The Authentic Beauty Founder: Inês Abdalla's Story of Resilience & Cultural Pride.

Meet Inês Abdalla: The Founder Using Beauty to Tell the Tale of Her Heritage:

I’m Inês Abdalla founder of Inês Cosmetics, InêSKN, and co-founder of Intelahive. I come from a beautifully blended world, shaped by many cultures, but it’s my Arabian roots, through my mother and husband both Saudi that have most profoundly influenced my story and purpose.

Through Inês Cosmetics, I’m not just creating beauty products. I’m sharing the untold stories of Arabian queens, honouring ancestral rituals, and offering luxury DIY lash kits that are gentle, ethical, and designed for real, sensitive skin like mine. Living with multiple sclerosis and diabetes, I’ve learned to value beauty that heals, uplifts, and empowers from within.

My mission is simple: to make beauty safer, deeper, and more meaningful for all colours, not a colour. I believe every woman deserves to feel seen, celebrated, and powerful in her own skin. This brand is about real empowerment, not perfection. It’s a call to honour your story, wear your culture with pride, and define beauty on your own terms.

This isn’t just my business, it’s my voice, my passion, and my love letter to every woman carving her space in the world.

1 – What are the core values that drive your brand’s mission and decision-making?

At Inês Cosmetics, our values are not just words on a wall—they’re a reflection of who I am and the story I carry.

My brand was born from a mix of science, lived experience, and deep cultural love. On my mother’s side, I come from a rich Arabian heritage that taught me to see beauty not just as aesthetics, but as honour, ritual, and power. The stories of powerful queens and women who held wisdom, grace, and fierce independence shaped how I saw the world. They weren’t just beautiful—they were bold, fair, and unforgettable. I wanted to bring that same spirit into everything we do.

Our core values are:

• Empowerment – I live with multiple sclerosis and diabetes, so I understand how hard it can be to find beauty that doesn’t compromise your health or dignity. Inês Cosmetics is about reclaiming beauty on your own terms, making it accessible, safe, and luxurious—right from home.

• Innovation – I’ve spent over two years researching formulas that work with—not against—the skin. From lash adhesives that don’t irritate sensitive eyes to DIY kits that make people feel like professionals, we innovate to solve real problems, not just follow trends.

• Inclusivity – Growing up, I never saw beauty brands that spoke to melanin-rich skin or that considered the needs of women like me—women of colour, women with health conditions, women with a story. Inês Cosmetics represents every shade, every identity, and makes room for those who’ve often been left out of the beauty conversation.

• Sustainability – Being ethical is non-negotiable. From our cruelty-free and nano-free ingredients to our eco-conscious packaging, we’re deeply committed to doing what’s right for both people and the planet.

This isn’t just a beauty brand, it’s a movement. A return to honouring where we come from, while nurturing where we’re going.

2 – How do you stay ahead of trends and maintain a competitive edge in the beauty industry?

For me, staying ahead is about staying real.

I don’t chase trends I chase truth and transformation. I stay in tune with my community, listening to their needs, frustrations, and aspirations. I watch what’s happening culturally, but I also tune into what’s not being said the gaps, the pain points, the silence. That’s where our innovation begins.

We combine that insight with technology and AI, allowing us to test and adapt quickly, but always through a human lens. We were one of the first brands to create a DIY lash kit that’s not just reusable and beginner-friendly, but also infused with the elegance of Middle Eastern beauty rituals.

Every product we release is a blend of ancestral knowledge and modern science, and I think that’s what sets us apart.

3 – How do you build and maintain brand loyalty?

Loyalty is built on connection, not perfection.

People don’t stay because of a pretty box—they stay because they feel seen, heard, and held. I talk to my customers daily. I show up as myself, whether I’m having a strong MS day or feeling fatigued. That honesty builds something powerful trust.

We also invite our community into our process, whether it’s asking them for feedback on a new lash style or listening to their skincare concerns during our InêSKN consultations. When someone shares how our products helped them feel beautiful again after years of sensitivity or discomfort—it moves me every single time.

We’re not trying to be a faceless global brand. We’re building a sisterhood of women who lift each other, one lash at a time.

4 – How do you manage customer service and build strong relationships with your customers?

Customer service at Inês Cosmetics is deeply personal. It’s an extension of care.

When you live with chronic illness like I do, every product you use becomes a relationship—you have to trust it. That’s how we approach our customers. We respond with empathy, we ask questions, we give time. Behind every DM is someone who understands how it feels to be overwhelmed by choices and unsure who to trust.

We use tech to keep us efficient, but our tone, our messages, our energy—it’s all human. People come to us for lashes, but they stay for the community and compassion we pour into every step.

5 – What are the biggest challenges facing beauty businesses today, and how are you navigating them?

The beauty industry is crowded, fast-paced, and sometimes superficial. Greenwashing, unrealistic beauty standards, and the pressure to scale overnight are all very real challenges.

But I believe slow is powerful. We navigate these challenges by being transparent, bold, and values-driven.

As a disabled founder and woman of colour, I’ve had to fight to be taken seriously in this space. But that fight made me resilient. We don’t cut corners—we educate, we experiment, we test until our products are not just good, but transformative.

I’ve also learned to build a business that feels good—ethically, emotionally, and culturally. That’s how we’ve built something sustainable even in a noisy world.

6 – What are your long-term goals for the brand?

My long-term goal is to create a beauty ecosystem that empowers, educates, and elevates. I see Inês Cosmetics becoming the go-to brand for clean beauty that’s deeply respectful of cultural heritage and health. We’re already expanding our lash collections and developing AI-powered skincare tools to help women find their perfect product match based on their skin conditions, lifestyle, and personal values.

Through InêSKN, I want to grow our virtual skin consultancy into a full wellness platform. And through Intelahive, I’m building a space where underrepresented founders especially women—can find mentorship, resources, and community to grow their businesses.

Ultimately, my dream is to reshape the narrative of beauty and entrepreneurship. To prove that you can lead with softness, culture, and purpose, and still thrive.