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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.