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A new luxurious international skincare range for both men and women has been launched exclusively at Sephora outlets in Bahrain, writes ASMA SALMAN.
Shiffa, Arabic for healing, has been developed and formulated by UAE national Dr Lamees Hamdan after years of research and self-testing.
She said: "It all started when I was pregnant with my first child in 2000. I was on the lookout for pregnancy oil that was good for the skin and minimised the appearance of stretch marks. I scoured the market and could not find any effective natural healing products made for the stress of pregnancy. That was when I decided to make my own oil."
And the rest is history. A personal need propelled Dr Lamees to create a natural healing-based luxury product range. Today, Shiffa Pregnancy Oil is one of its best selling products.
She officially launched her organic skincare range in 2004. Initially Dr Lamees, a trained doctor from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and a mother-of-four, worked from home formulating and blending her own oils and products with a handful of staff to help her.
Her efforts to create an effective brand and her achievements as a businesswoman were recognised by the Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Establishment when she was awarded 'Best Business Leader 'and 'Best Health and Well Care' in 2005. A loan from Shaikh Mohammed Establishment for Young Business Leaders spurred Dr Lamees to create an extensive range of body oils, body scrubs and polish, cleansers, toners and healing balm.
Arabic calligraphy inside the packaging and the brand's philosophy not to compromise on 100 per cent natural ingredients have given its products an edge over other niche brands available in the market.
Rosewater from Iran, honey from Jordan, orange blossom water from Lebanon, frankincense from Oman, jasmine from Egypt add an Arabian essence to the brand. Presently, Shiffa products are available in leading destination spas globally and are enjoyed in the Middle East markets with an aim to reach out to select retail outlets in Europe and USA.
"I stand by my products. You cannot look 20 years younger than your age because that is not normal. You have to reprogramme the skin to work to its best capacity," she explained.
"It is all about using the right skincare products, drinking plenty of water, getting enough sleep and keeping stress at bay. Today we are all living in environments that are heavy with pollutants and we are faced with the question 'should our skincare be laced with chemicals?'.
"We are a natural brand because we believe that natural products in their purest form have better skin enhancing properties than chemically-altered ones."
