Saudi Arabia is brimming with beauty professionals, however Nora Bo Awadh seems to be in a league of her own. With an A-list celebrity clientele, including Balquees Fathi, Assala Nasri and Yasmine Sabri, as well as her own successful make-up line, the Jeddah-born and based make-up maven is undoubtedly a top regional player in the beauty industry.
With 3.1 million followers on Instagram, including Huda Kattan, and 821,000 subscribers on her YouTube channel, Nora has come a long way since she started to work her magic with her friends and found a summer job at a local salon. Despite her parents’ reservations, she followed her dreams, built up an excellent reputation and become one of the most successful Saudi make-up artists.
Apart from her mesmerising tutorials that help YouTubers achieve looks that range from Bronze and Doll’s to Candy and Sweet and Simple, here are two ways Nora made it to the top.
Collaborations with major make-up companies
Creative collaborations, which are an essential part of marketing and make for a great social media presence, are reshaping and revitalising the beauty industry. And with their magic combo of newness and commerciality, creative professionals know that a shared effort and unified vision can have amazing results.
The “Nora Bo Awadh Favourites” was one such collaboration with M·A·C. Cosmetics. The aim was to offer the uber-talented make-up artist’s favourite products, with the four kits including iconic staples for make-up lovers. Plus, for the Yasmine Sabri x M.A.C make-up collaboration, the actress worked hand-in-hand with Nora to create the limited-edition range. She also backs the New York-based brand while doing tutorials, such as “Healthy and Fast Make-up x M.A.C.”
Nora, who is always ahead of the curve, has also been part of a dream team with Make Up For Ever several times. She kicked off its #PROTAKEOVER campaign with Wojooh, which was a collaboration with regional celebrity make-up artists in the GCC area, including Fatima Al Doseri, Layaly and Waad Al Turki. Additionally, Norar epresented the Middle East, along with some of the other renowned Arab make-up maestros like Hindash and Bouba, during Make Up For Ever’s global Artists Rock event last year, which celebrated the brand’s make-up artists’ collective. She has also been involved in a tutorial for The Brow Show using their products.
A Winning Make-Up Line
Since launching her eponymous make-up line in 2016, the only way has been up for the 24-year-old thanks to coming up with quality products that help women feel good about themselves. (Distinctive and pretty packaging is always a bonus too.) A true visionary, Nora is producing some amazing creations that are namely inspired by Saudi women’s features, such as their eye shapes and skin colours, which include soft, creamy, light-to-wear and long-lasting lip products like the Nora Lopgloss, Nora Lipstick-Matte Waterpro, Liquid Matte Lipstick and Matte Lipstick.
When it comes to dressing up the eyes, Nora is best known for her faux lashes, the first product she drew up. Her sophisticated 3DMink Lashes, which come in various styles like NM, H, NS and U, are made up of dense, natural bristles. Another great eye creation is The Nora Shimmer Eyeliner, with the glistening liquid eyeliner being the perfect choice for enhancing an everyday look.
And for some more sparkle, whether for the face or body, the light-reflecting loose Professional Makeup Glitter is a cool addition to any make-up kit. When it comes to versatile beauty tools, the Makeup Sponge For Foundation, which evenly blends make-up, is the must-have to add to your shopping basket. With rounded sides for larger areas of the face and a flat edge for contouring around the eyes and nose, it’s perfect for an overall smooth and enhanced finish.
