Interviewed: Elena Olkhovskaya
Lamis Hassan is a dermatologist by training, a native of the Emirates by birth and a manufacturer of high-quality natural cosmetic products by vocation. Having established her own company and giving it the name Shiffa, Dr. Lamis is absolutely convinced that we still have to guess many mysteries of nature, and that the moment you open the bottle or jar of any Shiffa product, your journey into the world of knowledge and healing ... Despite all her busyness, Dr. Lamis agreed to meet with me and answer questions from our magazine. Without talking to her, I would never have believed that this young and beautiful citizen of the Emirates is from the breed of women about whom it is customary to say today "she made herself."
Dr. Lamis, I would like to introduce our readers to you. Please tell us a little about yourself.
I am a native emirate, born and raised in Dubai. I received my medical education in the USA, where I lived for almost six years. After graduation, I lived in Europe for almost seven years. In principle, I almost do not differ from other citizens of Dubai, we are very cosmopolitan and can live peacefully, both abroad and in our hometown, since it is also very cosmopolitan and international. When I returned home to the Emirates, I began working in a specialty at the Dubai Department of Health. After some time, I became pregnant with my first child, and then for the first time I began to think about the fact that my figure after childbirth should return to the same state as before pregnancy. I perfectly understood that the birth of a child is not a reason for the figure to look blurry and unstretched. I started looking for cosmetics that could help me cope with this task. There were not so many such funds on the market. I found several grades of cosmetic oil for pregnant women, but when I carefully read the recipe, I realized that there was nothing special in them - a little avocado oil, a little cocoa butter and chamomile. And that’s all.
It turns out that these searches prompted you to create your own cosmetics?
It turns out that yes. When I did not find anything suitable, I turned to my many friends, one way or another connected with the medicine and cosmetic industry. I started working with one expert in natural cosmetics and made my first oil for pregnant women, which prevents the formation of stretch marks on the skin. Thanks to this oil, I did not have a single stretch mark during my entire pregnancy. It was such a good oil that my friends began to ask me to do a little for them. I began to mix oils and give them. When it came time to leave the maternity leave for work, I did not want to return to the clinic as an ordinary doctor, since I would have to leave the baby with a nanny for three whole days a week, because my work involved round-the-clock shifts. I wanted to enjoy every moment of my first-born childhood, because I understood that the first year of my life would fly by very quickly. So I decided not to return to the clinic. But my family and my husband insisted that I do not sit idly by, but start doing something interesting and useful. And then I said that I want to open my own company for the production of skin care products, and those that would give visible results. My family supported me. So the Shiffa cosmetics appeared.
What is your belief in the power of oils and natural plant ingredients related to?
I believed in the power of plants and natural oils always. As a doctor, I know for sure that everything that we eat, drink and apply to the surface of our skin has a huge impact on the functioning of all body systems. And if we sometimes can not restrain ourselves from unhealthy and unhealthy diets, then at least what we apply to the surface of the skin will be natural. I tested my philosophy on myself and realized that my skin shows better results when I use natural analogues, rather than cosmetics containing many chemical compounds.
When I was busy looking for funds for myself, only the Body Shop network worked in the UAE. In my opinion, they offer good products for the mass consumer, but then there were no luxury products in the Emirates. What is the difference? When, for example, rose oil is used in the Body Shop product, then it has an insignificant concentration, about 0.5%. Such a product does not work as it should. The same is with vitamin C. If it is used in cosmetics at a concentration lower than 3%, then its presence in it is ineffective. Many companies make excellent advertising for themselves, but their products do not have a pronounced therapeutic effect.
I went the other way. I make cosmetic products for those buyers who, once having evaluated the products from Shiffa, will continue to use them. Therefore, I do not spend my money on large-scale advertising campaigns, I invest them in the production of products and the purchase of expensive natural ingredients for it. What matters to me is not what is outside, but what is inside. Little by little, they began to recognize my cosmetics on the market. And today, customers call me who say: "I tried your cream, and my face just shines!". To which I ask: "What did you use before that?". And in response I hear: "La Prairie." And I feel incredible pride, because La Prairie cosmetics give excellent results. And if my products based on natural ingredients give even better results, there is reason to be proud of myself.
Where do you get the ingredients for your cosmetics?
