Laura Zackarya Galieva built from scratch the largest tour operator company in Kazakhstan with an annual turnover of $100 million, and then left this business to devote herself to creating cosmetics. Today she is a businesswoman, developer of cosmeceutical formulas, certified IINHC nutritionist, and founder of the brands #PROSTO COSMETICS and LAURA ZACKARYA™. A mother of two sons and fluent in four languages, she creates products that combine science, nutrition, and beauty. 

In this conversation, Laura shares how she made the decision to change industries, what gaps in the global beauty industry she discovered in Dubai, and why she is convinced that outer beauty is impossible without inner work.

You left an already successful, large-scale business to build a brand from scratch in a new country and in a completely different industry. Looking back, what was the exact moment of that “irreversible click”?

It all started back in 2017, when I became passionate about creating formulas. In 2018, when I was 40, I launched my first line of shampoos. At that time, it was more of a space where I could draw inspiration, study something new, and enjoy the creative process. The click happened in 2020, when COVID hit, the world stopped, and there was finally time to truly reflect. I looked back and realized that in the tourism industry, everything I had dreamed of had already been achieved. I had built a company from scratch in Kazakhstan, achieved my goal of having fully booked flights of tourists depart from every city, formed a team of about 100 people, opened offices in Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, and Uzbekistan. I even worked in the Ministry of Tourism on revising the tourism bill. Everything had already been done.

At the same time, I had a small “passion project” — cosmetics. Gradually, it became much more important and interesting to me, because I saw many opportunities there, including the potential to go global. The path was neither easy nor fast, but I started moving in that direction in 2020, deciding that in 2021 I would relocate, adapt, and prepare. And in 2025, I launched the brand that I intend to make global.

In one of your interviews, you said that Dubai revealed to you “uncovered” skin types and climatic challenges that global research had overlooked. Why has the global beauty industry ignored such markets for decades?

When I moved to Dubai, I saw enormous potential. For decades, the beauty industry had been focused on Europe — everything was developed for the European skin type and climate. Later, there was an Asian focus — mainly on the Korean market, with its completely different conditions. But no one was creating solutions for the Arab skin type in Middle Eastern conditions, for Asian skin living in desert climates, or for African-American skin adapted to hot climates. Using European products here often produced a completely different effect than intended.

I don’t believe the industry deliberately ignored these markets — it was simply a matter of economics. The main consumers were their own domestic markets. The Middle Eastern market has only been actively growing over the past decade, and the markets in places like Saudi Arabia or Egypt began to develop even later. Now, serious competition for these markets is about to start, and I feel I am in the right place at the right time.

Your formulas are the result of combining nutrition science and cosmeceutics. Can you recall a case where changes in a client’s diet enhanced the effect of your products so much that it became proof for you: outer beauty is impossible without inner work?

This happens all the time. We can start working on the skin with a cream, serum, ampoule, or shampoo — but if there is an internal imbalance, everything we do on the outside will be nullified. The skin is the largest organ, and it reflects everything happening inside.

For example, with acne, fried and fatty foods, fast food, and sweet pastries are strictly off-limits. We can treat the problem on the skin’s surface, but if the body cannot cope with the dietary “junk,” the skin will still reveal it. For mature skin, especially after the age of 35, internal support for the body is crucial so that after 40 you don’t have to rush to a facelift, but can live with radiant skin and energy.

Right now, I’m thinking about launching, in 2026, a line of beauty nutraceuticals that will support the skin from within and help neutralize the effects of small “indulgences” — sweets, a glass of wine, a cigarette. My studies at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in the U.S. were not to work with clients directly, but to better understand the link between what we eat and how it affects our skin, and to talk about this on social media alongside developing my formulas.

You launched your brand during the pandemic. How did this experience change your understanding of sustainable business in beauty?

For me, sustainability means diversification and flexibility. I work with leading laboratories in Europe and Asia because each country has its own strong technologies, innovations, and unique raw materials. For example, I developed my ampoules in partnership with a European pharmaceutical laboratory. That’s where I was able to realize the idea of a product without unnecessary components, with a high concentration of active ingredients that don’t oxidize and quickly penetrate the deeper layers of the skin. 

This approach allows me to be prepared for any global changes: if problems arise somewhere, I have alternative partners and supply chains.

Your NextGen Smart SPF 50 and professional at-home ampoules you call “adaptive products of the future.” What do you think the skincare market will look like in 10 years if the industry shifts to personalization?

We live in an aggressive environment, and the skin is the first barrier that takes the hit. The sun is becoming more intense, especially on skin that has been weakened by procedures and peels. That’s why SPF should not be just for beach days but an everyday habit.
When creating my SPF, I wanted to combine three tasks: even out the skin tone, provide SPF 50 protection, and give that subtle glow we all love to see — especially in the age of social media. The result was a product that replaces foundation, doesn’t roll off, doesn’t leave a white cast, and at the same time cares for the skin. I believe the future belongs to multifunctional, adaptive products that adjust to the needs of a specific person and the conditions in which they live.

You say that cosmetics are a language, a way to tell a woman, “I see you. You matter.” What do you want a person to feel when holding a LAURA ZACKARYA™ jar?

I’m a woman myself, and I know the challenges we face. That’s why I want every woman who holds my jar or ampoule to feel: my knowledge, experience, energy, and love are inside. I want her to understand — I see her, I value her beauty, and I’m ready to help her with her concerns. And I categorically do not want this product to be perceived as something made without heart.