And I’m so looking forward to adding to my skincare routine this season!
In this article
The Amazing Dubai Scene For Made in UAE Skincare Brand
As an expat new to the UAE’s dynamic environment, adjusting my skincare routine to the arid climate and keeping my integrity, sustainability, empowerment, and community values while shopping has been challenging.
One day, I woke up and realized that some of my favorite products were either too expensive to have here (adding delivery fees and customs fees) or often out of stock, pushing me to reconsider and curate a new skincare routine, one that would have me look more closely at the homegrown brands.
This is the opportunity for me to connect with the region’s beauty heritage and support independent cult beauty made in UAE skincare brands.
From the heart of traditional Arab beauty to innovative, eco-conscious formulas, these Made in UAE skincare brands have caught my attention with unique ingredients, Instagram content, websites, and social engagements.
Here’s a closer look:
Arcana Artisanal Soaps
I’m obsessed with soap bars, so it was only normal for me to purchase locally-made soap bars first.
I found Arcana on Instagram with a sponsored post announcing a donation to help children in need.
Their commitment to a social cause made me click that Order Now button the very next second.
I’ve ordered an exfoliating soap pouch together with three soap bars:
Raspberry & Vanilla Soap Bar
Sparkling Lavender Soap Bar
Oats & Honey Soap Bar
And the Summer Bundle soap bars:
• Watermelon Sugar 🍉
• Blue Lagoon
• Mango Sorbet
Arcana is a local artisanal soap brand from Dubai rooted in a commitment to producing natural, handmade soap bars using essential oils and high-quality ingredients.
I opened the delivery box, and after the first sniff, Arcana promises creamy foam, rich mesmerizing scents, colors, freshness, hydration, day-dreaming, germs-free heavenly scented skin, sustainability, highest of quality soap bars, connection, self-care, in other words, to nourish the skin while providing a refreshing cleanse.
Fast and Free delivery across the Emirates.
Price: Dhs. 178.00
Shipping: Dhs. 0.00
Taxes: Dhs. 0.00
Later edit: But the best of all the Arcana experience is the confirmation email that Arcana donated a percentage of its summer profit to an NGO.
Mariam EM Abu Dhabi
Scanning for heritage ingredients online and reading about Sidr, I realized I landed directly on the Mariam EM Abu Dhabi page about Sidr. It was just a matter of clicks away before I reached their shop.
Mariam EM is an Abu Dhabi-based brand that draws on the healing powers of their star-ingredient, Sidr, and indigenous plants to create high-performance skincare. Their formulations are natural and focus on healing and balance. I decided to invest in Balance + Soothe Sidr & Self-Heal Extract Serum because of its “exotic” ingredient list and what this Serum targets: oily skin.
I am really curious about the outcome; I only opened it and added a little drop of it on my hand to check its scent 🙂
Fast delivery with shipping fees across the Emirates.
Price: Dhs. 175.00
Shipping: Dhs. 23.00
Taxes: Dhs. 0.00
Total: Dhs. 198.00
Juve
Of course, there is luxury skincare made in the UAE! Announce: Juve.
This brand focuses on creating luxurious, deeply nourishing skincare products by utilizing highly potent “old” ingredients like Oud, Frankincense, Myrrh, and white tea, which are known for their therapeutic properties. Obviously, it was the soap bars that dragged me to Juve’s website. Juve showed me it is possible to use Oud as an ingredient for soap bars; and what incredibly elegant soap bars Juve creates using unique ingredients.
I didn’t go for their best seller; I followed my curiosity and guts, and I ordered three soap bars from them:
Allepo Soap Bar – star ingredient: Laurel Berry Oil from Turkey
Sidr Honeycomb Soap Bar – star ingredient: local Sidr honey (how cool is that?)
Eau d’Arabia Soap Bar – star ingredient: Oud (agarwood)
And since I was already in their elegant online shop, behold and forgive me, Father, for I have seen a face oil. Frankincense and Myrrh Face Oil added to my cart.
Fast delivery with shipping fees across the Emirates.
Price: Dhs. 175.00
Shipping: Dhs. 20.00
Taxes: Dhs. 0.00
Total: Dhs. 195.00
Dr. Noor Natural Products
I trust everything skincare a doctor will create. I was sure I would find a doctor in the UAE who creates skincare and beauty products.
Since I had already purchased a face serum, oil, clay mask, and lip scrub, I decided to scan for products for my body care or shower routine.