I use the best natural ingredients from around the world. The oils I buy come in the form of mixtures in Shiffa cosmetics. The most expensive types of oils, such as some varieties of natural rose oil, I purchase in Iran and Bulgaria. Lavender oil - in France, chamomile oil - in the rural provinces of England. I choose the best quality and the best manufacturers. It's important for me. In the production of my cosmetics, I do not first select the ingredients, and then I think what to make of them. The opposite is true. First, I decide to make, for example, eye cream and think what the effect of its use should be? I want him to tighten and nourish the skin, remove puffiness and remove dark circles under the eyes, smooth wrinkles, improve blood microcirculation. Only after that I begin to select the ingredients, combine them with each other, work on the desired formula. And at this moment I am not interested in the costly part. Because if I start to think about how much it costs, it will inevitably lead to the replacement of a more expensive component with another, which seems to be good too, but not so much. And the result will be completely different. Ask me how much a kilogram of rose oil costs, I won’t answer you. I used to know, but now I don’t want to think about it and I don’t want to keep these numbers in my head, since they prevent me from creating good and useful cosmetics.
Each well-developed industry is reluctant to let in newcomers. How did you manage to convince your partners to work with you and believe in you?
It was easy for me to work with some of my suppliers and partners from the very beginning, it was very difficult with someone. For example, the French company Sephora immediately believed in me.
They realized that the emirate company with luxury cosmetics is something new and interesting. They tried my products, they liked it, and now Shiffa cosmetics is presented in the unique Express Spa concept in the Sephora chain of stores. This set a precedent. In the world there are a huge number of wealthy people who want to use all that is natural as much as possible. They are willing to spend money on themselves. They go to the Spa with pleasure, where they can pay 500 or more dirhams for one massage.
Other people who think in classic categories need to be convinced of the benefits of natural ingredients. But I am sure that Shiffa cosmetics has its own niche in the market. The company is still not very large, so we are probably ignored or even noticed by large cosmetic brands. But the larger we get, the more countries recognize us. And when they find out about us, then there will probably be those who want to compete with us or those who want to declare that they are competitors to Shiffa.
Over the years, people begin to use what they are 100% sure of. And I am no exception. I don’t have time for experiments. When a woman has children, and she is engaged in her own career, then usually, she needs more time for family and business than for finding suitable cosmetics, shoes and clothes. During this period, a woman knows exactly what she needs and what is convenient for her. I think that buyers of Shiffa cosmetics will agree with me.
Lamis, how many children do you have?
Now I am pregnant with my fourth child.
How amazing! Congratulations!
Thank you very much. This is the beauty of living in Dubai - you can have many children here. It is a safe country, with good medical care, all the opportunities for education and good work afterwards. What else is needed? My mother was born in a family where there were ten children, my father was not from such a large family, but still, my grandmother had three of them. Now I enjoy my position and the freedom that Shiffa gave me. Maybe when my children grow up, I will go to work again
I’m a doctor, but so far everything suits me.
What is your specialization as a doctor?
I am a dermatologist by training, but by profession I managed to work for only one year. And then my first child was born, and I began to do other things.
As a mother, have you ever had the idea of creating natural cosmetics for babies?
Of course, I plan to launch my own children's line. For my own kids, I make massage oils myself. But this is still in the plans.
I would also like to release products for the care of men's skin. But while we are developing our lines for face and body care and producing a whole range of healing oils for pregnant women. Believe me, these oils are our best sellers today.
What is the main secret of their impact?
The fact that they should begin to be used from the first months of pregnancy, and not when the stomach is already noticeable. The formula of these oils allows the skin to stretch naturally without stretch marks. Thanks to the correct and timely use of oil, the skin acquires the necessary firmness and elasticity, allowing the woman to then return to her previous shape, as before the birth of the baby. But, as a doctor, I do not get tired of repeating that everything that we apply to the surface of our body, face, hair is only half the success. The main work is from the inside, and you need to take care of your body - eat right, drink the necessary daily amount of water. For example, women can look after their skin by eating foods rich in vitamin E - avocados, seeds, nuts, olive oil. I always tell my clients that I can do a lot to improve their skin condition, but not all. The rest of the work, which is 50%, depends on them.
What are the main skin problems faced by people living in the Emirates?
The first and biggest problem is enlarged pores. The Emirates has a hot climate and very high humidity, which causes the pores of the skin to work with a double load. And this is not so noticeable when you are 20 years old, but when you are 30, then the pores become more visible and make the whole face skin uneven and unhealthy in appearance. There are some rare ingredients in my tonic that can reduce large and visible pores. The second problem is increased pigmentation. Many people who come to Dubai for a vacation just roast in the sun all day, burning their skin. For example, I never leave the house without a hat with large brim and sunglasses. This allows me to protect my face from the sun. For the past three years, I have been developing an effective sunscreen that is pleasant to use, does not tighten and clog the skin, and allows it to breathe. So far, I have not been able to achieve such a formula that I would like to apply unconditionally on my face daily. I think it will take some more time to create this cream. I do not want to market a product that is not 100% perfect.
