Bridging the Beauty Gap
JamaliBox is a beauty subscription box service that delivers a curated collection of makeup, skincare, haircare, and beauty products tailored to each customer’s preferences and skin type across the UAE and KSA.
Founded in 2023 by Haydar Zayat, an industry veteran with over a decade of experience in the beauty industry. He came to Modus with an idea—and was soon onboarded into our venture-building program to test, co-build, and launch his idea into a fully functioning product. 0-1.
“JamaliBox started with Modus from its idea stage. We worked hand in hand with Haydar to go through extensive work on customer discovery, business model validation, tech build, and launching with a clear and validated GTM strategy,” – Awad Makkawi, Director of Venture Building at Modus.
“The team worked on multiple areas covering our key functions – strategy, research, product, tech, design, and marketing.”
Founder Background: Bespoke Beauty in a Box
Haydar’s passion for empowering beauty enthusiasts across the UAE and KSA has driven JamaliBox’s mission of empowering individuals to discover their unique beauty through curated products and personalized experiences.
His extensive background in the industry has shaped the company’s commitment to providing a seamless and customized experience for customers eager to discover new beauty products. Haydar is a seasoned digital strategist with a proven track record of building and scaling successful e-commerce businesses, including an exited venture.
He brings a fresh and unique perspective to driving brand engagement, customer loyalty, and rapid sales growth leveraging his diverse backgrounds spanning merchandising, marketing, creative, finance, and digital strategy.
“I’ve always believed that beauty is personal. With JamaliBox, we’re not just delivering products; we’re crafting experiences tailored to each individual’s unique beauty journey,” – Haydar Zayat, Founder and CEO at JamaliBox.
Supporting Innovation in Beauty: Our Investment in JamaliBox
The decision to invest in JamaliBox stemmed from Haydar’s passion for empowering beauty enthusiasts to access curated products in order to discover their own beauty and preferences.
His mission to provide everyone with access to premium beauty products aligned strongly with our values and vision of building companies that are wanted and needed in the region.
Paired with Haydar’s drive and commitment, our research findings uncovered a significant shift in demand for beauty products—this data point underscored the immense potential for a beauty subscription service like JamaliBox in the region.
We are not only investing in a promising business model but also in a vision that resonates deeply with the beauty needs of a dynamic and growing demographic with a palpable appetite for cosmetic products.
Beauty Market Trends
The UAE’s cosmetics market, estimated at $1.1 billion, is highly competitive, with significant growth potential driven by consumer preferences for online shopping and premium beauty products. This market segment, with its potential customer base of approximately 2.3 million women, offers significant opportunities for businesses to thrive.
The rapid growth in the UAE beauty market has been driven by:
- Increasing disposable income
- Growing beauty consciousness among younger demographics
- Rising demand for personalized and premium beauty products
- Shift towards online shopping and subscription-based models
This shift in high demand for beauty products can be witnessed in Emirati women, who carry an average of 23 cosmetics products in their toiletry bags, indicating a high demand for beauty products, per our research findings.
The UAE market accounts for the highest annual spend per online shopper in the broader Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia region at $1,648.
Now that we have established that the UAE market is ripe for more beauty products, let’s delve into the Market Growth Rate and the Demand Potential data of the beauty market:
Market Growth Rate:
The UAE Cosmetic Products Market is projected to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 6.2% over the next five years.
Revenue Breakdown:
Total revenues in the UAE beauty and personal care market were expected to reach $1.3B by 2022, with 24% coming from e-commerce channels.
Segmental Revenue:
The personal care segment leads with $518.8 million, followed by skin care ($292.5 million), cosmetics ($174.5 million), and fragrances ($142.7 million).
Our Approach
JamaliBox is strategically poised to capitalize on these beauty trends, offering a solution that aligns perfectly with evolving consumer preferences.
To help JamaliBox capture a significant share of this market, we employed several strategies:
Market Segmentation:
We identified and targeted high-value customer segments that are likely to subscribe to a beauty subscription box service. Given the preference for online shopping, we focused on digital marketing channels to reach these customers.
Product Offering:
We developed a curated selection of beauty products that cater to the diverse needs of women in the UAE. This could include a mix of local and international brands, ensuring a balance between affordability and premium quality.
Pricing Strategy:
Considering the average yearly subscription fee of $474, we’ve set a competitive subscription fee starting at AED149/month (approximately $40.4), ensuring the pricing is attractive while maintaining profitability.
Customer Engagement:
To foster customer loyalty, we implemented a robust customer engagement strategy, including personalized product recommendations, loyalty programs, and regular feedback mechanisms to enhance customer satisfaction and retention.
