Activist beauty company works with Leading Light Zainab Al-Eqabi in the Middle East to inspire acts of self-love across the region
When Anita Roddick founded The Body Shop she believed passionately that beauty is an active, outward expression of everything you like about yourself. She understood the importance of self-esteem. In 1997, she launched a self-esteem and body positivity campaign featuring a generously proportioned doll, Ruby, with the slogan: There are 3 billion women who don’t look like supermodels and only 8 who do. The Body Shop was the first beauty company to talk about self-esteem and importantly, the link between personal wellbeing and collective wellbeing.
Fast forward to today, the body positivity movement has gained much traction. Yet we live in a troubled and turbulent world, where inequalities continue to widen. The Body Shop believes the next frontier in creating positive impact in the world is increasing self-love.
Sarah Jackson, Franchise Director The Body Shop EMEA said: “As an activist brand, our mission is to fight for a fairer and more beautiful world. In order to create a positive change in the world, we must start with creating a positive change within. In a society that promotes self-doubt and insecurity, we call for people to rise up with self-love. We are excited to embark on this journey to drive change individually, in the beauty industry and beyond.”
The Body Shop self-love expert, The Millennial Therapist, Sara Kuburic says: “Self-love is many things, but it starts with the recognition and appreciation of our inner worth and value. It gives us permission to be our authentic selves. Self-love is the act of using our voice and standing up for what we believe in. It is the act of creating change and of surrounding ourselves with people who support our journey.”
The Body Shop aims to inspire 1 million acts of self-love in 1 year, to create more love and positive change in the world. It doesn’t matter how big or small, every act can lead to big change. Tips on acts of self-love will be shared on the The Body Shop’s online self-love hubs* and social media channels. To raise awareness of self-love, the company is working with ‘Leading Lights’ – changemakers and cultural ambassadors that are beacons of self-love and help inspire others on their journey.
In the Middle East, The Body Shop is working with Zainab Al-Eqabi, Motivational Speaker & Para-Athlete (@zainab.aleqabi). Zainab Aleqabi is truly an inspiration. She has overcome personal challenges and champions self-acceptance. Her traumatic experience of losing her left leg at age seven in a bomb explosion in Baghdad, made her realise that she is still blessed with other abilities in the face of what she has lost! Through her involvement in several sports events and charitable initiatives, she is sending a message to the world that “life doesn’t stop when you have a disability”.
Zainab Al-Eqabi says “Self-love is being confident in your own skin, in your whole being. Loving, caring and showing respect to who you really are.”
For more information, please visit the below links for Self-Love Hubs across the Middle East:
Kuwait https://www.thebodyshop.com/en-gb/about-us/activism/self-love/a/a00038
Qatar https://www.thebodyshop.com/en-gb/about-us/activism/self-love/a/a00038
Bahrain https://www.thebodyshop.com/en-gb/about-us/activism/self-love/a/a00038
UAE https://www.thebodyshop.ae/tips/selflove/35
Saudi West https://www.thebodyshop.com.sa/west/ar/about-us/activism/self-love
Saudi East https://www.thebodyshop.com.sa/east/ar/about-us/activism/self-love
Oman https://www.thebodyshop.com/en-gb/about-us/activism/self-love/a/a00038
Jordan https://www.thebodyshop.com/en-gb/about-us/activism/self-love/a/a00038