DON'T MISS A THING

While on a recent trip to Dubai, I had the pleasure of meeting the exquisitely fashionable Reem Abou Samra, and in her most authentic form. This empowering woman is The Beauty behind the LaLoge brand and a force I am delighted to now have in my circle of empowering female friends.

“La loge” in French means a place where artists rest before and after performances and prepare for their shows. A perfectly selected name for a beauty salon dedicated to making its customers look beautiful and feel good. And just the name beauty industry icon Reem Abou Samra bestowed upon her UAE-based top luxury spa chain, LaLoge.

When people first think of beauty, they usually think of its physical form. But as we know, beauty on the inside is equally important. Further, the two forms are forcefully intertwined. With outer and inner beauty battling and emboldening women around the world.

As I sat in LaLoge’s Address Grand Creek Harbour Hotel location (one of 7 across the region) getting beautified to meet the queen of beauty herself, in she walked. Bringing with her an aura of confidence and kindness that instantly filled the glamorously designed salon set in Dubai Creek Harbour’s first 5-star luxury hotel, an architectural spectacle.

I watched as Reem interacted with her staff, the mutual respect clearly visible. As she made her way through the salon’s luxurious interior filled with warm rich materials, she stopped to look at a vase of roses and check the water. Her attention to detail was apparent everywhere. Empowered, joyous, beautiful, and so very warmly human.

Not knowing who I was, she settled in with her glam squad, and I continued my place as a voyeur while my glam team worked on. I felt empowered by her staff, who were working to beautify me. Lifting me up simultaneously outside and in. As an avid visitor to hair salons around the world in search of just the right blowout, I know from the way the stylist holds their brush before ever touching my hair if it will be a look I will love. I knew this would be.

My original intention for my visit was one of these fabulous blowouts, but when a makeup artist passed by and asked if I wanted my makeup done, I hesitantly accepted. A resistance that quickly passed as they transformed my style into a chic Dubai-ready look while I watched Reem’s team transform her from a gentile soft-spoken woman into an empowering force of nature determined to conquer the beauty industry.

Born and raised in Syria, Reem Abou Samra studied French literature at university, got married, and moved to Dubai in 1994, where she ventured into retail after spotting a gap in the market for luxury children’s boutiques in the UAE. Reem was an early adopter of the internet and e-marketing, which greatly helped propel her career.

Always looking to gain knowledge, in addition to her chain of LaLoge luxury spa salons, she delved into the worlds of jewelry design, gemology, yoga retreats, events, and more. Reem is also a mother to twin girls and a strong believer in work-life-family balance. 

A longtime lover of everything about beauty, Reem started LaLoge after spotting another gap in the market, this time between luxury spas and salons. She decided to blend the two more seamlessly and create a space where women can relax, rejuvenate, and beautify all at once. An experience dedicated to quality and customer service that sends clients strutting out the door with radiating confidence. A clear indicator of the beauty of Reem’s heart.

As I walked out of the salon with a ravishing blowout and makeup that made me feel like a million dollars, the perfection of LaLoge seared in my memory. 

Post simultaneous glam sessions, Reem received me graciously among her friends at LaLoge Cafe & Beauty, another magically designed interior located upstairs from her salon at the Address Grand Creek Harbour Hotel.

One of her more recent projects, LaLoge Cafe & Beauty is a meeting point for the ladies and men who lunch with a perfect view of the city of Dubai. From chic interior decor including a magical explosion of lit pink and red flora and fauna to a blissful classic patio with dashes of pizzazz in it’s black and red zebra print table tops, LaLoge Cafe & Beauty brings a taste of Paris to Dubai with a LaLoge twist.

And so began my lifelong love for LaLoge and my respect and admiration for Reem Abou Samra’s passion, entrepreneurial spirit, and desire to truly make the world a more beautiful and joyous place.

After witnessing first hand the way Reem empowers women through beauty, and being charmed by her exquisite taste in fashion and interior decor, I was left wanting more! A desire to hear more of her love for fashion, to know more of her favorite products and inspirations, her finds from her travels to the worlds most luxurious places and top fashion shows. A desire to dive deeper into the world of Reem Abou Samra. Could it be a LaLoge magazine? I hope!

With love,

Janet Morais

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