IN CONVERSATION WITH ROSEMIN OPGENHAFFEN FOUNDER, ROSEMIN BEAUTY

By Rishini Weeraratne

I was first introduced to Rosemin Opgenhaffen by Farzana Baduel, CEO of Curzon PR, at a Diwali dinner hosted by Sheena Bhattessa, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Citizen Femme, at Jamavar in Mayfair in 2025. In a room filled with beautifully dressed guests, Rosemin was impossible not to notice. Heads turn when she walks into a room. Immaculately put together yet never overdone, she possesses that elusive quality of being effortlessly stylish and impossibly cool, with the kind of presence that makes you curious about the woman behind the polished exterior. Our paths crossed again this summer at a mutual friend’s cocktail soirée. Over drinks, what began as a casual conversation became one of those wonderfully absorbing exchanges you instinctively want to continue, so we pencilled in a date for coffee. A fortnight later, we found ourselves tucked away at Maison Estelle in Mayfair, talking so intently that neither of us noticed the hours slipping by.

I will confess, I had initially assumed Rosemin was simply a glamorous social-media influencer. How wrong I was. Behind the beautiful clothes, formidable beauty knowledge and enviable life shuttling between London and Dubai is a brilliantly sharp entrepreneurial mind and a career spanning more than two decades. She has worked alongside some of fashion’s most influential figures, spent over a decade at Harper’s Bazaar Arabia, and founded RR&Co., her Dubai luxury consultancy, becoming a bridge between European luxury houses and the increasingly sophisticated Middle Eastern market. Now, she has put her own name, experience and philosophy into Rosemin Beauty, a brand conceived with women over 40 firmly in mind. Yet perhaps the most compelling story is Rosemin herself: warm, thoughtful, fiercely supportive of other women and refreshingly candid about finding love, IVF and becoming a first-time mother at 46. Rosemin’s story, I discovered, is not really about beauty at all. It is about ambition, courage, timing and the extraordinary possibilities that can unfold when a woman refuses to believe her most exciting chapters must come first.

You have lived a life across cultures; born in Canada to Indian parents from East Africa, growing up in London and eventually making Dubai home. When you think about the little girl you were, what parts of her are still unmistakably present in the woman you are today?

The curiosity, determination and imagination are all still there. I was born in Canada to Indian parents whose families had built lives in East Africa before being forced to leave Uganda in 1972. I was fortunate to attend fashion school in London and later made Dubai my home, where I have now lived for almost 20 years, so my identity has always been layered. As a child, I was fascinated by beautiful things. Fashion magazines such as W, Vogue and Town & Country were my obsessions, but I was equally fascinated by the stories behind them. I dreamed very big, even when I did not necessarily know how those dreams would unfold. That little girl was also incredibly resilient. My parents taught me that circumstances can change overnight, but your values, work ethic and dignity must remain. Those lessons have guided every chapter of my life.

You have spoken about being fascinated by your older sister’s makeup and perfumes as a child. What did beauty represent to you growing up, and what did the women in your family teach you about femininity and confidence?

Beauty represented transformation and confidence. I remember being fascinated by the rituals surrounding makeup and fragrance: the beautiful packaging, the textures and the way a woman could carry herself differently after applying something she loved. The women in my family taught me that femininity could be both soft and powerful. I always remember my mother’s scent, Samsara by Guerlain, and her iconic black eyeliner. They took pride in presenting themselves beautifully. I learned that beauty is not simply about appearance; it is about how you make people feel and how you carry yourself through the world. Makeup should never disguise who you are. At its best, it helps you feel more like yourself.

London formed so much of who you are, while Dubai seems to have given you the space to reinvent yourself. Who was Rosemin when she left London, and who did Dubai allow her to become?

London gave me my foundations; my education, cultural curiosity, creative references and understanding of fashion, art and luxury. I loved the art world and was torn between pursuing art or fashion. While at university, I had part-time jobs at places including Sotheby’s and Blain’s Fine Art, but the turning point came when I was headhunted from university to work full-time with Tom Ford during the Gucci years. It was my first real job and opened my world to design, leadership and business. I was ambitious but still discovering the full extent of what I was capable of. I travelled to Dubai frequently, and during one two-week trip I had an “aha” moment. I saw a niche in the PR and marketing landscape and decided to open my first business. In 2007, I took the entrepreneurial leap and moved. Dubai was growing at an extraordinary pace. There was a sense that if you had a strong idea and were prepared to work relentlessly, you could help shape an industry. Dubai allowed me to move beyond established structures and begin creating my own. It taught me to take risks, trust my instincts and see my cultural identity as an advantage rather than something I needed to simplify.

