By Biljana Markova, Founder & CEO of Clean Rebel
When I founded Clean Rebel a year ago, I thought I was stepping into the beauty industry. What I’ve realized is that I’m part of something much bigger: a movement led by women who want to live on their own terms. At its heart, Clean Rebel isn’t just about natural skincare. It’s about how we honor our bodies, our planet, and our collective future.
Over the past year, I’ve had countless conversations with women in the form of our customers, friends, and colleagues about what they’re really looking for in clean beauty. It’s not about 12-step routines or miracle ingredients. It’s about feeling safe in your own skin. It’s about trust. Women are done compromising on their health. They are done with toxic skincare products loaded with hormone disruptors, microplastics, and carcinogens, and done with unrealistic beauty standards that don’t honor real life.
One of the first lessons I’ve learned is how much our skin reflects our inner and outer environment. I’ve seen how many of us treat skincare like a Band-Aid, trying to cover up the effects of stress, poor diet, or exposure to toxins. But healthy skin starts with understanding that the skin is a living, breathing part of our bodies. An organ that communicates with our gut, our hormones, and even our emotional wellbeing.
That’s why at Clean Rebel, we believe skincare is holistic care. Our products are intentionally minimal, made only with natural and organic skincare ingredients, because the best formulations don’t try to do everything. They support the skin in doing what it does best: heal and renew itself. And ironically, that is much harder to formulate.
I’ve also seen how women are leading the charge in demanding transparency in skincare. We want to know what’s in our products and how they’re made. We want to know if a brand actually cares about the planet or if it’s just another greenwashing attempt. This transparency isn’t optional anymore; it’s the baseline. And that’s a good thing. It pushes all of us to simply do better.
Looking ahead, I’m more inspired than ever to continue this work. This year, we’re developing 15 new clean skincare products, each one designed to push the boundaries of what natural beauty can be. We’re diving into ancient beauty rituals and regional skincare ingredients, learning from the wisdom of generations past. We’re also working with a local university to explore how we can grow some of these powerful botanicals organically right here in the UAE bringing sustainability and local pride to the forefront of what we do.
We’re committed to building an even stronger community around clean beauty and non-toxic living. We’ll be hosting events and workshops to share knowledge, foster connection, and inspire each other to live more consciously. We’re also working to expand our presence in spas and wellness spaces in Dubai and the UAE, so more people can experience the magic of truly clean skincare.
Beyond our local roots, we’re also looking to expand across the GCC. We know that there are many conscious consumers in the region looking for products that align with their values. We’re excited to meet them and to grow this clean beauty movement together.
One of my biggest goals for the year ahead is to make education and awareness around clean beauty and non-toxic living a central part of our mission. Because when you know better, you do better. I want every woman who comes across Clean Rebel to feel empowered to make choices that honor her skin, her health, and her environment.
To everyone who’s been part of this journey so far: thank you. You’ve reminded me that skincare isn’t just about what we put on our skin. It’s about how we show up for ourselves, for others, and for our planet. And if the past year has taught me anything, it’s that when women lead with care and intention, there’s nothing we can’t do.
Here’s to another year of clean rebellion.
