BUILDING ON MEMORIES

Mouna Abbassy is on a mission to make her skincare brand IZIL the number one name in science-led natural beauty, inspired by the heritage of her Moroccan home. She’s redefining the sector by relying on more than good marketing.

- HANNAH STEWART

Sitting in a newly acquired office in Dubai’s Al Barsha neighborhood, Mouna Abbassy has come a long way—3,000 miles, give or take. Born in rural Morocco, the 39-year-old grew up surrounded by the aromas of medicinal herbs, precious oils, and ghassoul clay drying in the sun; a treasure trove of ingredients that her mother would use to craft her own beauty products by hand. Today, the U.A.E. offers an entirely different assault on the senses, but as the founder of natural skincare brand, IZIL, Abbassy is never far from the scents of home. And as her company celebrates its 10th anniversary, its products are coming full circle: Morocco wants them back.

“We have a lot of Moroccan customers asking for our products. We are going to open to the market there very soon,” says the entrepreneur, who sells both online and in-store at the IZIL shop and spa in The Dubai Mall. From hammam experiences to creams infused with argan oil and damask rose, selling Moroccan beauty to Moroccans may sound like a fool’s errand, but Abbassy is business savvy. It took six years of selling from kiosks and exhibition stands for IZIL to turn a profit, but now it employs 100-plus staff and generates more than $10 million in annual revenue, according to the founder. Not bad for a company that started life as a three-person family business built on $50,000 in savings.