Our Ingredients & Formula

At Me Time, every ingredient is selected for where it comes from, how it has been used, and how it feels on your skin.

Many of the ingredients in our soaps have been part of Arab wellness traditions for centuries passed through families, prepared for brides, used in hammams and daily rituals across Yemen, Morocco, the Levant, and the Gulf. We source them from the lands where they have always grown, and bring them into formulas made for the skin and climate of the UAE today.

Each formula is built around simplicity, balance, and ingredients your skin can recognise and respond to.

 

Heritage Ingredients

These are the ingredients that define our soaps, rooted in tradition, trusted over time, and sourced directly from their place of origin.

 

Warss (Memecylon tinctorium)

Grown in the highlands of Yemen and sourced directly from local producers, Warss is one of the Arab world’s oldest and most prized botanical ingredients. Its deep golden pigment has been used for centuries in traditional Yemeni bridal care applied to condition, warm, and prepare the skin for celebration. Rich in natural tannins and antioxidant compounds, it leaves a soft golden warmth on the skin and a scent unlike anything else in natural skincare. Rare, seasonal, and brought directly from Yemen to our studio in Sharjah Warss is the ingredient at the heart of Me Time.

 

Sidr (Ziziphus spina-christi)

The sidr tree has grown across the Arab world for thousands of years. Its leaves have been used in traditional ghusl, in bridal preparation rituals, and as a trusted daily cleanser across generations of families from the Gulf to the Levant. Our sidr is sourced directly from Yemen, where it has been used this way for as long as anyone can remember.

In our soaps, sidr powder purifies without stripping  leaving the skin soft, calm, and comfortable. It has always been trusted for sensitive skin, and that trust has been earned over a very long time.

 

Yemeni Henna (Lawsonia inermis)

Henna has been part of Arab women’s beauty rituals for centuries — used at weddings, celebrations, and as part of everyday skin and hair care across the Arab world. Ours is sourced directly from Yemen, carefully selected and finely milled for purity and quality.

In our soaps, it works gently during cleansing, helping improve skin feel and leaving it softer, calmer, and less prone to dryness after washing.

Camel Milk

Camel milk has been part of Emirati and Gulf wellness tradition for generations. Naturally rich in proteins, vitamins, and fatty acids that closely mirror the skin’s own composition, it is one of the few ingredients truly native to this part of the world.

In our soaps, it softens the lather, adds natural nourishment, and supports comfortable, hydrated skin especially in the dry warmth of the UAE climate.

 

Yemeni Clay

Collected from the mineral-rich highland earth of Yemen and sourced directly from the same region as our Warss, Sidr, and Henna, this clay draws out daily buildup and impurities gently. It leaves the skin feeling refreshed and balanced without disrupting its natural moisture.

 

Moroccan Rhassoul Clay

Sourced from the Atlas Mountains of Morocco, Rhassoul has been used in traditional hammam rituals for centuries. It helps absorb excess oil and refine the skin’s texture, leaving it smoother, clearer, and more balanced the way hammam skin always feels.

 

Black Seed Oil (Nigella sativa)

Known across the Arab and Islamic world as one of nature’s most versatile remedies, black seed oil carries centuries of traditional use behind it. In our soaps, it supports balanced, comfortable skin especially helpful for skin that feels dry, reactive, or prone to occasional breakouts.

 

Rose (Rosa damascena)

Selected for its gentle and calming nature, Damascus rose soothes the skin while adding a soft, natural sensory warmth. It leaves the skin feeling refreshed and comfortably hydrated after every wash.

 

Turmeric (Curcuma longa)

Carefully sourced for purity and quality, turmeric helps improve the appearance of uneven skin tone. With regular use, it supports a more radiant, healthy-looking complexion.

 

Licorice Root (Glycyrrhiza glabra)

Known for its soothing properties, licorice root helps calm the skin and improve the look of uneven tone especially for skin exposed to the UAE sun and daily environmental stress.

 

Discover soaps made with these ingredients

 

Spa & Skin-Refining Ingredients

Chosen to support clearer, smoother-looking skin while keeping the experience gentle and balanced for daily use.

Kaolin Clay: A mild, naturally occurring clay that cleanses and removes excess oil without dryness. Ideal for everyday use, especially in warm climates.

Bentonite Clay: Highly absorbent. Helps draw out impurities and excess oil. Particularly beneficial for skin that feels congested or prone to breakouts.

French Green Clay: Traditionally used to balance oil and refine the appearance of pores. Leaves the skin feeling clean, fresh, and calm.

