As a fashion-forward Emirati businesswoman, Mthayel Al Ali has never let her followers and fans down thanks to her undeniable sense of style, her eclectic lifestyle and drive to go against the norm. The founder of “Tkhayyal”, a creative marketing company, is only 24 years old and has already made it to the top. For her wedding, Mthayel turned to Lancôme – the French beauty brand that didn’t fail to create breathtaking subtle makeup for her, all the while staying true to local traditions.
Azyaamode readers, get ready as Mthayel Al Ali tells us a few things about her amazingly unique wedding and her cherished story with Lancôme.
Your wedding was held in an extremely serene setting – The farm in Al Barari, how did you come up with this theme?
Honestly, the very first reason for theme was to have an amazing photo album; it needed to be someplace photogenic to really capture the memories. Naturally the best photo-shoots happen in the day light, so the first idea was to maybe do mine in day time and the wedding at night. Then I had a radical thought– why not have everything done in the day! I searched everywhere for a private place! There are so many beautiful beaches and places in Dubai where you can hold a wedding in, but the problem was that none of them are private enough for us Emirati ladies to uncover ourselves. I went through so many places. After I called all the hotels, I reached a point where I decided to do it at a private farm. That’s when it occurred to me – The Farm! I went there the next day, and it was perfect! The team was so flexible and helpful; they even have a spa connected to it, which was the perfect place for me to get ready. I knew The Farm was the perfect place for my wedding.
Can you tell us a bit about your daily skincare routine that gives you such refreshed and glowing skin?
Honestly, I never had a skincare routine. Skincare was never a big thing in the [local] community. We were not educated on the importance of keeping the skin moisturized and I had so many friends that applied makeup without a moisturizer but now it has become second nature. Once I got the latest Lancôme Absolu L’Extrait last year, I have been using it since then and I get so many compliments on my complexion. It also doesn’t hurt that my husband loves the smell! For the last week, I have also started using the Gel Eclat cleanser. I love my skin now, I can really feel the difference. I use Advanced Genifique from time to time, and I am buying lots of different skincare to see what really works for me, and I have yet to find anything to replace Absolu L’Extrait! We are definitely a generation that is asking more questions about makeup and skincare and it is something I want to talk more about.
What are the top 5 Lancôme products you can’t live without?
Absolue L’Extrait Ultime Essence, L’Extrait Concentrate Absolu L’Extrait Elixir day cream, Bi-Facil – which is the best eye makeup remover – and La Base Pro Pore Eraser is absolutely amazing; I just love the velvety texture.
Tell us about your favorite Lancôme fragrance.
Well of course I had La Vie Est Belle at my wedding as giveaways for the guests and everyone absolutely loved the idea! It was obviously different because typically you would expect something traditional, and no one expected to have a perfume, that represents me as a personalized idea for a giveaway, where each fragrance was individually wrapped and stamped with a statement saying that this was my favorite perfume. People until today tell me that they didn’t get the perfume and how can they get some! I think to myself, ‘where did all those bottles go, I had the numbers on point!’ I really loved the idea that now everyone is linking La Vie Est Belle to me, and now that I am in China every time my friends see the fragrance, they take a picture and send it to me.
How does this bridal makeup look reflect your personality?
The whole wedding reflected my personality and I wanted my makeup to go along with that. I also wanted the makeup to reflect the venue and to be very light, youthful, soft, and of course long lasting. My trust in the makeup artist helped achieve that. Right after completing the full look I saw that it was simple, perfect for the camera, and everyone kept complimenting me during the day. Everyone loved it and said “you are the same Mthayel, in a very elegant way”. I still don’t know what the makeup artist did to keep me true to myself, and yet look like an elegant bride. It was the perfect look, for a perfect day!
In the Photo Gallery images that give you a glimpse at her wedding and inspire you.
Mirella Haddad
