Dubai-based influencer Nabilla Vergara opens up about her beauty brand debut in UAE and building an empire

Nabilla Vergara knows a thing or two about turning over a new leaf. The French-Swiss social media influencer is living her best life in the UAE as she launches her beauty brand here, and there seems to be no stopping her ascent after years of ‘shortcomings’ in the public eye.

Vergara used to make headlines in France for her stints on reality TV shows, and for her run-ins with the law. Despite it all, the 30-year-old celebrity has built a strong fan base that follows her every move — she has 7.1 million followers on Instagram that keep up with her posts about motherhood, fashion and lifestyle. She famously let people into her life in the seven-part Amazon Prime series ‘Nabilla: Without Filter’, where she spoke about her parents, her relationship with her husband Thomas Vergara and more.

The beauty entrepreneur, born to French-Algerian and Swiss parents, has a second baby on the way and recently celebrated the launch of her make-up brand in the UAE. Nabilla Beauty was first released in France in 2018 and Vergara is excited to see her hard work come to fruition in the country that she has called home since 2019.

In an email interview with Vergara, she opened up about her brand’s UAE debut and what it’s like to be a busy mum and entrepreneur.

Tell us about your beauty brand and the inspiration behind it.

Makeup is like therapy for me, a way to gain self-confidence, to express who I am. Beauty is a bit like the school of life; we experiment, we learn, we make mistakes, we start over, we create a personality, then we assert ourselves, and finally find ourselves. I want to give everyone the chance to try it and have the freedom to just be themselves!

With Nabilla Beauty, I wanted to offer as many people as possible quality beauty products at affordable prices, with simple items and products that are essential to all makeup routines, and suited for all skin tones. That is why I launched my brand with our first collection of matte liquid lipsticks and glosses. Since then, the collection has grown steadily and our eyeliner, palettes, mascara, blushes and highlighters have quickly become bestsellers.

What was the most challenging part while developing the brand?

The most challenging part is perfecting the product. I am very demanding in terms of getting the right colours and textures, so I ask our suppliers in Italy for many trials before getting the exact result I want. I don’t want to make any compromises on quality and so this requires and lot of time and effort but it’s worth it when I see the end result.

What would you say the three key selling points are about your brand?

Nabilla Beauty is a cruelty-free brand, it is made in Italy — the country where some of the largest makeup brands are made — and is developed with love for all skin tones.

How does it feel to be finally releasing it in the UAE?

We have been receiving requests on Instagram to launch the brand in Dubai every day for several months now, so I’m delighted to launch the brand at April Beauty... Nabilla Beauty was a huge success in Europe and the brand can now have its legitimacy across the UAE.

Why did you decide to make the show ‘Nabilla: Without Filter’, and what was it like filming for it?

It was an amazing experience! The Amazon Prime team stayed with us for over six months and they became a part of the family by the end! I accepted their proposal because after more than 10 years in this environment, I wanted to share what I had felt, explain my journey, experiences and the protections I had put in place to make up for the shortcomings of my younger years.

As a mum, social media influencer and businesswoman, what does the average day look like for you?

My family is my absolute priority. So that includes my husband, who accompanies me in all my professional decisions as well, my son, and my baby who is on the way. To manage everything, you have to be very organised. I have help at home of course, and my teams, whether on Nabilla Beauty or on the influencer side, who really help me to be as efficient as possible.

You’ve been living in Dubai for a few years now; what made you decide to move here?

Dubai has always been where I wanted to raise my family. I like the climate, the security and the quality of the education that you can give your children, which is why I decided to move to this city.

How do you feel about living in Dubai?

We feel safe and serene, like in a little cocoon of warmth.

Nabilla Beauty is available at April Beauty in The Dubai Mall, Sahara Mall, Dalma Mall and Al Ain Mall.