Scroll through TikTok for long enough and there is a good chance you will land on a makeup tutorial, most likely a woman doing her routine. But Ali Majed, a Saudi beauty influencer with over 700,000 followers, brings something different to the table.
As a young man in a space largely dominated by women, he is not just showing off looks; he also shares his knowledge behind makeup and skincare, and making that knowledge accessible, fun and inclusive for people from all ages and backgrounds.
In one of his videos, for example, Majed answers a question from a follower asking how to apply concealer on mature skin, specifically for a woman in her 50s with wrinkles. He breaks it down step by step, starting with a simple but important tip: applying moisturizer under the eyes to soften the skin and help the concealer go on more smoothly.
The more you watch Majed’s videos, the more it is clear how well he gets his audience. He understands that the region’s climate calls for a different approach to skincare and makeup, and he does not just push products. Instead, he creates space for honesty and connection, especially through his ‘Fadfada Friday‘ series, where he opens up about personal struggles like emotional detachment, and how he has worked through them.
But Majed is not the first Saudi male beauty creator, or even a beauty creator in the space, as he is part of a rising wave of beauty influencers that have become part of Saudi Arabia’s growing beauty market. In Saudi Arabia, the cosmetics market is growing at 10 percent every year, way ahead of the global average. Saudis are the highest spenders on beauty products in the Middle East, and this is particularly because half the population are under the age of 30 years old.
Beauty as a Path to Healing and Self-Expression
In an industry driven by viral trends, Majed sees his work as something more enduring, rooted in purpose. For him, makeup has always been about connection, self-expression, and healing.
“I’ve loved beauty for as long as I can remember,” Majed tells Saudi Streets. “As a kid, I was fascinated by the colors, the textures, and the transformative power of makeup. I used to sneak into my mom’s vanity, play and test all her different beauty products, and watch her get ready, it felt like magic.”
Beauty started as a form of play and self-expression, and over time, it became a source of healing, he notes. “It was never just about appearances, it was about the way it made me feel inside. That love stayed with me. And over time, it naturally grew into content creation.”
Initially, Majed focused on sharing makeup looks and honest product reviews. But quickly, his platform grew into something more meaningful: a space to break stereotypes and normalize beauty for everyone, regardless of gender.
“Beauty has no borders, no gender, no limitations,” he says. “That’s the message I keep coming back to.”
It was around 2017, during the height of beauty YouTube and Instagram tutorials, that Majed first became drawn to content creation. At the time, he was simply absorbing content, learning, and connecting with stories that resonated with him, often switching between Arabic and English creators.
“It was just fun at first,” he says. “But then I realized that I had something to say and something to show. I didn’t see many people who looked like me or came from where I’m from doing this, so I decided to become that person.”
That small decision sparked a steady rise. As more Saudis turned to social media for beauty advice, Majed’s following grew organically as he built trust with his audience, one post at a time.
“It didn’t happen overnight, but I showed up with honesty, and people connected with that,” he says. “Eventually, a few followers turned into a real community. It’s been beautiful to watch it grow.”
From TikTok Star to Brand Owner
Majed’s audience was first drawn to his genuine presence and unfiltered honesty, but it was his entrepreneurial ambition that truly set him apart. Following in the footsteps of beauty influencers like YouTuber Michelle Phan, who founded Em Cosmetics, and YouTuber Nikkie de Jager, the creator of Nimya, Majed began laying the foundation for a brand of his own.
“The moment I realized this could be more than a hobby came when brands started reaching out to me,” he explains. “For the first couple of years, I was just doing it for fun, but then companies began offering partnerships and paid collaborations. That was eye-opening.”
Seeing the potential, Majed leaned into the opportunity. He began to envision a future where content creation was not just about posting videos, it could also be the foundation of a business.
Soon after, he launched Ali Majed Beauty this year, a brand best known for its high-quality makeup brushes that reflect his personal touch: functionality for different formulas and skin textures.
“I started treating it like a business,” he says. “I scheduled projects, set goals, and developed my own products. Bit by bit, as I earned income and helped others through my platform.”
Through a series of videos, Majed shares how his family has been by his side, helping pack orders and support his growing business. In one particularly emotional moment, he celebrates a milestone—his first 10,000 orders—with a cake and his loved ones.
Majed is part of a growing wave of male entrepreneurs in the region making their mark on the beauty industry, following in the footsteps of pioneers like Bassam Fattouh, founder of Bassam Fattouh Cosmetics, and Mohammed Hindash, who recently became Cosmopolitan Middle East’s first male cover star.
Saudi Arabia itself is embracing this momentum, hosting large-scale events for beauty creators, including Beautyworld Saudi Arabia, the Kingdom’s largest beauty trade show, which took over Riyadh just last month.
“Seeing stories like his helped me understand that there was a real industry behind this,” Majed says. “I also noticed how big the market was getting. I knew I had to turn my passion into my career.”
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