Skincaf
founder: Salama Mohammed Al Hajri
course: Diploma in Organic Skincare Formulation
Graduation year: 2022
location: United Arab Emirates
Hero product: Blue Tansy & Sidr Makeup-Melting Cleansing Balm
Brand overview
Founded by Formula Botanica graduate Salama Mohammed Al Hajri, Skincaf is a homegrown Emirati skincare brand inspired by the rituals, botanicals, and quiet resilience of the desert. Rooted in nature and tradition, the brand was born from a desire to reconnect with meaningful ingredients and create a slower, more intentional skincare experience.
Skincaf began with a simple question: what if skincare could feel like a moment of pause, a ritual of care? That idea came to life in the brand’s first creation, the Blue Tansy & Sidr Cleansing Balm. Formulated with calming blue tansy and nourishing Sidr fruit oil, it gently melts away makeup while offering a sensory experience that soothes both skin and spirit.
Guided by values of honesty, sustainability, and authenticity, Skincaf blends modern formulation practices with the wisdom of regional plants. Each product invites women to reconnect – with themselves, their roots, and the land they call home.
Salama credits Formula Botanica with giving her the structure and confidence to turn an idea into something real. Before enrolling, she was experimenting independently, mixing ingredients out of curiosity and passion, but she knew that building a brand with integrity required a deeper understanding of formulation science.
Through the course, Salama learned how to formulate from the ground up – how to select ingredients with purpose, create safe and stable products, and design formulas that genuinely deliver results. “It wasn’t just about mixing,” she explains. “It was about formulating with intention.”
Equally important was the confidence the programme gave her. Seeing other graduates launch their brands, receiving support from the student community, and having access to expert knowledge made the journey feel far less overwhelming. Formula Botanica also helped her stay focused on her vision: to build a skincare brand inspired by her culture and rooted in honest, sustainable beauty. With that clarity and support, Skincaf was able to come to life exactly as she had imagined it.
