4 Saudi women share what it takes to be a game-changer

Cosmo caught up with designer and creative Alaa Balkhy; rapper Aseel Saraj, fashion blogger Jory Al Maiman; and skateboarder and actress Sarah Taibah to find out why they have become forces for change.

Alaa Balky, designer 

Image: Adidas

Cosmo Me: The most gamechanging beauty product every woman needs?
Alaa: Just joy and good energy. Oh, and water also helps.

Cosmo ME: What’s the most drastic beauty move you’ve ever made?
Alaa: Got curly bangs.

Cosmo ME: How much change have you got in your pocket right now?
Alaa: No change but vintage Gucci sunglasses and Dettol wipes - does that count?

Cosmo ME: How many times do you change your outfit before you leave the house?
Alaa: Going once, going twice…

Cosmo ME: How do you change your mind-set to a positive one when you just feel like giving up?
Alaa: Remembering that I’ve survived every bad thing that I have been through.

Cosmo ME: What’s the most exciting change you’ve seen in Saudi over the last year?
Alaa: Seeing people come together to create magic and watching the youth make their dreams come true.

Cosmo ME: If you could do anything to change the world, what would it be?
Alaa: Teleportation

Cosmo ME: What changes do you want to see more of?
Alaa: I would love to see more Saudi brands producing in Saudi. I want to see a fashion industry

Jory Al Maiman, fashion blogger

Image: Adidas

Cosmo Me: The most gamechanging beauty product every woman needs?
Jory: A good face serum to keep your skin healthy.

Cosmo ME: What’s the most drastic beauty move you’ve ever made?
Jory: Shaved half of my hair off!

Cosmo ME: How much change have you got in your pocket right now?
Jory: I rarely carry change, which often I regret.

Cosmo ME: How do you change your mind-set to a positive one when you just feel like giving up?
Jory: By surrounding myself with my family to regain the good vibes.

Cosmo ME: How many times do you change your outfit before you leave the house?
Jory: Two to three times depending on how much of a rush I am in.

Cosmo ME: What’s the most exciting change you’ve seen in Saudi over the last year?
Jory: Isn’t everything so exciting? I couldn’t keep up with how beautifully Saudi has been improving and blossoming.

Cosmo ME: What changes do you want to see more of?
Jory: Environmental change where people start taking care of the planet more.

Cosmo ME: If you could do anything to change the world, what would it be?
Jory: Bring the world to peace.

Aseel Saraj, rapper

Image: Adidas

Cosmo ME: The most gamechanging beauty product every woman needs?
Aseel: Au natural is all you need.

Cosmo ME: What’s the most drastic beauty move you’ve ever made?
Aseel: None – yet!

Cosmo ME: How many times do you change your outfit before you leave the house?
Aseel: Let’s just say I spend more time changing my outfit than I spend outside!

Cosmo ME: How much change have you got in your pocket right now?
Aseel: No change but a pocket full of verses

Cosmo ME: How do you change your mind-set to a positive one when you just feel like giving up?
Aseel: I like a challenge. Especially when a goal becomes hard to reach, my desire to achieve that goal becomes bigger.

Cosmo ME: What’s the most exciting change you’ve seen in Saudi over the last year?
Aseel: The driving ban lifted.

Cosmo ME: What changes do you want to see more of?
Aseel: Girls chasing their dreams. I challenged society by becoming one of the first Arab girls to rap and I’d like to see more women doing the same.

Cosmo ME: If you could do anything to change the world, what would it be?
Aseel: End racism

Sarah Taibah, skateboarder and actress

Image: Adidas

Cosmo ME: The most gamechanging beauty product every woman needs?
Sarah: Real cocnut oil.

Cosmo ME: What’s the most drastic beauty move you’ve ever made?
Sarah: Never wearing push-up bras lol.

Cosmo ME: How many times do you change your outfit before you leave the house?
Sarah: I change outfits in my head before trying them on, but when I actually put something on I usually stick with it.

Cosmo ME: How much change have you got in your pocket right now?
Sarah: None haha!

Cosmo ME: How do you change your mind-set to a positive one when you just feel like giving up?
Sarah: Breathe. Breathe again. I try to remember why I love what I love and manifest things.

Cosmo ME: What’s the most exciting change you’ve seen in Saudi over the last year?
Sarah: Omg. Everything.

Cosmo ME: What changes do you want to see more of?
Sarah: More women in the filmmaking industry,and specifically more authentic films by, about and for women showing them in their real habitat and not just as two-dimensional stereotypical characters with no depth.

Cosmo ME: If you could do anything to change the world, what would it be?
Sarah: I’d make it more feminine, more open and stop wars.