RIYADH: The healing and relaxing powers of nature are at the heart of Coco Sabon’s philosophy.
Launched by Dr. Cynthia Mosher — an American living in Riyadh — the skincare firm is committed to sourcing high-quality, natural oriental ingredients that provide the skin with gentle care and nourishment.
“I launched Coco Sabon in November 2015 at Alfaisal University’s first bazaar,” she said.
Mosher, who completed a bachelor of science in natural health sciences, said she hoped to do something more than simply diagnose illnesses and prescribe treatments. She also wanted to have time for other important things and people, so now she is working as an educator, training a new generation of medical students.
She encourages people to make healthy choices when it comes to ingredients they use on their bodies.
“I fell in love with formulating and creating beautiful, natural skincare products. I continued my creative journey while pursuing my medical degree, which deepened my commitment to develop ‘do no harm’ skincare based on natural ingredients,” she said.
“Layered with my admiration of Arabian culture, the rich regional ingredients, and my passion for integrative medicine, I developed a deep sense of holistic self-care that guides my formulations. My love for the fragrances, natural remedies and skincare routines of the Middle East are the heart and soul of Coco Sabon.”
There is a growing demand for Coco Sabon products. “After years of requests from family and friends to make and sell my products, I tested the waters, so to speak. We sold out of everything that day.”
She added: “About six weeks later we were invited to participate at the Gathering in Al-Bujairi in January 2016. We had a crowd of customers nonstop for three days and again sold out of everything. It was a decisive weekend. Coco Sabon was born and we have not looked back since.”
Mosher’s family and friends offered encouragement, but one of her strongest supporters was her best friend, Audrey Wilkinson. She said: “Audrey was my supporter, helper and adviser. She now works with me, formulating and producing our candles, cremes and face care line.”
Coco Sabon’s customers are mostly Arab women aged between 20 and 40, “though we have many loyal fans that span different age groups and come from all over the world.”
The brand offers a wide range of products, including soap, bath bombs, scrubs, cremes, face and body oils, perfumes and candles.
“Everything is produced by hand in small batches here in Riyadh using natural, safe and organic ingredients, sourced locally wherever possible,” Mosher said.
Coco Sabon believes in supporting local businesses and in sourcing the best ingredients possible. The store also designs its packaging and hand packages, labels and wraps each item, selling through an online store (cocosabon.com), Instagram, WhatsApp, and local popup shop events.
Mosher has also started offering workshops on making her products.
“Some might think that to be unwise because I could very well teach a future competitor,” she said. “Well, that’s true for the medical students I teach now. Should I withhold my knowledge for fear of them becoming better doctors and doing better? Of course not. The more knowledge we put out there, the better our society will be. The workshops also help build community.
“I connect with people who are curious, who want to learn how to create and how to make good choices for their health. I welcome workshop students young and older (my youngest so far was just 6 years old), and I encourage them to take what they learn and use it to improve their lives and that of others around them. If they make a business out of doing so, then good for them. We all have something to offer the world,” she said.
Mosher is happy that she created a job she loves. “Sometimes I miss practicing clinical medicine, but I remind myself that I am helping people make healthier choices for their bodies, their minds, their souls and the planet,” she said.
“That’s a special kind of medicine that I believe can help heal the world.”
Startup of the Week: Coco Sabon’s natural skincare
Startup of the Week: Coco Sabon’s natural skincare
- Coco Sabon’s customers are mostly Arab women aged between 20 and 40, “though we have many loyal fans that span different age groups and come from all over the world”
The Bedouin’s best friend: Saudi saluki center works to preserve at-risk breed
- The Arabian saluki dates back 5,000 years but faces the threat of extinction due to crossbreeding, the loss of traditional desert habitats and lifestyle changes in region
- International Aseel Arabian Saluki Center aims to raise awareness of breeding standards and offers support for owners, including training and veterinary services
RIYADH: The Arabian saluki, which is believed to have originated in the Middle East, is one of the oldest purebred dogs in the world. It has been a loyal companion to Bedouin peoples dating back at least 5,000 years.