Pink & Rose Clays: Gentle clays that cleanse while maintaining the skin’s natural moisture. Suited for sensitive or delicate skin that needs a softer approach.

Activated Charcoal: Lifts impurities and daily buildup from the skin’s surface, leaving it feeling deeply cleansed without heaviness or dryness.

Spirulina: A naturally nutrient-rich ingredient that supports a fresher, more revitalised skin appearance.

Indigo Powder: Traditionally used for its calming properties, helping soothe the skin and reduce the feeling of irritation.

Coconut Milk: Adds a creamy lather while helping the skin feel smooth and hydrated after cleansing.

 

Discover soaps made with these ingredients

Our Base Oils

Every bar begins with a carefully balanced blend of oils each chosen for a specific purpose, to create a soap that cleans effectively while keeping the skin comfortable.

Olive Oil (Olea europaea): Helps maintain softness and reduces the feeling of dryness after washing.

Coconut Oil (Cocos nucifera): Provides a rich, creamy lather that helps cleanse the skin from daily buildup.

Palm Oil (Elaeis guineensis): Supports a firm, long-lasting bar and contributes to a stable, consistent lather. We use only sustainably sourced palm oil, and we’ve written honestly about why we use it and how we source it. Read why we use it → 

Castor Oil (Ricinus communis): Enhances lather and helps the skin retain moisture, leaving it feeling smoother after washing.

 

Supporting Oils & Butters

We enrich selected formulas with carefully chosen oils and butters — used in smaller amounts to enhance comfort and skin feel. These ingredients help reduce tightness after cleansing and support softer, smoother skin over time.

These include shea butter, sunflower oil, and sweet almond oil, chosen based on each bar’s specific purpose and the skin types it is designed for.

 

Discover soaps made with our oil blends →

Why Handmade Soap Feels Different

When soap is made using the traditional cold-process method, glycerine forms naturally as part of the process.

Glycerine is what keeps your skin from feeling tight and dry after washing it draws moisture to the skin’s surface and holds it there, creating that comfortable, soft feeling you notice immediately.

Commercial soap manufacturers routinely remove this glycerine during production and sell it separately for use in other cosmetics. What remains is a bar that cleans, but leaves the skin feeling stripped.

In every Me Time bar, the glycerine stays exactly where it belongs. It is one of the main reasons washing with a handmade bar feels so different from anything on a supermarket shelf.

Our bars are also superfatted, meaning a small percentage of the oils remain in the final bar after the soap-making process is complete. These oils stay on the skin after rinsing, leaving it nourished rather than just clean. In the UAE, where heat and frequent washing can cause dryness, this makes a felt difference throughout the day.

 

Our Formula Philosophy

We believe effective skincare doesn’t need to be complicated.

Each formula is built to cleanse without stripping, support the skin’s natural balance, and feel comfortable for everyday use.

In the UAE, where heat, dryness, and frequent washing affect the skin, our focus is always on gentle, consistent care. Every bar is made slowly, in small batches, with attention to how each ingredient will feel on the skin that receives it.

 

Sourcing & Transparency

We work closely with trusted suppliers who meet our standards for quality and consistency.

Our Warss, Sidr, Henna, and Yemeni Clay are sourced directly from Yemen, the country where each of these ingredients has always grown and been used. Our Rhassoul comes directly from Morocco. Our heritage botanicals and clays are sourced from the regions where they have always belonged.

Whenever possible, we source ingredients from their country of origin ensuring authenticity, better quality control, and respect for traditional use.

Our approach is simple: clear sourcing, honest formulations, and ingredients chosen with intention.

 

Safety & Standards

All our products are developed in line with UAE cosmetic regulations.

We follow ESMA guidelines to ensure every formula meets required safety and quality standards.

Where fragrance is used, it is always within the safe limits set by IFRA and clearly noted in the ingredient list of each bar.What We Leave Out.

 

What We Leave Out

We keep our formulas focused and intentional.

• No parabens
• No SLS or SLES
• No harsh detergents
• No synthetic dyes or artificial colourants
• No skin-lightening chemicals or bleaching agents we believe in healthy skin, not altered skin
• No unnecessary additives 

Only what supports your skin. Nothing more.

 

About Lye

Soap is made through a traditional process called saponification.

Lye is used to transform oils into soap and is fully consumed during this process. By the time the bar is ready to use, no lye remains in the final product. What remains is a gentle, well-balanced soap that is safe for daily use.

You may notice that ingredients on our labels are sometimes listed by their saponified names for example, Sodium Olivate instead of Olive Oil. This simply means the oil has completed the soap-making process. The oil is still there. It has simply become soap.

Ready to experience the difference?