Launch Date: May 2023

Geography: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Founder: Sara Alrashed

Executive Team: Bjorn Floot, General Manager

Board Members: 

• Philipe Margueritte
• Jim Ragsdale
• Omran Alrashed
• Sulaiman Alrashed

Notable Investors: Private investment from owners

2025 Full Year Projected Revenue: $10M - $20M

Primary Category: Makeup

Other Category: Skincare

Funding: Self-Funded

Primary Distribution Channel: DTC

Other Distribution Channels: Independent Retailers

Key Retail Partner: Ulta Beauty

Key Markets: GCC

2025 Projected Offline Distribution Points: 20 - 25

Asteri is desert-proof beauty, clean, vegan and cruelty free. A-beauty is designed to work in extreme weather, from intense dry heat to excessive humidity. At A-beauty’s core is the authentic inclusion of a wide range of skin tones and types that are typical of the diverse populations of Arab regions. We are Saudi Arabia’s new premium beauty brand. Asteri’s modern, weatherproof, and buildable formulas allow for a more flexible, weightless application that still deliver impactful and highly pigmented color with rebalancing and protective skincare benefits.

Insights: Sara Alrashed, Founder and Bjorn Floot, General Manager

Why now and why you?

This is the moment when Arab women are defining their own narrative. For so long, beauty standards were imported into our region, but today, there is a new confidence, pride, and cultural awareness.

I created Asteri because I didn’t see that representation in the market—not just in products, but in storytelling and emotion. My background in design and my deep connection to my culture allowed me to build a brand that feels modern, elevated, and rooted in who we are.

What fuels your competitive advantage?

Asteri is born from the region we serve. We design beauty for our climate, our skin tones, and our cultural expression—not adapted from somewhere else. We understand our consumer because we are her.

What’s your proudest accomplishment to date?

Seeing women wear Asteri and say, “This feels like me”—that is the real accomplishment. Everything else is growth. But connection—that is what matters.

What is the one thing you wish someone had told you?

I wish someone had told me that you don’t have to have all the answers to begin. You learn, adapt, and grow as you go. The important thing is just to start.

What would you tell your past self before starting this journey?

I would tell her: Be patient. Building something meaningful takes time. The slow parts are not failure; they are building the foundation.

What does success look like in the next 3-5 years? 

On one side, success is seeing Asteri become the reference for Arab beauty— a brand that represents our identity with confidence and elegance.

On the other side, success is sustainable growth—expanding our retail footprint, growing internationally, and building a healthy, scalable business with strong fundamentals.

What's one industry trend that is overhyped, and what's being overlooked? 

There is a lot of focus in the beauty industry today on virality—the belief that success comes from going viral on TikTok or riding whatever trend is trending. It creates noise, but it doesn’t create loyalty. Many brands are chasing quick wins instead of building identity, trust, and real connection.

What’s being overlooked is performance in real life—especially in our region. Products that hold up in heat, humidity, long days, darker undertones, and our way of expressing beauty. Shade relevance, comfort, and longevity matter more than a 10-second clip online.

How do you think the industry needs to evolve?

For too long, beauty trends and standards have been dictated from outside our region, and brands have responded by copying what works elsewhere. But women today want to see themselves reflected, not translated. We need to design for real people, real climates, real skin tones, real lifestyles.

If you could wave a magic wand, what one wish would you make for your business?

I would wish that every woman who wears Asteri feels seen. If our products can make her feel more herself—confident, proud, luminous—then that is success beyond business.