Now, however, it faces the threat of extinction as a result of crossbreeding but the International Aseel Arabian Saluki Center in Saudi Arabia is working hard to ensure it survives.
Unlike some breeds that rely primarily on sense of smell for hunting, salukis are sighthounds, meaning they visually identify prey. Known for their agility, intelligence and an impressive ability to take down prey, salukis long served Arab Bedouin tribes as hunters.
Fahad Al-Farhan, the president of the IAASC, explained the significance of the saluki to the region.
Arabian salukis are “deeply rooted in our culture and one of our main symbols of our national identity with falcons, Arabian horses and camels,” Al-Farhan told Arab News.
“The Arabian saluki and the traditional way of hunting is a vital part of Arabian culture and heritage.
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The Arabian saluki dates back 5,000 years but faces the threat of extinction due to crossbreeding, the loss of traditional desert habitats and lifestyle changes in region.
“In the old days, salukis were indispensable hunting companions, securing the existence of many of the Bedouin families.
“They are graceful and fast and they distinguish themselves with their endurance.”
He noted the loyalty of the breed, quoting a proverb that states: “Only the owner sees the true face of a saluki.”
The animals are very attached to their families and loyal to their masters, said Al-Farhan, who is also president of the World Aseel Arabian Saluki Organization and the Saudi Kennel Club Union.
“Although the Arabian salukis are natural born hunters, they are calm and even-tempered representatives of their species,” he added.
“They are also very curious and you even get the impression that they have a great sense of humor.”
However, the rapid economic growth of the region in the modern era has endangered the natural desert environments that were the traditional habitats not only of the saluki but other Arabian species including falcons, horses and camels, he warned.
“The deserts and Arab lifestyles that created the circumstances in which the Arabian horse, camels and the saluki flourished now no longer exist,” Al-Farhan said
“As a part of the cultural heritage of Arabian hunting, Bedouins have been breeding Arabian salukis for thousands of years (but) the saluki may be lost to our future generations unless steps are taken to preserve it.”
The Arabian Aseel Saluki Center in Saudi Arabia has a long list of members that includes saluki owners abroad, Al-Farhan added, and it works to raise public awareness of breeding standards.
It offers veterinary services worldwide, including health checks and vaccinations, health certificates, micro-chipping and DNA testing, together with advice about grooming and travel arrangements for owners moving their dogs to another country.
Al-Farhan said that the IAASC is working to register the Arabian saluki on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List, which recognizes and helps to preserve endangered cultural traditions and practices.
“We believe that the inscription of the Arabian saluki hound of Arabia (on the UNESCO lists) will promote the visibility of its heritage locally and worldwide,” he added.
Desert truffles: Saudi Arabia’s buried treasure
- Truffles offer various benefits beyond their culinary value. Their water is traditionally believed to have medicinal properties for eye ailments, based on a saying attributed to the Prophet Muhammad
QASSIM: A prized wild fungus found under the desert sands is popping up at markets across the Kingdom as Saudi Arabia’s truffle season is in full swing.
The central region of Qassim is a leading center for the cultivation of the desert truffle, known by its scientific name Terfeziaceae, or in Arabic as fage, as reported by the Saudi Press Agency.
Several natural environmental factors contribute to the area’s proliferation of truffles, including fertile soil, untouched land, access to fresh water, climate, and the presence of the sunrose or raqrooq plant, particularly in the northern Qassim areas of Shari and Al-Sa’ira.
Local farmer Abdulkarim Saleh Al-Rasheed harvests truffles found near the sunrose plant thriving in lowlands adjacent to wheat fields irrigated by overflowing pivot sprinklers.
He said that the emergence of truffles had coincided with the cessation of thunderstorms accompanied by lightning, a phenomenon traditionally linked to truffle growth.
Al-Rasheed told SPA that successful cultivation depended on irrigation timing, water salinity, soil fertility and temperature, each playing a crucial role.
For truffles, the optimal temperature is measured ten days after the typically mild “Wasm” season beginning in mid-October.
In northern Qassim, this translates to nighttime temperatures between 15 and 20 degrees Celsius.
Irrigation typically begins around Sept. 25 in areas where the sunrose plant is present, with truffles beginning to appear about 50 days later.