Another skin problem is its increased fat content. I meet a lot of people with a pronounced T-zone, as well as those who suffer from acne and acne, which, in fact, should not be, and this depends largely on malnutrition and a sedentary lifestyle. Partly due to the climate, we do not do enough outdoor exercise, nor do we drink enough water. But it is so simple!
As for age-related skin problems, I noticed, by the way, that may surprise you, but the local Emirate women have very good skin condition at their forty and fifty years. The only thing that worries me is the volumes of decorative cosmetics that are used by our local women. When makeup is visible, and it literally lies in layers, then this is too much.
Generally speaking, the skin is different for everyone, some have dry skin with less visible pores, but a greater tendency to early appearance of the first signs of aging, someone is oily, someone has combination or is especially sensitive. But I am sure that many problems can be dealt with with the help of proper nutrition and lifestyle and well-chosen quality care products.
At what age can you start using Shiffa cosmetics and what exactly?
You can start using Shiffa cosmetics from the age of 15. True, you need to start with a cleanser, and perhaps even a tonic. At the age of 15, girls do not need a moisturizer, as their skin itself produces enough moisture. We offer adolescents natural face cleansers and tonics with antibacterial effect and preventing the appearance of acne and inflammation. I believe that Shiffa products delicately care for the skin of adolescents. In addition, I always advise teens to use a small amount of our unique balm - Healing Balm, which copes well even with acne. It is made on the basis of aromatic healing oils and contains extracts of mint, chamomile, lavender and tea tree. At the age of 20, you should start daily skin care, based on cleansing, toning and moisturizing. Closer to the 30th anniversary, aged 26-27, you need to use eye and neck cream. And, believe me, not a single woman in the world needs tons of creams and emulsions. In the Shiffa collection, I have two moisturizers - one for dry, one for oily skin, alcohol-free tonics, soft scrubs, and creams for the skin around the eyes. And all this, if only you need it. After all, you know better what you need.
Why is the Shiffa Express Spa concept good?
I really like the idea of the Shiffa Express Spa, which we opened in the Sephora store. After all, now, in order to choose the makeup you need, you can not buy it right away, throwing out a lot of money for the whole set - washing products, creams, tonics, and for starters, try how it works, it’s in the Spa, so that later, having decided, it’s already calm buy everything. I know for sure that any face makeup needs to be tried on the face. Even the foundation can not be selected correctly if you smear it on the hand in the store. This happened to me many times. I’ll buy some lipstick for myself, come home, put it in front of the mirror under normal lighting conditions and .... I give my daughters toys. Not suitable.Our Spa allows you to make the right choice from what you liked during the procedure. And we often find that the next day, customers who visit the Shiffa Express Spa return to the Sephora store again to buy something for their body.
Which Shiffa product do you like best?
I personally really love Sweetness Body Lotion - it is not too oily and not too heavy, but it moisturizes the skin perfectly. By the way, many women, paying great attention to their face and neck, completely forget about the skin of the body or hands, and she also loses moisture and takes on a well-groomed appearance. For me, caring for the whole body is very important, because in my 50s I don’t want to look at 60, I want to look at a good 50, and preferably 45. And it’s in my power. I am happy to recommend and send my relatives and friends new hair oils, tonics for face and body, balms and creams. Because they trust me, and it is valuable. I always ask them: "Please tell me what you liked and how you felt when using Shiffa products." I get a lot of flattering reviews that motivate me to create more and more new products that really work.
If you create everything you have in mind, what will plastic surgeons do? By the way, as a doctor, how do you feel about plastic surgery?
I am against plastic surgery, because from the first glance at a person you can say whether he had plastic surgery or not. Everything that does not look natural is ugly. Unfortunately, many people do not understand this. And an army of people with the same lips, noses, ears is growing. It's horrible. As a doctor, I'm more interested in dermatological cosmetic procedures. It seems to me that if I return to medicine, then I will become engaged in this area. This is an art, especially if you fall into the hands of a true specialist. Again, make a reservation, I do not believe in Botox. Just because constantly injecting small doses of this poison into the body, you poison yourself from year to year. What for? Botox accumulates in the liver, and no one has yet conducted research on its effect on the entire body. This drug has its place in medicine when it is prescribed to unfortunate sick people with a nervous system disorder in order to relieve or stop the involuntary movement of arms or legs, but nothing more.