Operational Efficiency:
Given the high demand and expectations of UAE online shoppers, we have streamlined JamaliBox’s operations with a robust logistics system to ensure timely delivery of the subscription box and to meet the consumers’ high standards.
Beauty Industry Gaps
While this all highlights that the beauty industry in the UAE is thriving, it still faces several challenges:
- Lack of Personalization: One-size-fits-all approaches fail to address individual skin types and preferences.
- Overwhelming Choice: Consumers are often inundated with countless product options, leading to decision fatigue.
- Limited Access: One of the biggest challenges for beauty brands is to place their products in the hands of the consumer.
- Time Constraints: Busy lifestyles leave little time for extensive product research and shopping.
Meet JamaliBox: Your Beauty Match
JamaliBox addresses these challenges head-on with its innovative subscription model:
- Personalized Curation: Using advanced algorithms and beauty expert insights, JamaliBox tailors each box to the subscriber’s unique profile.
- Diverse Product Range: JamaliBox offers a mix of renowned brands and exciting newcomers, catering to various tastes and needs.
- Convenience: Delivering curated beauty boxes directly to customers’ doorsteps saves time and effort.
While JamaliBox successfully bridged industry gaps, the product initially faced challenges in meeting customer expectations, which included finding tailor-fit beauty products that spoke to each customer individually.
These challenges were mitigated by a deep dive into user testing, with the support of Modus’ research team, which helped identify and address critical pain points, enabling the product to evolve and exceed customer expectations.
Challenge 1: Tailoring the right product for varying skin types
One of the key challenges the JamaliBox team encountered was tailoring the right products for varying skin types and customers’ individual needs. As a result, the team developed the JamaliBox Beauty Quiz – a series of questions about skin type, hair type, and beauty goals designed to provide personalized recommendations based on a user’s specific beauty needs and preferences.
However, without makeup artistry knowledge and a deep understanding of the subscriber’s skin needs, there was a risk of mismatched products being sent to customers.
The solution: JamaliBox amended the quiz to be more detailed to capture further personalization and assembled a team of experts who curate each box with products tailored to the customer’s needs and preferences.
Challenge 2: Automating an inventory management system
Developing an automated system that reviews inventory and then selects and suggests products based on user responses presented a significant challenge.
The solution: The Modus tech team is in the process of building a system to automate the process of selecting personalized products for JamaliBox subscribers, taking into account their purchase history and preferences.
Challenge 3: Lack of product understanding
After speaking to potential users, we found that many were unfamiliar with JamaliBox, its operational model, and how it’s distinguished from the ubiquitous beauty e-commerce websites serving the UAE market.
The solution: Modus’ marketing team has turned to email and social media channels to bridge the understanding gap and position JamaliBox as a leading bespoke beauty subscription service.
Targeted email marketing: We put JamaliBox’s best foot forward with a comprehensive email blast campaign to introduce the product’s offerings and the personalized beauty quiz.
The email campaign successfully generated initial awareness and interest among potential customers, thanks to a highly targeted content marketing strategy tailored to the specific demographics and interests of beauty enthusiasts and online shoppers.
Engaging social media campaign: We identified Meta as the most suited social channel at this stage to attract beauty enthusiasts and cosmetics connoisseurs and to expand JamaliBox’s reach across social media channels. A Meta lead campaign allowed for direct interaction with potential customers, fostering a sense of community and providing an opportunity to showcase the unique benefits of JamaliBox.
Frequently Asked Questions page: A comprehensive FAQs page was implemented serving as a vault of resources for potential subscribers, providing information about JamaliBox’s benefits, how it works, subscription tiers, and delivery frequency options. The FAQ page has helped address common questions and concerns regarding the product’s understanding and helped educate the target audience about JamaliBox’s value.
Search Engine Optimization: JamaliBox’s SEO efforts were pivotal in shaping consumer perceptions and positioning the brand as a leading beauty subscription box service in the UAE. “UAE beauty subscription box” and “beauty subscription box in the UAE” were identified as the primary key phrases, based on the preliminary keyword research findings, and optimized to effectively capture the attention of potential customers on the lookout for beauty subscription options in the region.
The strategic optimization of these key phrases associated JamaliBox with the growing market of beauty subscription services among online shoppers; while employing this localized approach (UAE) not only enhanced search rankings but also helped put the potential customers who preferred businesses operating within their region, in a trusted state of mind.
Challenge 4: Skepticism about value
There was skepticism regarding how JamaliBox could offer a box of luxury, full-sized products at a relatively low price.