You arrived in Dubai in 2007, long before it became the global fashion, beauty and luxury destination it is today. What did you see then that perhaps others did not?

I saw tremendous possibility. Dubai was already attracting people from around the world, but its fashion and luxury industries were still developing. There was an opportunity to contribute rather than simply arrive after everything had been established. I also understood that women in the region were highly sophisticated consumers. They travelled, understood luxury, appreciated exceptional service and had beauty needs that were not always being addressed by international brands. Yet global companies often viewed the Middle East through a very narrow lens. My advisory business was really the first of its kind; a bridge between European headquarters and the Middle Eastern market. Dubai began to feel like home when I realised I could build both a career and a community there. It is a city that does not ask you to choose one part of your identity. It allows you to be international while remaining deeply connected to your heritage.

Your career has placed you alongside extraordinary names and creative forces in fashion and beauty. What did being in those rooms teach you about excellence and ambition?

Those rooms taught me that true excellence is rarely accidental. The most remarkable people I encountered were meticulous about every detail. Working closely with figures such as Tom Ford and Christian Louboutin showed me the importance of clarity, discipline and maintaining an uncompromising vision. My years in editorial, including more than a decade with Harper’s Bazaar Arabia, taught me how to recognise a compelling story and understand what truly resonates with women. I also learned that ambition does not have to make you unkind. You can be exacting and successful while remaining generous, gracious and respectful. Most importantly, I learned to observe. Every role and every room became part of my education. Much of what I absorbed over those years eventually found its way into Rosemin Beauty.

You have experienced the industry from almost every perspective: fashion, luxury, PR, consultancy, television, editorial and now beauty. Was there ever a period when your career looked incredibly successful from the outside, but privately you were questioning what came next?

Absolutely. There were several moments when my career looked very polished from the outside, yet internally I knew I was ready for something deeper. I had advised extraordinary brands and built a strong professional identity, but I began asking myself what I would ultimately leave behind that was entirely my own. Success can sometimes become a comfortable place in which to hide. You are busy, visible and achieving, so people assume you must feel completely fulfilled. But there can still be a quiet voice asking, “What is the next expression of who I am?” Rosemin Beauty became the answer, although it took many years to find the courage and the right timing. The original research deck dates back to 2015, but it wasn’t until 2023 that I finally had the courage to bring the idea to fruition.

You built RR&Co. while the luxury landscape in the Middle East was still developing. What did building your first business reveal about you?

Building RR&Co. demanded resilience, adaptability and an enormous amount of personal responsibility. When it is your company, there is nowhere to hide. You have to find solutions, inspire and protect your team, earn your clients’ trust and keep moving even when you feel uncertain. Entrepreneurship revealed that I was far more resourceful than I had realised. It also taught me how much I valued independence and the ability to build something according to my own standards. But running a business also exposed my vulnerabilities and forced me to become comfortable with uncertainty. That first company was an extraordinary education. It taught me that an idea is only the beginning; the real work lies in consistently executing it with integrity.

For much of your career, you have advised brands, represented them and helped tell other people’s stories. What changes when it is your own name on the product?

Everything becomes more personal. When your name is on a product, there is no emotional distance between you and the response it receives. Every formula, shade, component and message feels like an extension of you. I had spent decades helping other people refine and communicate their vision. Creating Rosemin Beauty required me to turn that lens on myself and articulate exactly what I believed was missing. That was both liberating and frightening. It also created a greater sense of responsibility.

I am asking women to invest their trust and money in something carrying my name. Nothing can exist simply to fill space or follow a trend. Every product must have a clear purpose and genuinely earn its place in a woman’s beauty routine.

The original idea for Rosemin Beauty dates back to 2015, but you returned to it years later. Why was the Rosemin of 2015 not quite ready, while the Rosemin in her forties was?

In 2015, I had the idea, experience and business plan, but I do not think I possessed the conviction required to build it exactly as I imagined. Taking the leap was difficult, both financially and emotionally. I already had a successful business in Dubai, and fear got the better of me. In my forties, I became much clearer about who I was and whom I wanted to serve. I was no longer interested in chasing youth, trends or external validation. I understood the woman who has lived, worked, travelled and developed a strong sense of herself, but who still wants beauty to feel exciting and luxurious. Whenever I appeared on stage or television, women would ask about my eye makeup or beauty routine. That gave me another spark. The intervening years were not wasted time. They gave me the discernment to edit, the confidence to say no and the patience to build with intention.

