If you want to excel in the beauty industry, studies show that there are few better places to launch your brand than the Middle East.
According to market analysis platform Euromonitor, the region’s beauty industry is one of the fastest growing in the world. Mainly driven by haircare, fragrances and skincare products, estimates suggest that the industry is worth more than a massive US$40 billion.
The days of us having to buy mass-produced commercial products imported from abroad are well and truly over. Today, the UAE is filled with ethical, high-quality and locally made skincare brands offering effective and natural solutions to every kind of skin problem.
GLIST
Hailed as the birthplace of the sheet mask, East Asian skincare continues to be a big trend across the world. In fact, the global sheet mask market is anticipated to reach $2.9 billion by 2026. By taking Asian skincare technologies and tailoring them to the climate and needs of the Gulf region, homegrown sheet mask brand GLIST promises to deliver a more radiant, smooth and soft complexion in just 20 minutes. Designed to revitalize and deeply hydrate the skin, each mask is made from a unique semi-gel formula that makes it easy to put on and remove with minimal faff and mess. Paraben-free, cruelty-free, vegan, and suitable for all skin types, they’re the perfect solution for busy professionals who don’t have time for lengthy facials at the salon.
Healthy Skin
Emirati-owned Healthy Skin was born from founder Sawsan Alshateri’s life-long fascination with skin and hair care. After graduating from university, she completed courses in soap manufacturing, cosmetics and personal care, and she makes all products fresh and by hand and using natural and organic ingredients. Safe for all skin types, and containing no alcohol or chemicals, it offers lip balms, scalp scrubs, body scrubs, hair masks and body oils infused with a range of plants, nuts, fruits and herbs. You can browse the full collection at ETHER by Cloud Spaces at Yas Mall.
Herbarium Divine
Harking back to a simpler time when cosmetics were authentic, natural and built on traditional remedies, the Herbarium Divine range is carefully handmade in small batches in the UAE. Built on quality, high values and pure craftsmanship, Founder Dean Stojanovic brings over 20 years of experience in the medical field. Founded in 2021 with three bespoke collections, it’s perhaps best known for its extensive range of ultra-gentle baby products. Infused with aloe vera, chamomile and 99 percent natural ingredients, each item is free from potentially harmful chemicals, additives and synthetic agents, and expertly tested to ensure it is suitable for hypersensitive skin and newborns. Meanwhile, the ultra-hydrating Sarcio collection tackles stretch marks with an effective fusion of antioxidants, vitamins and fatty acids, and the new Garden collection – inspired by the lush vegetation and exotic plants of the gardens of Babylon – is set to launch on October 1.
Matia Natural
Good for the planet and our bodies, Matia Natural founder Nada El Amrani is on a mission to provide nourishing natural alternatives to commercial, chemical-laden products. Certified in organic skincare formulation, her naturally aromatic and effective products are all made using fair-trade plants, botanicals and natural extracts. Launched in 2021 as an online store selling handmade sea salt soaps and hydrating body scrubs, the collection has expanded to include tumeric and carrot face masks, avocado cleansing oil, green tea body butters, a whole frankincense skincare collection, and much, much more.
MissPalettable
An online marketplace that exclusively stocks cruelty-free and ethical beauty brands, MissPalettable is hailed as the UAE’s original conscious beauty store. Taking the time and effort out of finding products that are genuinely clean, transparent and good for your skin, the team carefully vets each brand to ensure they don’t test on animals, use harmful ingredients or offer poor quality results. Shop from sustainable Dubai sun care brand Sunkiss, luxury Australian natural skincare specialist Grown Alchemist, inclusive Korean beauty CLE and many more hair, face and body products that are all kind to the environment and gentle on your skin.
Peacefull
Created by Salama Mohamed, one of the UAE’s funniest and most likeable video creators and social media stars, Peacefull’s products are known for bringing incredible results. Inspired by Salama’s own experience with the autoimmune condition vitiligo and her search for clean skincare products, Peacefull has been purposefully created to suit the Middle East’s harsh weather conditions. Vigorously tested and made with natural ingredients such as oat kernel (naturally locks in moisture), mugwort (a source of vitamin E and other antioxidants) and cica (nicknamed — ‘the wound healer’) the range spans the best-selling mugwort clay cleanser, eye creams, moisturizers, toners, oils and more. Created with Korean technology, the entire range is available for delivery across the UAE.
De L’Arta
If the UAE’s desert plants can grow lush and brilliantly green without water, what could they do for skin? That’s the power-of-plants code that the team behind the UAE-born, all-natural and organic skincare line De L’Arta cracked.
Soil scientist Lina Yousef is part of the team that launched a a line made from the Tetreana qatarensis plant, aka Tq. Tested to reveal wound-healing and de-pigmenting properties, Tq hydrates, nourishes and protects skin. Clean, vegan, unisex and sustainably packaged in sleek aluminum, choose from cleanser, serum, moisturizer and mask.
