Middle Eastern and North African beauty brands are plentiful for a reason. Many of the current beauty practices we know and love today are deeply rooted in Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) cultures. For example, Egyptians used sea salts for exfoliation, milk and honey for face masks, and eyeliner, or kohl. Fittingly, as we’ve adopted many of these beauty rituals into our self-care today, many MENA beauty founders have built upon them in their brands, continuing the legacy.
Want to try some Middle Eastern and North African beauty brands but are not sure where to start? Here is a list of ten you can support by adding to your shopping cart:
Gisou
You must have heard of Dutch-Iranian blogger Negin Mirsalehi and her brand by now, but ICYMI: Gisou is a Netherlands-based hair and skin brand that is all the buzz. Since its official launch in 2015, Negin’s beauty brand has used the family bee garden as the source of honey for its products under the care of Beekeeper-in-Chief Negar Mirsalehi. It doesn’t get sweeter than that. But actually, it does. Along with being infused with honey, the Honey Infused Hair Oil has now been passed down to three generations of Mirsalehi women and is said to provide 72 hours of hydration and humidity control. Other cult favorites by Gisou include the Honey Infused Lip Oil (now tinted too) and the Face Oil.
Huda Beauty
Probably one of the most recognizable MENA-owned beauty brands is Huda Beauty. Founded in 2013 by Iraqi makeup artist and blogger Huda Kattan, the brand has been one of the fastest-growing beauty brands globally. And for over a decade, Huda’s built a trusted rapport by sharing her valuable makeup hack. Earlier this year, Huda Kattan and Huda Beauty’s latest viral sensation was the #FAUXFILTER Under Eye Color Corrector. What’s Huda Beauty’s newest arrival, just in time for summer? The Huda Beauty Blush Filter which comes in five shades. #HudaMadeMeBlush.
Kayali
The (literal) sister brand of Huda Beauty is Kayali, which means my imagination in Arabic. Founded in 2018 by Mona Kattan, the brand focuses on perfumes that are designed to be worn in various combinations together. Some of the bestsellers include Yum Pistachio Gelato and Vanilla Candy Rock Sugar. ICYMI: LE SSERAFIM's Huh Yunjin uses KAYALI's Yum Pistachio Gelato. Oh, and the bio reads, “scents to make you feel like the 💎 you are.” This is scents and sensibility that we can back.
BRÆS
Textured or damaged hair? Hair loss? Have no fear! Egyptian beauty brand Bræs is here and may be the answer to all your hair problems. Founders Amira ElZayat and Yara Saleh wanted to focus on cruelty-free hair care and skin products. The Deep Conditioning Hair Mask is designed for all hair types and is the perfect amalgamation of 13 oils, such as argan, macadamia, sweet almond, and rose, to name a few. Hydration station!
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Kosas
First-generation Iranian-American Sheena Zadeh-Daly majored in biology before founding her beauty brand, Kosas in 2015. Fittingly, she has a scientific approach to her products, ensuring they are skin-improving and clinically proven, as well as safe for sensitive skin. In fact, the Kosas bio reads “Makeup For Skincare Freaks.” One of the most popular items is the Kosas Wet Lip Oil Gloss. In fact, at the time of writing, #kosaslipoil has over 13.5 million posts on TikTok. Oh, and a notable fan of the brand includes it-girl Hailey Bieber, who has been spotted in a GRWM using the Kosas Revealer Concealer.
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Orebella
ICYMI: supermodel Bella Hadid launched Orebella earlier this year. The brand offers a selection of fragrances featuring aromatherapy essential oils.
Joon Haircare
Founded by brother and sister duo Shiva and Kayvon Tavakoli, Joon Haircare is inspired by their Persian roots. From the early summers at their grandma’s kitchen table and their grandpa’s spice trading company, the duo decided to include natural spices such as saffron, rose, fig, and pomegranate in their hair products. Shiva told Teen Vogue, “This brand is more than just a haircare line. It is a testament to our roots and the spices of our lives. Through this brand, we can speak to those women who haven't been spoken to and share our Persian roots as well as shed light on that rich cultural history with the world.” Some favorite items include the Persimmon Rose Hairspray, packed with antioxidants, and the Sumac Scalp Scrub and Exfoliating Shampoo, which exfoliates scalp buildup and dead skin cells with bamboo and cellulose via sumac, fenugreek, olive oil, and a variety of mints.
Hindash Cosmetics
Jordanian celebrity makeup artist Mohammed Hindash started out as a painter before dedicating a YouTube page to beauty and eventually launching his own brand, Hindash Cosmetics, in 2021. The brand has gained notoriety for its innovative vegan, gradient-pressed pigment palettes, Beautopsy and Monochromance, which have sold out.