You have spoken openly about experiencing cystic acne and pigmentation when you were younger. How did your own relationship with your skin shape the philosophy behind Rosemin Beauty?

My relationship with makeup began from a place of necessity. Experiencing cystic acne and pigmentation affected my confidence, and I learned very early how transformative good coverage could be. But I also understood how heavy or unsuitable makeup could leave you feeling as though you were wearing a mask. That experience became central to our philosophy of “intelligent coverage”. I wanted products that could address pigmentation, discolouration and tiredness while still allowing skin to look like skin. Coverage should be precise, considered and flattering, never ageing or overwhelming. Rosemin Beauty is not about correcting a woman as though something is wrong with her. It is about giving her effective, beautifully formulated tools that help her feel polished, confident and completely herself.

The beauty industry is crowded with celebrity founders, viral products and constant launches. What did you feel was missing, and what do you want Rosemin Beauty to stand for?

I felt that mature women, particularly those with warmer and deeper skin tones, were either being spoken to as an afterthought or in language centred entirely on anti-ageing. This woman is sophisticated, financially independent and highly engaged with beauty, yet the industry often seems preoccupied with youth and constant novelty. Rosemin Beauty is designed primarily with women over 40 in mind, although the products can be enjoyed at any age. I wanted an edited collection of high-performance essentials: uncomplicated, skincare-infused makeup that solves genuine needs and feels luxurious to use. We do not need endless products or twenty nearly identical choices. Every launch should be intentional. The brand stands for quality, inclusivity, intelligence and the confidence that comes from truly knowing yourself. Our hero and bestseller is the Correct & Conceal Duo, a time-saving, buildable, skincare-infused product designed to deliver flawless-looking coverage.

You launched your beauty brand in your forties rather than your twenties or thirties. What do you understand about women, beauty and yourself now that you could not have understood fifteen years ago?

I understand now that confidence is not about believing you are perfect. It is about accepting yourself fully and no longer allowing every external opinion to define you. In my twenties and thirties, I was constantly achieving, moving and proving. In my forties, I began to value discernment as much as ambition. Women do not necessarily want more; they want better. They want products that respect their time, intelligence and changing needs. I also know there is no age limit on reinvention. Starting a company in my forties and becoming a mother at 46 showed me that the chapters we once feared were arriving too late can become the most meaningful of all. I could not have built this brand with the same clarity fifteen years ago.

At almost the same time you were bringing this business into the world, you were preparing to become a mother for the first time. Did creating a brand and a family simultaneously change your relationship with ambition and success?

Completely. I had spent much of my life measuring success through work: the next project, opportunity or achievement. Building Rosemin Beauty while preparing to become a mother forced me to reconsider what success truly meant. Both experiences required extraordinary commitment, but neither could be entirely controlled. They taught me patience, surrender and the importance of protecting what genuinely matters. Motherhood has not diminished my ambition; it has clarified it. I am more conscious of my time and intentional about where I direct my energy. I want my son, Noah, to see a mother who pursued her dreams, but also one who was present, loving and grounded. Success now means building a meaningful company while creating a secure, joyful family life.

Your journey to motherhood included IVF. What did that experience ask of you emotionally, particularly as someone accustomed to working hard, making plans and finding solutions?

IVF was one of the most emotionally demanding experiences of my life because effort does not guarantee the outcome. In business, I have always believed that if a problem arises, I can work harder, change the strategy or find another solution. Fertility does not operate according to those rules. The process asked me to remain hopeful while protecting my heart. There were disappointments and moments when I questioned whether motherhood would happen for me. It required physical endurance, emotional resilience and acceptance that some things cannot be forced onto your preferred timeline. Ultimately, IVF taught me a different kind of strength. Strength was not controlling everything; it was allowing myself to be vulnerable, continuing after heartbreak and retaining faith when there were no guarantees.

Women are surrounded by messages about fertility, age and the timeline on which our lives are supposedly meant to happen. Did IVF force you to let go of those expectations and trust your own timeline?

Yes, although learning to do so was neither immediate nor easy. Women are given an invisible timetable from a very young age: when to marry, when to have children and when certain dreams are supposedly no longer realistic. When your life does not follow that sequence, it can feel as though you have somehow fallen behind.

