GlamBox

GlamBox, established in 2012, carved a niche in the Middle Eastern e-commerce landscape as a beauty subscription service. The company was co-founded by Shant Oknayan, Fares Akkad, Christos Mastoras, and Marc Ghobriel, who identified a gap in the market for a curated beauty discovery platform. The day-to-day operations at the outset were managed by Sonia Sultan and Monika Debowski, who, with their corporate and consulting backgrounds, were instrumental in the initial launch and proof-of-concept phase in the UAE. The founding team, leveraging their experience, successfully navigated the nascent e-commerce environment in the MENA region to build the company.

The core of GlamBox's business is a subscription model where customers receive a monthly box containing four to five sample-sized beauty products from a variety of brands. This service provides a channel for consumers to try new products from the comfort of their homes, addressing a market with high per-capita spending on beauty. The business generates revenue through subscription fees and commissions from the sale of full-sized products via its online store. The company expanded its operations from the UAE to Saudi Arabia, recognizing it as the region's largest beauty market. Over the years, GlamBox cultivated partnerships with over 200 international beauty brands.

The company's growth trajectory was supported by over $4 million in funding from notable regional investors, including STC Ventures and MBC Ventures. This investment fueled its expansion and technological development, including the launch of a mobile app and a grooming subscription service for men. In 2017, after five years of operation, GlamBox was acquired by a Saudi-based consortium with interests in media, retail, and hospitality. This strategic acquisition marked a successful exit for the founders and early investors, with the new ownership aiming to drive the next phase of growth in the GCC and beyond.

Keywords: beauty subscription box, Middle East e-commerce, GlamBox.me, beauty sampling service, online beauty community, UAE startup, Saudi Arabia beauty market, Shant Oknayan, Fares Akkad, Christos Mastoras, Marc Ghobriel, Sonia Sultan, Monika Debowski, beauty product discovery, cosmetics subscription, skincare subscription, fragrance subscription, MENA beauty industry, venture capital funding, e-commerce acquisition, STC Ventures, MBC Ventures