This week, Emirates Woman spoke to Sheena Yaitanes, Founder of the beauty brand Kosas.
Welcome to the Emirates Woman weekly series ‘How I got my job as…’ where we speak to some incredible entrepreneurs and businesswomen both based in the UAE and globally to find out about their career paths that led them to where they are now; what their daily routines look like; the advice they’d give to those starting out; and the hurdles they’ve had to overcome.
Her background began as a chemist-turned-beauty visionary who has long believed that makeup should feel as good as it looks. Raised between science and art, Yaitanes studied biological sciences and fine arts, an unexpected combination that ultimately shaped her signature approach to beauty: formulas rooted in meticulous research, delivered with a painter’s instinct for colour. Her own struggle to find makeup that worked with, not against, sensitive skin became the catalyst for Kosas. What she wanted didn’t exist, so she created it herself.
Since launching the brand in 2015, Yaitanes has redefined what “clean” makeup can look like, championing products that prioritise skin health without compromising payoff, comfort or creativity.
Under her direction, Kosas has become synonymous with weightless textures, skin-nourishing actives and a California-cool ease that resonates globally
Today, Yaitanes stands as one of the most influential figures in modern beauty, someone who didn’t wait for the industry to catch up to her standards, but built a brand that set new ones.
So to delve, into her story Emirates Woman sat down with her to see how it all began.
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What was your favourite subject at school?
I loved biology, studying living systems, how things grow, evolve and change. That curiosity about how things work has stayed with me my entire life and shows up in how I approach formulas today.
What was your first job?
I drove myself to a car wash and asked, “Can I have a job?” I ended up working as the cashier. It taught me so much about people and responsibility.
What brought you to Dubai?
While I’m based in Los Angeles, Dubai holds a special place for me because of the region’s rich culture of beauty and self-expression. The moment we launched my brand Kosas in the Middle East, I felt it was a natural fit: a vibrant market, a deep appreciation of glam and also of powerful, driven women.
What inspired you to enter the space and launch your brand?
I grew up watching my mother behind a makeup counter, surrounded by colour and possibility. At the same time, I had sensitive, acne-prone skin and often felt that makeup made things worse. I couldn’t understand why we had to compromise. With my background in biology, my love for art, and my obsession with colour, I saw an opportunity to create makeup that truly behaves like skincare. That became Kosas.
Talk us through the concept?
Kosas is born out of what I call “comfy glam”, makeup that enhances, that feels like you on your best day, not someone else. It’s named for the five Koshas or the layers of the self from Vedic philosophy. It’s the idea that our physical appearance is a manifestation of who we truly are on the inside. Beauty, to me, is the outward expression of what’s inward. Our products are skincare-forward, high-performing, inclusive in shade and in spirit, and made to be easy and intuitive.
What are the key elements of your role?
My role is multifaceted: invention, vision, product development. I’m deeply involved in the science, I oversee the art, the colour, the textures; I set the tone for the brand’s values and ethos; I engage with our community and markets globally. It’s about marrying technical formulation with emotional connection.
Talk us through your daily routine.
There’s no perfect day but here’s a snapshot: I wake up, make my one cup of coffee for the day, pack a lunch for my daughter, and drive her to school. Then I’ll get into the work day, which typically begins with reviewing development samples, looking at formulas in test labs, meeting with creative and colour teams, then checking in on market feedback and global launches. I’ll typically spend midday on meetings—from marketing to operations to retail strategy, then in the afternoon I might step into more thinking through visual storytelling, like design and photo shoots. Evenings are for my family, and for grounding myself so I can come back inspired the next day.
What advice do you have for anyone looking to follow in the same footsteps?
Trust your internal compass. I often say: “Notice what you do when no one’s looking.” That points you to your truth, your passion. And stay curious. If something doesn’t make sense or feels outdated, question it. That’s where innovation usually begins.
Tell us more about the products?
We create makeup products that feel like skincare. For example, our hero product Revealer Concealer doesn’t just cover.it brightens, hydrates, supports the delicate under-eye area. We build formulas with active ingredients, and we develop inclusive shade ranges so people across skin tones are seen. Whether it’s our foundation, lip oils, blushes, concealers—each piece carries that dual promise: performance + skin health.
What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
To stay connected to the work that feels natural and life-giving—the things you do instinctively. That’s where your purpose usually lives.
And what’s the worst?
Any variation of “That’s just the way it’s done.” Innovation doesn’t happen inside those boundaries. To me that’s not advice, that’s a stop sign. I have learned to run the other way when I hear it.
What’s the biggest challenge you have had to overcome?
Balancing the vision with execution. Forming the brand on my own, and then realising that to scale I needed the right team and processes. I’ve also had to navigate being a female founder in a space where structural support wasn’t always there. Recognising when to shift from doing everything myself and instead enable others to take part was a big milestone.
What lies ahead for the brand?
We’re fully committed to pushing the boundary between makeup and skincare even further. Expect deeper technology, even more inclusive shade stories, stronger global expansion (especially in markets like the Middle East), and richer stories of individual expression. At Kosas we believe beauty is a celebration of you, and we’re just getting started.
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