Dubai: A make-up artist has been cleared of practising aesthetic medicine at a beauty centre without obtaining a licence from Dubai’s health authorities.

The Dutch woman was stopped after a woman health inspector from the Dubai Health Authority [DHA] posed as a client and made an unannounced inspection visit to the beauty centre in Jumeirah in June.

Citing lack of corroborated evidence, the Dubai Misdemeanours Court acquitted the Dutch woman and the beauty centre’s Indian owner of any wrongdoing.

Records said that the DHA inspector was attended to by the Dutch make-up artist, who took her to a treatment room.

When she asked the Dutch woman about the treating aesthetic doctor, the Dutch woman told her that she herself would make the consultation and treatment at the same time.

“The inspector mistook a magnifying lamp that my client used to have a clearer vision while she applied the cleansing cream on her skin for a medical device. My client holds a college diploma in cosmetology and beautification. She did not provide any medical advice to the DHA inspector and she didn’t use any medical terminology with her. She just applied a cleansing lotion on her face. Law enforcement procedures were applied unlawfully against the Dutch woman,” defence lawyer Uday Al Kazwini of Dar Al Balagh Advocates and Legal Consultants argued in court.

The inspector asked the Dutch woman if she was licensed to practise aesthetic medicine at the beauty centre and then claimed to have discovered that the make-up artist was not licensed. Then she called the police.

“My client used a facial magnifying lamp as she applied cleansing lotion to the inspector’s face … such a lamp exists in all beauty centres and barber shops as well. The inspector deemed that device as a medical device but it is not. The inspector also misinterpreted the word consultant and deemed that my client was practising medicine without a licence. Actually, the word consultant does not mean that my client is a doctor or that she practises medicine … in other industries and professional fields, the word consultant is commonly used. My client is an experienced make-up artist and she works particularly in make-up, beauty and facial cleansing … her professional title is a beauty consultant at the spa where she works,” contended lawyer Al Kazwini.

The case lacked crucial or decisive evidence to corroborate prosecutors’ accusation that the suspect had practised medicine without a licence, said the lawyer.

Police apprehended the make-up artist and the beauty centre’s Indian owner before prosecutors accused the Dutch of practising unlicensed aesthetic medicine and the Indian woman was charged with abetment [by hiring the make-up artist].

The Dutch woman argued in court that she only did make-up at the centre and dismissed the inspector’s allegations that she offered her a treatment.

The Indian owner told police interrogators that the Dutch woman had been working for her since 2014 as a make-up artist and not as a doctor.

“The inspector came in for a consultation and I was cleaning her skin in the room. I applied cleansing cream on her and cleaned her skin … such a cream is used by anybody at home,” said the Dutch woman.

In his verbal argument before the court, lawyer Al Kazwini contended that his client did not mention that she was a beauty therapist to the inspector and told her she was a make-up artist.

Wednesday’s ruling remains subject to appeal within 15 days.