Rabat – From Dubai makeup counters to fragrance displays in Sephora stores worldwide, Arab women are influencing the beauty economy on their own terms.
What began as blogs, family ventures, or regional retail businesses has evolved into global brands, public listings, and boardrooms increasingly led by women.
With skill, discipline, and determination, they’ve tamed the beast in the beauty industry.
Huda Beauty by Huda Kattan
Kattan founded Huda Beauty with her two sisters in 2013, after starting a blog in 2010 that quickly gained international traction.
She believes that makeup is art, identity, and unapologetic self-expression, which is also what this brand represents.
More than a decade later, the brand has grown into a global powerhouse with distribution across major markets in North America, Europe, and the Middle East.
The founder was once ranked 11th in the “100 Most Powerful Business women 2025” recognized by Forbes Middle East, and she is the first one in the beauty industry on this list as well.
Her inclusion reflects not only financial success but also sustained influence in an industry often dominated by male conglomerates.
Kayali by Mona Kattan
As another member of the Kattan family and co-founder of Huda Beauty, Mona also has her own passion: fragrance.
She carved out her own signature in 2018 with the launch of Kayali, a fragrance brand rooted in the Middle Eastern tradition.
By the end of 2024, Kayali had expanded to 26 fragrances across five collections, reaching 30 countries and over 2,690 retail stores worldwide.
The brand’s rapid global expansion positioned it as one of the few region-born fragrance labels to secure strong international retail penetration.
Although closely linked to Huda Beauty, Kayali stands as an independent statement.
Kattan ranked 28th in the “100 Most Powerful Business women 2025” recognized by Forbes Middle East. She is also described as one of the most influential women in the beauty industry and the Arab world.
Beyond business, she is also known to global audiences as a cast member of the Netflix series “Dubai Bling” and “Shark Tank.”
Asteri Beauty by Sara Al Rashed
Launched in 2021 and built for desert heat and long wear, Asteri positioned itself as a makeup brand designed by the region, for the region.
“Asteri is for our extended family of sisters all around the world,” Rashed said on their official website. This is why she and her brand are dedicated to addressing the challenges faced by women in the world’s most extreme climates, particularly in Arabia.
Apparel Group by Sima Ganwani Ved
Ved founded Apparel Group in 1996 and grew it into a retail conglomerate, managing over 85 brands with more than 2,300 stores across 14 countries.
In July 2024, the group signed a franchise agreement with AWWG to expand Hackett London stores in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, reinforcing its regional dominance in lifestyle retail.
In 2025, the founder was ranked 14th in the “100 Most Powerful Business women 2025” recognized by Forbes Middle East.
Dubai Design District (d3) by Khadija Al Bastaki
Ranked 70th in the 2025 Forbes Middle East “Most Powerful Businesswomen” list, Al Bastaki oversees one of the region’s key creative hubs: Dubai Design District (d3), which is home to fashion houses, beauty startups, and luxury concepts.
Dubai Design District (d3) aims to “inspire, enable and bring together talent in all its forms within the design sector,” a vision it delivers by building strong infrastructure for designers and founders.
Through “offering students, entrepreneurs, and startups an opportunity to transform their disruptive ideas into commercial successes,” Al Bastaki’s leadership helps shape and influence a new generation of beauty and design arts entrepreneurs.
2PointZero by Samia Bouazza
As the CEO of 2PointZero Group (Formerly named “Multiply Group”), Bouazza leads a diversified portfolio spanning energy, mobility, media, and consumer sectors, including beauty-related investments.
Originally founded in 2003, the company went public on the Abu Dhabi Stock Exchange after 2021, making Bouazza the first woman to list a company there.
In 2025, she ranked 18 in “100 Most Powerful Business Women” by Forbes Middle East.
Under her leadership, women held several of the company’s senior positions, ranging from vice chair and managing director to chief of staff and general counsel.
A global influence from Arab women
From makeup to public listings, these leaders proved that beauty can be a platform for success, achievements, and women empowerment.
Every name on a Forbes list, every shelf in a global store, and every boardroom seat makes it easier for the next woman to see herself there.
And you? Of course, you’ll be there too, one day.