IVF forced me to stop comparing my life with anyone else’s. I had to accept that my path was different, and that different did not mean lesser. There is no universal timeline for a meaningful life. Becoming a mother at 46 was not the story I might have written for myself at 25, but my son arrived into a life filled with profound gratitude, intention and love. I have had an incredible career spanning more than 25 years, travelled the world and enjoyed extraordinary experiences. I no longer have a fear of missing out. I am exactly where I need to be. I enjoy my baby, quality time with my husband, and being with friends and family. It is a beautiful new chapter, and I have greater control over my time.

Becoming a mother at 46 brings a different perspective to motherhood. What can the woman you are today give your child that a younger version of you perhaps could not?

I can give my son a more grounded and self-aware version of myself. At 46, I have experienced success, disappointment, love, loss and reinvention. I understand that life is fragile and presence is far more valuable than perfection. A younger version of me may have been more anxious about doing everything correctly or maintaining a particular image of success. Today, I am more comfortable trusting my instincts and asking for help when I need it. I also possess a much deeper sense of gratitude. I do not take motherhood for granted, not the exhausting nights, the smallest milestones or the privilege of watching him discover the world. I hope to give him security, cultural grounding and the freedom to become entirely himself.

You found love and married at a stage of life when you already had a strong sense of your identity, career and independence. What has marriage taught you about partnership and allowing someone into a life you had already built?

Marriage has taught me that partnership requires both strength and softness. When you have spent many years building an independent life, allowing another person into it can be both beautiful and challenging. You have to learn to share decisions, make space for another perspective and create a new identity as a family without losing your individual self. Love is not simply about the perfect moments. It asks for communication, patience, accountability and a willingness to grow. Marriage has also taught me the importance of maintaining my voice and remaining honest about what I need. The greatest change has been learning that independence and partnership do not have to oppose one another. A healthy partnership should allow both people to retain their identities while building something meaningful together.

Within a relatively short chapter, you experienced marriage, IVF, pregnancy, motherhood and the launch of the most personal business of your career. Was there a moment when you thought, “I cannot quite believe this is happening to me”?

There were many. During pregnancy, I spent a significant amount of time on bed rest, so the contrast was almost surreal. I was physically still, protecting this long-awaited baby, while simultaneously launching the most ambitious business of my life. Meetings were happening, products were arriving and the brand was entering stores, while my personal world had become very quiet and inward. After my son was born, I remember looking at him and then seeing Rosemin Beauty on the shelves and thinking, “How did both of these dreams arrive at almost the same time?” It was overwhelming, but also deeply humbling. Years of waiting, working and wondering seemed to converge into one extraordinary chapter. It reminded me that life can change in ways you could never have planned.

London and Dubai have both played important roles in your story. Now that you are a mother, what parts of those worlds, and your own family heritage, do you most want your child to carry forward?

I want my son to inherit the openness and cultural richness that London gave me, as well as Dubai’s optimism, ambition and belief in possibility. Both cities are deeply international, and I hope he grows up comfortable among different cultures, faiths and perspectives. From our family heritage, I want him to understand resilience. His grandparents’ generation experienced displacement from Uganda and rebuilt their lives with courage, dignity and faith. That history must not be forgotten. I also want him to understand service and responsibility: that privilege should always be accompanied by compassion and generosity. Through his Indian, East African, European and Middle Eastern connections, he will inherit a beautifully layered identity. My hope is that he never feels required to choose between those worlds but learns to honour all of them.

Your story is a reminder that life does not necessarily unfold according to the timelines we imagine when we are young. You built a career over decades, found love, became a mother and put your own name on a beauty brand in your forties. Do you feel you have arrived, or are you only just beginning?

In many ways, I feel I am only just beginning. I have certainly reached dreams that once felt very distant, and I am deeply grateful for that. But arrival can imply that the journey is complete, and I do not feel complete at all. I feel newly energised and more purposeful than ever. Everything that came before, the different careers, countries, relationships, disappointments and years of experience, prepared me for this chapter. Rosemin Beauty is still at the beginning of its potential, and motherhood has opened an entirely new dimension of my life. I no longer judge my journey according to conventional timelines. I believe some dreams take longer because we must first become the person capable of carrying them.

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Rosemin’s Instagram: @roseminsworld

Rosemin Beauty Instagram: @shoproseminbeauty

Podcast: Legacy Talks with Rosemin (Instagram - @legacytalkswithrosemin)