RIYADH: A Saudi makeup artist with a gift for glamor hopes to use her growing social media presence to inspire men and women across the region.
Ali Majed has almost 600,000 followers on TikTok and has been an ambassador for French beauty products retailer Sephora since 2022.
Despite its association with one of the giants of the industry, its online content features lesser-known brands from the surrounding area.
Beauty influencer Ali Majid says she wants to 'support other beauty enthusiasts.' (given)
“I've always loved beauty, as long as I can remember,” Majed told Arab News.
“Although I didn't fully realize it, because I was young, I knew that there was something about this world of creativity and glamor that called to me.”
When he is not promoting Sephora products, Majed spends his time on his own work.
HIGHlamp
• Ali Majed has almost 600,000 followers on TikTok and has been an ambassador for French beauty products retailer Sephora since 2022.
• Majed's interest was piqued by the boom in social media coverage that began seven or eight years ago.
• Online content includes lesser-known brands from the region.
“My brand was born out of my constant reflection on how I can support other aspiring beauty enthusiasts, not only in the region, but globally.
“If there's anything I can do to make someone feel like they're not alone and empower them to pursue their dreams, I'm going to work on it right away.”
Majed is one of the many Saudi men making waves in the beauty industry. He said his interest was piqued by the boom in social media coverage that began seven or eight years ago.
“It was the moment when makeup content entered mainstream social media, put its feet on the ground, announced that it was here. And I enjoyed every second of it,” he said.
In 2022, Majed joined the Sephora Squad, a program for beauty content creators in the Middle East.
“It's safe to say that (it) taught me a lot about my career, both behind the scenes of the beauty industry and the influencer world and how to navigate that space as well.”
For those hoping to follow in his footsteps, Majed said it's about being happy in what you do.
“Make sure it's something that not only loves you, but also something that makes you happy,” she said.
“It's one thing to be interested in a field, for whatever reason, but when that interest is fueled by a sense of fulfillment and happiness, that's what makes you unstoppable.”
Majed said he took his inspiration from the first Saudi men to position himself as a beauty ambassador.
“I saw and learned from Bassam Fattouh, Fady Khataya, Issam Majed, Mohammed Hindash and many others,” he said.
“These men were pioneers in their own ways, masters of signature techniques and an inspiration to many others like them in the region.”
These days, Majed is a beauty leader in her own right, with many other content creators praising her and citing her as an inspiration. Although it was a bit of a surprise to find out how popular it was.
“A fan recognized me and asked for a photo at a show,” he said. “I'm so happy that someone wanted to take a selfie with me, because I didn't know that could happen.”
