An Art Director’s Beauty Guide to Beirut
A little bit tomboy and a little bit rock n’ roll, Mélanie Dagher’s look is a reflection of her travels. The Lebanon-born Dagher earned her masters degree from London College of Fashion and spent long stretches of time in Paris before settling in Beirut, where she’s the Senior Art Director of one of the Middle East’s most popular fashion magazines, A magazine. Her style pulls from all three cities and her beauty routine is admittedly more low-key than that of many of her local counterparts. But being polished is in her blood, so we asked her to reveal where she goes to look her best.
Hair
Fadia El Mendelek cuts my hair. She’s the least famous of Lebanon’s El Mendelek hair dynasty—every relative has opened a salon!—but she’s the edgiest. If you want bangs or a funky cut, she’s the stylist to see.
Wellness
I put Whittard teabags from London on my eyes when I party too much; they clear up dark circles. Sometimes I rub rosewater on my skin when I’m feeling stressed. The scent reminds me of my grandmother, which is comforting.
Fitness
I used to have a personal trainer, but I just joined U Energy. It’s small but has a whole floor of machines, classes, and a bar with protein shakes. There’s also a rooftop, where you can do yoga with a view overlooking the city.
Beauty Food
The Gathering, one of my favorite restaurants, uses organic ingredients. They have an amazing quinoa salad and a falafel burger that’s very healthy. At least I like to think it’s healthy!
Nails
I paint my nails in nude, red or black, and Emak always gets exactly what I want. It sounds silly, but short nails with black polish—or even no polish—aren’t so common in Lebanon. They’re also very professional, which is important.
Skin
Dermapro gives facials that make you feel like you’re glowing. They also have a laser hair removal department, so the space is huge. I like that it’s not too girly. The name and the colors are all very clinical, but in a good way.