Introducing Dr. Noor Natural Products, from where I’ve ordered a Rose Body Scrub. A blend of shea butter, beeswax, and natural herbs like hibiscus and lavender. It is supposed to exfoliate, hydrate, and leave my skin silky smooth. I opened it; it smelled seductive, captivating, and divine Arabic. I want to take a shower now!
Dr. Noor specializes in natural, handmade products using botanicals, herbs, and oils known for their therapeutic benefits.
Fast and Free delivery across the Emirates.
Price: Dhs. 85.00
Shipping: Dhs. 0.00
Taxes: Dhs. 0.00
Did I mention they also sent me a blue heart-shaped bath salt? I love it when they slip a freebie in my order.
Thank you, Dr Noor Natural Products!
Ixora Organic Beauty
I want to open this paragraph by highlighting the many gifts Ixora added to my order! It was a fantastic feeling to open my order box and see all these goodies there. Connection established: they were already aware of my soap bar obsession. Thank you, Ixora!
Ixora is a certified organic beauty brand that prides itself on its high standards of purity and quality. Their products are powered by potent natural ingredients.
I ordered:
🤍Purifying and Balancing Green Clay Face Mask to cope with my oil production 🙂 An interesting proposal from Ixora for this mask: Green clay, tea tree oil, and eucalyptus.
🤍And something absolutely new for the beauty scene in the UAE: the Soothing After Sun Lotion. I’m obsessed with monoi oil. I just had to have it.
It is my first time seeing an after-sun lotion made in UAE. I am intrigued now; I am going to the beach soon, and I can’t wait to wear this lotion after.
Looking at its website, Ixora champions the use of organic ingredients and sustainable practices, creating skincare that is both luxurious and earth-friendly.
Fast and Free delivery across the Emirates.
Price: Dhs. 223.20
Shipping: Dhs. 0.00
Taxes: Dhs. 0.00
Izil Beauty
Moroccan beauty traditions blended with modern skincare, using potent natural ingredients like argan oil, cedarwood, damask rose, coconut flower vinegar, and their star ingredient, Aker Fassi. I’m in AWE!
Call me ignorant or whatever, but I have never heard of Aker Fassi before arriving in the UAE. Multi-award-winning Izil Beauty has a presence on Instagram that’s hard to ignore, and the color of their Trio Lip Care got my attention.
Yes, I ordered the Aker Fassi Poppy Lip Trio and am about to give my lips one unique Moroccan treat coated in poppy powder.
You should know they offer fantastic customer service and are available online on WhatsApp should you need anything.
Izil Beauty has Spas and stores in Dubai, and they have also been praised by Vogue, Emirates Woman, and Harper’s Bazaar.
Fast and Free delivery across the Emirates.
Price: Dhs. 198.90
Shipping: Dhs. 0.00
Taxes: Dhs. 0.00
Ruh Natural
A Dubai-based beauty brand that produces shampoo bars and focuses on creating simple, effective products using natural, detoxifying ingredients to enhance skin health.
But it was the Travel Detox Kit that got my attention. This Kit contains an Activated Charcoal Deodorant and an Activated Charcoal face soap bar, which I look forward to trying.
Well, I’ve been using many clays and charcoals as face masks; charcoal works really great on my oily skin; but I have never had Activated Charcoal on any of the ingredients list I have read.
Fast delivery with shipping fees across the Emirates.
Price: Dhs. 62.70
Shipping: Dhs. 20.00
Taxes: Dhs. 0.00
Total: Dhs. 82.70
Later edit: Ruh Natural made a sad announcement on their Instagram account:
It appears that in less than five days, I spent Dhs. 1140.8 investing in seven Made in UAE skincare brands to care for my skin concerns, lips, and body. No customs fees, and only Dhs. 63 on delivery. I’m about to find out if it was all worth it.
These Made in UAE skincare brands and their unique star ingredients offer powerful skincare solutions, especially for expats like me who have oily, combination skin. Their commitment to sustainability and the use of natural ingredients benefits every skin type or concern and aligns with ethical values.
I already feel I want to meet and find out the story behind every one of these UAE-born beauty brands. I’m curious about their struggles, fears, favorite products they create or use, what’s their skincare routine, what technology they have in their lab, what’s the “making of” of their best seller, what plans they have for the future; I have a list full of questions.
Every product they deliver is part of an amazing culture. Each ingredient tells the story of a unique heritage.
I’m proud of myself for opening up to this new beauty perspective; the decision to relocate to the UAE is starting to feel different.
The Founder
If you are an expat in the Middle East facing skin concerns and want to share your story, send us a message at [email protected]
*Disclosure: I received no compensation for this review. This is solely based on my personal experience and assessment.