He added that cultivated truffles in northern Qassim typically begin to appear around Nov. 20.
Truffles offer various benefits beyond their culinary value. Their water is traditionally believed to have medicinal properties for eye ailments, based on a saying attributed to the Prophet Muhammad. They also serve as a natural food source for grazing animals.
The Qassim Truffle Festival, currently in its fourth year, is a marker of the region’s truffle production.
The ten-day festival features 18 booths showcasing truffles, a dedicated auction area, 32 booths for local producers, and other exhibits featuring dates, honey, food products, and related activities.
Poetry in spotlight at Jazan forum
- This year’s forum featured the participation of over 25 poets representing various poetic schools
JAZAN: The Sixth Poetry Forum was launched at the Jazan Literary Club on Thursday. The event forms part of the Jazan Winter Season 2025 and was held at the Grand Millennium Gizan Hotel. Yahya Al-Ghazwani, the secretary of the Jazan region and general supervisor of the winter festival, attended the event.
Hassan Al-Salhabi, the club’s president, spoke of the forum’s success over the past five years, which has boasted the participation of more than 200 poets.
He also mentioned the honoring of several literary figures in the Kingdom and the presentation of specialized critical studies on prominent poets.
This year’s forum, which ran for two days, featured the participation of over 25 poets representing various poetic schools, further enriching the cultural movement on the local literary map.
The opening included an artistic performance titled “Inspiration of Mirrors,” and the honoring of several participating writers and poets.
Two poetry sessions were held on the first day of the forum, featuring 10 poets who presented a variety of works in front of a large audience.
Saudi Arabia takes up position as secretariat of global coral reef body
- Coral reefs sustain 25 percent of the world’s marine biodiversity and generate an estimated $9.9 trillion annually in ecosystem services
JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia on Friday officially assumed its position as secretariat of the International Coral Reef Initiative, an organization that works to protect the planet’s coral reefs.
Representing 102 members and 45 countries responsible for 75 percent of the world’s reefs, ICRI plays a role in tackling environmental and economic challenges facing these vital ecosystems.
The virtual handover ceremony was attended by international representatives, including Peter Thomson, the UN’s special envoy for the ocean, as well as representatives from organizations such as the International Union for Conservation of Nature and the US State Department.
The Kingdom’s tenure as head of the body was confirmed during the ICRI’s 38th General Meeting in September 2024 and will be led by the Kingdom’s General Organization for the Conservation of Coral Reefs and Turtles in the Red Sea, also known as SHAMS.
“Saudi Arabia’s role as ICRI secretariat underscores our unwavering commitment to a sustainable future for coral reefs worldwide,” said Dr. Khaled Asfahani, CEO of SHAMS and chair of ICRI. “Through science, innovation, and collaboration, we aim to protect these vital ecosystems, ensuring their resilience for future generations while maintaining their invaluable contributions to the global economy.”
Coral reefs sustain 25 percent of the world’s marine biodiversity and generate an estimated $9.9 trillion annually in ecosystem services, from fisheries to tourism.
Yet, they are under siege from climate change, pollution, and overfishing. With Saudi Arabia at the helm, ICRI will craft its 2025–2027 Action Plan to address these threats.
The plan seeks to expand membership to include countries representing 90 percent of global coral reefs, strengthen regional collaborations in the Red Sea, South Asia, and East Africa, and integrate reef resilience into global biodiversity policies.
Hail deputy governor receives FIA president
- The meeting was attended by Chairman of the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation Prince Khalid Bin Sultan bin Abdullah Al-Faisal
HAIL: Hail Deputy Gov. Prince Faisal bin Fahd bin Muqrin bin Abdulaziz received FIA President Mohammed bin Sulayem at the Al-Maghwa Park on Friday.
The meeting was attended by Chairman of the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation Prince Khalid Bin Sultan bin Abdullah Al-Faisal, as well as other security officials in the area.
During the meeting, Hail’s deputy governor praised the wise leadership’s support for the entities organizing international events and competitions in the Kingdom, with the follow up of the Minister of Sport and FIA’s president.
