Em was born with the intention to create holistic beauty and wellness rituals. The brand offers a collection of clean face, body, and haircare products that hero the ancient Arabic ingredient Ziziphus spina-christi, more commonly known as Sidr. The cherished botanical is renowned for its incredible healing properties in beauty and medicine.
GLOSSY MAKEUP
Launched: 2016 - UAE
Launched by Dubai-English Egyptian makeup artist Natasha Zaki, Glossy Makeup is best known for its cruelty-free eyelashes and makeup brushes.
ASTERI
Launched 2023 - Saudi Arabia
Founded by Sara Alrashed, Asteri is a Saudi Arabian beauty brand that aims to celebrate and empower Arab women. The clean, cruelty-free, vegan makeup brand prides itself on its high-quality products and densely pigmented formulas that are “desert-proof.”
HAN MAKEUP
Launched: 2015 - Saudi Arabia
HAN Makeup is a Saudi company founded by Hessa AlAjaji, a professional makeup artist. The brand offers premium quality makeup brushes and products for women of all ages.
SHIFFA BEAUTY
Launched: 2004 - UAE
Founded by Emirati businesswoman, Lamees Hamdan, Shiffa Beauty is a pregnancy friendly, luxury, organic skincare brand. The brand offers highly effective face and bodycare that combines potent natural ingredients with advanced skincare science to heal the skin from within.
IZIL BEAUTY
Launched: 2012 - UAE
Founded by Mouna Abbassy, Izil Beauty draws on her Moroccan roots and offers natural products made from the finest ingredients. The brand opened its first flagship store and spa in Dubai Mall in 2020 to give customers a chance to engage with their products in an immersive way.
MOONGLAZE
Launched: 2024 - Saudi Arabia
Founded by Saudi influencer and former makeup artist, Yara Alnamah, Moonglaze is a makeup brand that draws on Yara Alnamah’s signature glowy looks. The brand recently launched with two signature highlighters and a multipurpose brush that sold soon after launch.
SKIN STORY
Launched: 2021 - UAE
Founded by sister duo Nidhi and Rashi Sethi, Skin Story is a Dubai-based clean makeup brand that is designed for makeup enthusiasts who are seeking out nontoxic, versatile everyday makeup products.
MUSC
Launched: 2024 - UAE
Founded by Fatema Alghfeli, MUSC is a bodycare brand that is handmade in the UAE. Formulated with natural ingredients, the small-batch, homegrown bodycare line features a range of body scrubs, polishes, and oils.
K7L COSMETICS
Launched: 2003 - Kuwait
Founded by Areej Sultan Al-Essa, K7L is a com- prehensive makeup brand that caters to Arab women. Specially formulated for women living in Arabia, the 500-strong product line caters to Arab-specific concerns like anti-humidity, waterproof, antioxidant rich, and skin protection.
ARCADIA
Launched: 2015 - UAE
Arcadia is a niche perfumery born in Dubai. Founded by Amna Al Habtoor, the brand offers exclusive fragrances that are inspired by the city’s rich cultural heritage and cosmopolitan environment. Arcadia focuses on evoking a feeling of nostalgia through its luxurious scents.
JUANA
Launched: 2021 - UAE
JUANA is the first CBD-based skincare brand in the region. Launched by Juana Martini and her son Yann, the brand is championing the healing properties of CBD through its cruelty-free, clean skincare brand that combines high-potency CBD with naturally effective botanicals, designed to rebalance and de-stress the skin.
YOME NATURAL CARE
Launched: 2019 - Oman
Founded by Sama Al Mahruqi, Yome Natural Care is an Oman-inspired natural skincare brand that is enriched with the finest indigenous Omani ingredients.
GLOSSIC
Launched: 2023 - UAE
Founded by Sahar Zarghamian, Glossic is a vegan, cruelty-free, natural beauty brand with a mission to empower women to look good, feel good, and “sparkle.” Powered by Sahar’s love for nature, Glossic offers high-quality, budget-friendly makeup and bodycare products that are designed to make women feel incredible in their own skin.
GREEN BAR
Launched: 2012 - Bahrain
Founded on the island of Bahrain, Green Bar’s natural beauty products draw inspiration from age-old Middle Eastern practices that founder, Reem Al Khalifa grew up learning. Its range of face, body, and spa experiences are designed to share and rediscover the Arabian peninsula’s healing powers.
BASSAM FATTOUH COSMETICS
Launched: 2010 - Lebanon
Bassam Fattouh is a Lebanese makeup brand founded by one of the most renowned and globally recognized makeup artists, Bassam Fattouh. The brand offers a range of makeup products that are tailored specifically to Middle Eastern women.
