Riyadh, April 19, 2018

1. Woman with face cover applying makeup

2. Makeup stands in Sephora

3. Close of makeup stand

4. Various of Saudi women in Sephora

5. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Abeer, Saudi employee at Sephora in Riyadh:

"I know they say selling makeup is hard here, considering women from the Gulf cover their faces, but it's not hard, not hard at all, it's easy. We like to wear makeup and it doesn't have to be for men, even when it's just women together, it's nice to be able to look good."

6. Fenty Beauty stand

7. Various of women looking at Fenty Beauty makeup

8. Close of employee's shirt with Rihanna images

9. Woman wearing green lipstick from Fenty Beauty

10. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Jihan Sheib, Bahraini singer:

"The publicity around (the celebrity makeup lines) makes it very popular and in demand. Even if you haven't tried the product at all, because of the hype on social media – like Snapchat and Instagram – you become curious about it and want to try it."

11. Various of Huda Beauty stand

12. Entrance to Sephora shop

13. Sign reading (Arabic) "For families only"

14. Various of woman wearing headscarf with Saudi emblem

15. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Haifa Alwathlan, Saudi woman and Sephora employee:

"We could never feel comfortable. It's hard to buy makeup when a man is trying it out for me, testing it on my hand or my face, it's very hard. I used to try it quickly and then take it, they wouldn't even ask what my skin type is or what color works better for me. We would just take whatever is there."

16. Fenty Beauty stand in Sephora

17. Close of Fenty Beauty product with woman's reflection in mirror

SAUDI MAKE-UP SALES ON THE RISE AS MORE FEMALES JOIN THE WORKFORCE

In Saudi Arabia, where most women cover their faces and hair, makeup sales are one of the biggest spends among women who are increasingly joining the workforce and have their own salaries to spend from.

It's also in part because, unlike in many Western countries where more natural makeup looks are en vogue, women across Arab Gulf countries often lean toward bright, eye-catching makeup styles and accessories that offset the utilitarianism of black abayas.

"I know they say selling makeup is hard here, considering women from the gulf cover their faces, but not it's not hard, not hard at all, it's easy," says Abeer, an employee of Sephora in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh.  

"We like to wear makeup and it doesn't have to be for men, even when it's just women together, it's nice to be able to look good," she adds.

The newest make up brand to launch across Sephora make up stores is Fenty Beauty by superstar Rihanna.

The Bajan singer tweeted the news on April 7th "I'm so happy to announce that @FentyBeauty is coming to Saudi Arabia on April 19th!! #SephoraMiddleEast"

Rihanna's brand has received a lot of hype since it's launch in 2017, perhaps because of its inclusivity of all skin colors. The artist introduced 40 foundation tones to match all ethnicities.

Fenty Beauty is the latest in a line of celebrity makeup brands, following others by Kim Kardashian and her sister Kylie Jenner.   

"The publicity around (the celebrity makeup lines) makes it very popular and in demand," says Jihan Sheib, a Bahraini singer who admits her biggest spend is makeup.  

"Even if you haven't tried the product at all, because of the hype on social media – like Snapchat and Instagram – you become curious about it and want to try it."

Dubai-based makeup artist and entrepreneur Huda Kattan made a name for herself after launching a makeup line in 2013, going on to become one of "ten most powerful influencers in the world of beauty" in 2017 according to Forbes.

Huda Beauty has a following 25 million people on Instagram

Employees at Sephora in Saudi Arabia say their sales have increased since a law was enforced in 2012, only allowing women to work in beauty and lingerie shops. Female Saudi shoppers who spoke to AP say they felt empowered by their own salaries from entering the workforce.

Empowering more women to enter the workforce is seen as a necessary step toward strengthening the economy and creating millions of jobs for young Saudis who will be seeking employment in the coming years.

To satiate the desires of young Saudis and to make the country more resilient in the face of lower oil prices, Saudi Arabia's heir to the throne, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, is trying to boost what citizens spend locally on entertainment and fun.

To achieve this, the crown prince has pushed through a number of sweeping social reforms curbing the influence of ultraconservatives. Religious police, for example, no longer patrol malls looking for signs of nail polish or women's faces showing.

Prince Mohammed is also behind a decision to lift a ban on women driving, which will allow women to more easily get to work instead of having to rely on male relatives or costly personal drivers.

The decision was largely supported by the Saudi public, though ultraconservative clerics criticized the measure and said allowing women to work in stores would open the door to lasciviousness and sin.

Previously, women who wanted to buy makeup or lingerie in Saudi Arabia would have to purchase these often personal and intimate products from an all-male staff of mostly lower-wage workers from the Philippines.

It created for awkward encounters when, for example, a woman wanted to try on a new eye shadow or foundation, but couldn't lift her face veil in front of the salesman or allow him to touch her skin due to the country' Islamic mores governing gender segregation. Sifting through lingerie pieces and having a male employee suggest the right bra size wasn't any easier.

"We could never feel comfortable. It's hard to buy makeup when a man is trying it out for me, testing it on my hand or my face," said Haifa Alwathlan, who started working in clothing and makeup stores in Saudi Arabia soon after women were allowed.

Earlier this week, Saudi Arabia opened its first movie theatre, showing the blockbuster film "Black Panther" to a select audience. Tickets for the public are expected to go on sale in the coming days.

Other reforms include the return of musical concerts and performances that were once unthinkable only a few years ago. The kingdom also recently held its first ever fashion week.