RIYADH: A Saudi makeup artist with a flair for glamour is using her social media presence to inspire men and women in the region.
Ali Majed has nearly 600,000 followers on TikTok and has been an ambassador for French beauty retailer Sephora since 2022.
Although he has ties to some of the industry's biggest names, his online content regularly features lesser-known brands from the region.
Beauty influencer Ali Majeed says she wants to 'support other aspiring beauty enthusiasts'. (Provided)
“I have always had a passion for beauty, for as long as I can remember,” Majed told Arab News.
“Even when I was too young to fully realize it, I knew there was something calling me to this world of creativity and glamour.”
When she's not promoting Sephora products, Majed spends her time developing her own brand.
Highetc.
• Ali Majed has nearly 600,000 followers on TikTok and has been an ambassador for French beauty retailer Sephora since 2022.
• Majed’s interest was fueled by a social media reporting boom that began about seven or eight years ago.
• His online content regularly features lesser-known brands in the region.
“My brand was born out of a constant question of how I could support other aspiring beauty enthusiasts, not just locally but globally.
“If there’s anything I can do to help someone feel less alone and empower them to pursue their dreams, I’ll do it in a heartbeat.”
Majed is one of several Saudi men making waves in the beauty industry, and he says he became interested in the boom in social media coverage that started seven or eight years ago.
“That was the time when makeup content really hit mainstream social media and really got its feet on the ground and it was here to stay. I loved every minute of it,” he said.
In 2022, Majed joined Sephora Squad, a program for beauty content creators in the Middle East.
“I wouldn’t say it’s taught me a ton about my career, whether it’s the behind-the-scenes aspects of the beauty industry, the world of influencers, and how to navigate that space.”
Majed said the important thing for those who want to follow in his footsteps is to find happiness in what they do.
“Make sure this is something you’re not only passionate about, but something that brings you joy,” he said.
“It's one thing to have a huge interest in a particular area for whatever reason, but when that interest is complemented by fulfillment and happiness, it makes you unstoppable.”
Majed said he was inspired by the first Saudi men to step forward as beauty ambassadors.
He said, “I observed and learned from many people like Bassam Fattouh, Fady Khataya, Issam Majed, Mohammed Hindash and others.”
“These men were pioneers in their own way, masters of their own distinctive craft, and they were also an inspiration to many others like them in the region.”
These days, Majed is a beauty leader in his own right, with many other content creators praising him and citing him as an inspiration. But his newfound fame still takes him a little by surprise.
“A fan recognized me at a concert and asked for a picture,” he said. “I was really happy that someone wanted to take a selfie with me. I didn’t know that something like that could happen.”