Filling is what I'm extremely interested in. Today, there are developments in the world that allow filling wrinkles with fat or collagen fillers. Already there are laser techniques to strengthen and activate weakened collagen fibers in the inner layers of the skin. This is what ideally should make a good cream. All this is the future of aesthetic medicine. And it is very interesting for me. My love for everything natural does not mean at all that I am against everything progressive, which makes people more beautiful. I am against what disfigures people.
Are your daughters interested in what you do and in cosmetics in general?
They are real girls. They like to watch me mix different oils, always try to mix something of their own. I never interfere with them. The only thing I pay special attention to is that the shampoos and soap that they use are natural, the teeth are brushed and the hair is combed. In all other respects, I try to make them grow up free and educated people. I do not plant complexes for my children, telling them that they are too thick or thin, that if they eat less, they will be beautiful. We, adults, are usually to blame for the complexes with which our children grow up, while also knowing perfectly well that not a single ideal model from the cover of a glossy magazine really looks like that. My girls are, of course, flirts. But I am not against their experiments. I don’t want to overthrow the entire beauty industry, but just as a doctor, as a mother, just as a person, I believe that external beauty is not everything. Physical and psychological health is much more important.
In my methods of education, I profess simple principles - children should be washed, combed, neatly dressed, well-fed and, most importantly, polite and respectful. With everyone around, without exception. For me, good manners mean everything. When a person does not respect himself, he does not respect others. This is especially important for women in whom a sense of self-esteem and dignity should be laid down from childhood. I hope my girls live a good and happy life.
What does the word Shiffa mean?
The word Shiffa in Arabic means "healing." I believe that all Shiffa products should benefit and heal from within. If you apply oil to the surface of the skin, certain ingredients penetrate into its deeper layers, enter the bloodstream and continue to work from the inside even when you have already stopped using the product. Shiffa cosmetics is designed to reprogram your skin, and it should continue to work the way it worked under the influence of our product.
By the way, we must remember that all flower essences and natural extracts work depending on the needs of your body. For example, lavender has both a tonic and relaxing effect. It all depends on what your body needs at this particular moment. Many people ask me: "Make my skin perfect." I answer: "I can’t if you were not born with perfect skin, but I can do everything in my power to make it look great, but not perfect." Ideals are generally very subjective. Does it concern a figure, or a face, or something else. And usually, you know, the grass is always greener on the neighbor’s lawn. I believe that you need to rejoice at what nature has gifted you, and try to support it.
What products did the Shiffa brand start with?
It all started with four types of oils - for pregnant women, for relaxation, emollient and tonic.
How many products does the Shiffa collection have now? And how long does it usually take to create a particular tool?
To date, the Shiffa collection has about 15 products. The creation of each new tool can take from 6 months to two years. It all depends on how quickly the product becomes exactly what I intended it to be.
What is the most unique in today's Shiffa collections?
The most unique is the precious Gem Oils oils. In bottles with these types of oils are hidden the real and best gems - diamonds, emeralds, sapphires and rubies. I travel a lot and, though it doesn't seem strange, I believe in the magic of precious stones. In Indian gemology, a lot of space is given to the healing properties of stones. It is believed that every stone is able to help with a particular ailment. Europeans also believe in the healing power of crystals. So, I decided to combine the healing properties of Shiffa oils with the magical properties of stones. After using the oil, you can get the pebbles from the bottle and use it in jewelry. In a word, my precious oils are a hit in all countries where Shiffa products are presented.
Was it difficult to start a business?
Yes very. Being a woman in Dubai is an advantage today, thanks to our wise ruler Sheikh Mohammed and his policy to ensure that women take no less part in the life of their country than men. But getting a bank loan for a new company was an almost impossible task. Banks are usually more willing to give money to those who want to open a company selling fashionable clothes or a real estate developer. When I informed the bank that I wanted to open my own cosmetics company, they looked at me there as if I were crazy. Now, if I decided to build an elite multi-storey house, then I would probably have been given money immediately and tens of times more. In general, the idea seemed too risky to the bankers, and I had to finance my project myself. Until the time when the Sheikh Mohammed Foundation for Young Business Leaders was established, which supported me, as well as other young emirate entrepreneurs who put forward risky and daring projects. I received my first loan from this Fund. And the local banks refused me simply because the Middle East has never had its own companies producing high-quality skin care cosmetics. Such as Shiffa.
So you made a kind of revolution?
It turns out that so. And I hope that the consequences of this revolution will benefit everyone, be peaceful and healing. After all, Shiffa is healing.
Thanks for the conversation, Lamis. Health and success to you.
