Beauty
The Homegrown Middle Eastern Beauty and Fragrance Brands Worth Knowing
Some of the beauty world's biggest names were born right here in the region. Here are the homegrown Middle Eastern beauty and fragrance brands I genuinely love, what each does best, and where to find them in Dubai.
One of my favourite things about getting ready in Dubai is how much of my kit was actually born here. We sometimes look abroad for the next big thing, but some of the most loved beauty and fragrance brands in the world started a few minutes from where I live. Here are the homegrown ones I keep reaching for, and where to find them.
Why does it matter that a brand is from the region?
It matters because these brands were built for our weather, our skin tones, and our taste. A setting powder that survives a Dubai summer is not a marketing claim here, it is a daily test. Founders who grew up with oud and long hot afternoons understand staying power in a way that gets baked into the formulas.
It is also just nice to support what is ours. When I build a makeup bag now, a real chunk of it is regional by choice, not by accident.
Which homegrown brands do I actually use?
I have to start with Huda Beauty, because it is the one I come back to most. It launched in Dubai in 2013, and I still remember when those lashes first landed at Sephora in The Dubai Mall. On Instagram recently I posted a little love note to it: we asked and Huda served, and honestly we never have too much Huda Beauty in this house. The Easy Bake loose powder is the one I bake my under-eyes with on event days, and the Kayali parfum lives on my dresser on permanent rotation.
Kayali grew out of Huda Beauty and is now its own fragrance house, founded by Mona Kattan and inspired by the heritage of the region. The vanillas are the gateway, but there is real depth once you start layering. If you love a sweeter, warmer scent, this is your aisle.
Wishful is the skincare side of the same family. The Yo Glow enzyme scrub was the launch hero, and it is a gentle way to keep skin bright between heavier treatments. I fold it into the routine I talk about in my skincare routine for the Dubai climate.
Then there is Mikyajy, which is properly homegrown and a little underrated. The name means my makeup in Arabic, it launched in 1999, and it was built specifically for Middle Eastern climate and skin tones. It is also halal certified, which a lot of my friends here care about.
What about Arabian fragrance houses?
No regional kit is complete without the classic Arabian perfume houses, and these are the ones with real history. Ajmal opened in the UAE back in 1951 and is a heritage name for oud. Rasasi was founded in Dubai in 1979 and is my go-to when I want something rich without the niche price tag. Swiss Arabian blends Eastern and Western styles beautifully, and Amouage out of Oman is the special-occasion splurge.
If oud is new to you, do not be intimidated. Start light, layer a sweet Kayali underneath an Arabian oud on top, and you have a scent that is unmistakably us. I go deeper on this in my guide to the best Arabic perfumes for women.
Where do I buy all of this in Dubai?
Here is the quick map I would give a friend who is just starting to build a regional kit.
| Brand | Known for | Where to buy |
|---|---|---|
| Huda Beauty | Lashes, Easy Bake powder, complexion | Sephora ME, Ounass, hudabeauty.com |
| Kayali | Warm, layerable fragrances | Sephora ME, Ounass, kayali.com |
| Wishful | Bright, gentle skincare | Sephora ME, Ounass |
| Mikyajy | Halal colour cosmetics for our climate | Mikyajy stores across the UAE, mikyajy.com |
| Ajmal | Heritage oud since 1951 | Ajmal boutiques, malls across Dubai |
| Rasasi | Affordable, high quality oud | Perfume counters and malls |
On price, a Kayali parfum tends to sit around AED 400 to 530, the Huda complexion pieces are everyday Sephora money, and Mikyajy is genuinely friendly on the wallet. The Arabian houses run the full range, from a casual Rasasi bottle to an Amouage you save up for.
How would I put it all together?
For a soft daytime face I lean on Mikyajy and a touch of Huda, baked with Easy Bake so it lasts through the heat, then a light Kayali on the wrists. For evenings I build the scent up with an Arabian oud and let the makeup go a little bolder. If you want the exact warm-weather face I default to, it is in my glowy summer makeup look for Dubai. Building a kit from what was made here has made getting ready feel a lot more like home.
More from Aastha's beauty world: explore here.
