Top Middle Eastern Beauty and Skincare Brands To Look Out For

The Middle East is packed with talented creatives in the beauty industry, from makeup to hair to skincare. Meet the top Middle Eastern owned beauty and skincare brands you need to know – these driven entrepreneurs have turned their passion into products that perform. Though these brands are rooted in the Middle East, they’ve truly gone global.

It’s impossible to miss Huda Beauty if you’ve ever been in any major cosmetics store, or indeed, if you’ve ever scrolled on social media! This makeup brand was founded in 2013 by Iraqi makeup artist and beauty influencer, Huda Kattan, alongside her sisters. The brand’s OG product was false lashes, though they quickly expanded to offer a wide range of makeup products including lipsticks, eyeshadow palettes, powders, and foundations (most recently, the Easy Blur foundation). The brand is a true passion project, amassing an impressive 54 million followers on Instagram alone with no signs of slowing down!

Born and raised in Dubai to Jordanian parents, Mohammed Hindash forged a successful career as an award-winning makeup artist. He painted the faces of A-list celebrities like Naomi Campbell as well as running a YouTube channel, Hindash. Eventually, he took the leap of launching his own makeup brand in 2021 – Hindash Cosmetics. The brand was incredibly well-received, featuring innovative ombré, gradient palettes. The famous Beautopsy palette allows users of all skin tones to create beautiful eye, face, and cheek looks with just one single product.

Gisou is the creation of Dutch Iranian blogger, Negin Mirsalehi. The surprising star ingredient across the entire product range? Honey. Mirsalehi’s haircare and skincare brand is close to her heart – the story goes that her mother (a hairdresser) ended up marrying a beekeeper, which is how the idea of infusing hair oil with honey came to be. Mirsalehi grew up with a bee garden and is even a trained beekeeper herself! The brand’s buzzy cult product is the Honey Infused Hair Oil, which keeps hair shiny, nourished, and hydrated. There’s also a lip oil, conditioner, and hair perfume available.

Orebella was officially launched in 2024, founded by Dutch Palestinian supermodel, Bella Hadid. The brand name is a nod to her Middle Eastern roots – "Hadid" directly translates to “iron ore.” Valuable minerals are extracted from ore, and the name is also a play on the mystical word “aura,” all reflected in the brand marketing. Orebella offers fine fragrances made with premium ingredients, and the entire range is alcohol-free and suitable for sensitive skin.

Kosas was founded in 2015 by Iranian American Sheena Zadeh-Daly. Interestingly, Zadeh-Daly’s background is in biology, which lends a scientific approach to her foolproof makeup products. The brand’s tagline is “Makeup For Skincare Freaks,” which means that all products have clinically proven skin-loving ingredients and are suitable for sensitive skin. Bestsellers include the Wet Lip Oil Gloss and the Revealer Concealer.

There’s not just one Kattan on this list, there’s two! Kayali is a fragrance brand founded by Mona Kattan (with the support of her older sister, Huda Kattan). Kayali offers a range of exhilarating perfumes, including Oudgasm Vanilla Oud 36, which is a nod to Kattan’s Middle Eastern roots (oud is hugely popular in the Middle East). While each scent is sublime on its own, they can also be layered to create a personalized fragrance unique to the wearer.

Peacefull is the brainchild of Salama Mohamed, an influential social media star hailing from the UAE. With a focus on positivity and representation, Peacefull offers inclusive skincare products suitable for all, no matter skin type, gender, or religion. Mohamed herself was diagnosed with the skin condition vitiligo, and since spent years formulating nourishing skincare products. The result is a full skincare range that is backed by Korean science and technology as well as being halal for the Middle Eastern consumer. Look out for the Mugwort Clay Cleanser and Peptide Eye Cream, which are both bestsellers.

Last but certainly not least, izil Beauty is a Moroccan beauty brand created by Mouna Abbassy, inspired by her Moroccan heritage and produced in the UAE. The word “izil” comes from the Amazigh language, and simply means “pure.” izil’s skincare and haircare products are rich in argan oil as well as a trove of other soothing, replenishing ingredients for a truly luxurious experience. They don’t just offer beauty products, though – the brand even has a spa and hammam based in Dubai mall!