When Balqees Fathi decides to do something, it seems the Yemeni-Emirati singer goes all out. Six months after announcing the launch of her make-up line Bex Beauty, the brand is selling like hot cakes, after being stocked at two major stores in the UAE and expanding into Saudi Arabia.
The range has just widened to include yet another product, joining the ranks of brushes, foundations and a humidity-proof liquid eyeliner, and is winning plaudits all over the place.
Here are five key things to know about the brand.
It launched on her birthday
Most people opt for cake and perhaps balloons to celebrate a birthday – but not Fathi. To mark her big day on October 20, 2020, the singer decided to launch her own line of cosmetics.
With more than a decade in the spotlight, working with professional make-up artists has armed Fathi with a wealth of knowledge. All of this was poured into her beauty line, named after her childhood nickname, Bex. The first product was called Drama Therapy Foundation and, in 13 shades, is aimed at mattifying skin while giving a subtle glow. Charmingly, each shade carries a girl's name; Elsa, Rosa, Diva, Luna, Mia, Bella, Cara, Sofia, Alessia, Donna, Elena, Aurora, Serena.
It is aimed at Middle Eastern skin tones
Having struggled to find foundations that perfectly matched her own skin tone, Fathi realised there was a gap in the market catering to Middle Eastern skin. Just as Rihanna created a range of foundations and products focusing on women of colour, Fathi, too has produced a series of shades for women from the region.
To help women find the perfect match, she even has staff trained to use a shade finder device, a nifty gadget that, when held against the skin, will analyse and identify underlying tones.
Knowing your tone and underlying tone – whether cool, warm or neutral – is the key to seamless make-up.
Bex Beauty unveiled its second foundation just one day after launching
The day after debuting its first foundation, Bex unveiled a second formula, to lift and hydrate normal to combination skin. Available in the same 13 shades, it opened the brand up to women off all skin types.
The Drama Therapy foundations are cruelty free
With many cosmetics filled with obscure chemicals and frequently still tested on animals before hitting shelves, Fathi decided a different approach was a better fit for her company. When designing the Drama Therapy foundation, she opted for a formula that was vegan, allergen-free, suitable for sensitive skin, dermatologically tested, included both vitamin E and hyaluronic acid, yet made without cruelty.
Bex Beauty now offers nude lipsticks
The latest addition to the line is a series of five nude lipsticks, collectively called Entourage.
At the moment, these are only available online, and comprise five shades of creamy, matte nudes. The lipsticks are formulated to have a higher ratio of pigment than the norm, meaning that they should be long lasting and require only one coat for a good colour.
With names such as Blessed, Daring and Fierce, these are clearly aimed to make women feel good about themselves.
Results
6.30pm: The Madjani Stakes (PA) Group 3 Dh175,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
Winner: Aatebat Al Khalediah, Fernando Jara (jockey), Ali Rashid Al Raihe (trainer).
7.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Down On Da Bayou, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.
7.40pm: Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Dubai Avenue, Fernando Jara, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
8.15pm: Handicap (TB) Dh190,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: My Catch, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
8.50pm: Dubai Creek Mile (TB) Listed Dh265,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Secret Ambition, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.
9.25pm: Handicap (TB) Dh190,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Golden Goal, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
RESULTS
Cagliari 5-2 Fiorentina
Udinese 0-0 SPAL
Sampdoria 0-0 Atalanta
Lazio 4-2 Lecce
Parma 2-0 Roma
Juventus 1-0 AC Milan
Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut
Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”
Results
2pm Handicap (PA) Dh85,000 1,800m
Winner AF Al Baher, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer).
2.30pm Maiden (TB) Dh75,000 1,400m
Winner Alla Mahlak, Fabrice Veron, Rashed Bouresly.
3pm Handicap (TB) Dh80,000 1,400m
Winner Davy Lamp, Adrie de Vries, Rashed Bouresly.
3.30pm Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 1,400m
Winner Ode To Autumn, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
4pm Handicap (TB) Dh80,000 1,950m
Winner Arch Gold, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
4.30pm Maiden (TB) Dh75,000 1,800m
Winner Meqdam, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
5pm Handicap (TB) Dh90,000 1,800m
Winner Native Appeal, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson.
5.30pm Maiden (TB) Dh75,000 1,400m
Winner Amani Pico, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
The biog
Favourite book: Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
Favourite holiday destination: Spain
Favourite film: Bohemian Rhapsody
Favourite place to visit in the UAE: The beach or Satwa
Children: Stepdaughter Tyler 27, daughter Quito 22 and son Dali 19
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
SQUADS
South Africa:
JP Duminy (capt), Hashim Amla, Farhaan Behardien, Quinton de Kock (wkt), AB de Villiers, Robbie Frylinck, Beuran Hendricks, David Miller, Mangaliso Mosehle (wkt), Dane Paterson, Aaron Phangiso, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Tabraiz Shamsi
Bangladesh
Shakib Al Hasan (capt), Imrul Kayes, Liton Das (wkt), Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hasan, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim (wkt), Nasir Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Shafiul Islam, Soumya Sarkar, Taskin Ahmed
Fixtures
Oct 26: Bloemfontein
Oct 29: Potchefstroom
Yahya Al Ghassani's bio
Date of birth: April 18, 1998
Playing position: Winger
Clubs: 2015-2017 – Al Ahli Dubai; March-June 2018 – Paris FC; August – Al Wahda
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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