The solution: The marketing team utilized a value-focused social media campaign to highlight the value proposition of JamaliBox, employing visual and storytelling tactics to emphasize the quality and affordability of JamaliBox’s beauty products.
Haydar appeared in a video to tell the story of JamaliBox and its mission, which struck a relatable chord with the audience and helped foster a strong connection with many subscribers. His storytelling has helped to humanize JamaliBox and nurture a sense of loyalty among subscribers.
Promising pricing strategy: JamaliBox also offers flexible subscription tiers catering to its customers’ differing needs and preferences while providing a compelling value proposition. This approach helped alleviate concerns about pricing and encourage long-term customer loyalty.
The pricing strategy was driven by Haydar’s mission to democratize access of luxury beauty products to subscribers from all walks of life at an affordable price.
Thinking Outside the Beauty Box
Zayat’s clear vision for JamaliBox’s value proposition was instrumental in guiding the development process. Modus played a key role in validating this vision through rigorous customer discovery and research to lay the foundational groundwork for JamaliBox, which involved:
Initial Customer Research: A targeted online survey was distributed to gather quantitative data and identify potential customer segments.
In-Depth Interviews: Qualitative interviews were conducted with a diverse group of individuals to gain deeper insights into their beauty needs, preferences, and pain points.
Business Model Validation: The viability of the JamaliBox business model was carefully evaluated, considering factors such as revenue streams, costs, and profitability.
Financial Modeling: A detailed financial model was developed to project future revenue, expenses, and profitability.
Go-to-Market Strategy Testing: Various marketing channels were tested using paid ads to identify the most effective and efficient ways to acquire customers.
Key Contributions:
End-to-End Customer Discovery: Modus oversaw the entire customer research process, from recruitment to data analysis.
Data-Driven Decision Making: Quantitative and qualitative research provided valuable insights for informing product development and go-to-market strategies.
Bridging the Gap: Modus addressed key customer concerns, including tailored product offerings, customer education, product design, user experience, and effective distribution channel testing.
Based on these findings, which indicated strong evidence that JamaliBox had the potential to tap into significant market demand, Modus developed a detailed Ideal Customer Persona (ICP), defining the definitive JamaliBox subscriber, and a scalable MVP to support JamaliBox’s ambitious subscription rate goal
This understanding informed the product’s design, customer journey, and overall value proposition. Armed with this validation, Modus proceeded to build the technical infrastructure necessary to deliver on the value proposition.
This entailed:
User Journey Design: Creating a seamless and intuitive user experience.
Quiz Development: Designing a personalized beauty quiz to match customers with suitable products.
Tech Infrastructure: Building a robust technical platform to support the subscription service and product delivery.
The final piece of the puzzle was launching JamaliBox, which happened in February of 2023, and executing on our customer-centric GTM strategy.
The Results 
Revenue growth
Since launching, JamaliBox has achieved impressive revenue well into six figures, with a 30% month-over-month growth, reflecting the growing excitement and demand for beauty subscription services in the region.
Subscriber base expansion
The subscriber count has also seen a significant increase, leading to 1600 shipped boxes, which translates to a 20% month-over-month growth. This surge in subscribers speaks volumes about the appeal of the JamaliBox experience. With a focus on a personalized beauty experience, JamaliBox has created a community of loyal customers who are truly excited to receive their curated boxes each month.
Market positioning
Thanks to our targeted marketing efforts, like search engine optimization and engaging social media campaigns, JamaliBox is now firmly positioned as a leading beauty subscription box in the UAE. Optimizing for key phrases, such as “UAE beauty subscription box,” has paid dividends in ensuring that when potential customers are searching for their next beauty box, JamaliBox is right at the top of their minds.
Scaling Startups for Future Success: JamaliBox Today!
JamaliBox has gone from a black box to a successful bespoke beauty box, racking up a 30% subscription rate. It is now a well-recognized platform for everything beauty and enjoys a large following of subscribers within the UAE.
Supporting Haydar and JamaliBox scale has been a beautiful journey for the Modus team. We are witnessing the fruits of our labor and partnership through a flourishing subscriber base and a strong foothold in the beauty market.
Our collaborative efforts not only addressed customer pain points but also drove brand awareness, engagement, and ultimately, revenue growth for JamaliBox.
We’re excited to see JamaliBox expand and innovate—and we remain committed to providing strategic support and guidance to ensure its long-term success in the ever-evolving beauty industry.
Learn more and get started with JamaliBox. Connect with Haydar Zayat.
