Every product we make at Hayat Naturals starts with a question: what does this ingredient actually do for skin, and is there a better way to deliver it than what's already on the market? Al Iksir, our signature facial serum, came from that same question, and from a desire to bring the kind of slow, deliberate formulation that used to define skincare back into a market saturated with quick, synthetic shortcuts.
The Meaning Behind the Name
"Al Iksir" comes from the Arabic word for elixir, itself the root of the English word. It's a fitting name for a formula built around the idea that a small number of potent, well-chosen ingredients, given time to properly infuse and work together, can outperform long lists of synthetic actives layered on top of each other.
What Al Iksir Actually Is
Al Iksir is a facial oil serum built around a blend of botanical oils and extracts chosen specifically for their compatibility with skin's natural lipid barrier and their long history of use in traditional skincare across the region and beyond. Unlike water-based serums that rely on synthetic penetration enhancers to deliver active ingredients, Al Iksir works with skin's oil-loving (lipophilic) nature, allowing beneficial compounds to integrate into the skin barrier rather than sitting on the surface.
The formula centers around a small number of core ingredients: rose, argan, frankincense, and sea buckthorn, each included for a specific, evidence-supported reason rather than as filler ingredients meant to pad an ingredient list for marketing purposes.
Why We Built It Around Infusion, Not Just Blending
Most facial oils on the market are simply blended, individual oils mixed together and bottled. Al Iksir is different in that several of its botanical components are cold-infused over a period of weeks before blending, a slower, more traditional process that allows more of each ingredient's beneficial compounds to transfer fully into the oil base. It takes considerably longer to produce than simply combining ingredients, but the resulting formula is noticeably richer and more effective, which is a trade-off we consider worth making.
Who Al Iksir Is For
We formulated Al Iksir with a broad range of skin concerns in mind, but it tends to resonate most with a few specific groups: people dealing with the chronic dehydration common in the UAE's climate, people looking for a natural alternative to retinol-based anti-aging products, and people who simply want a simplified routine built around fewer, more effective products rather than a ten-step regimen.
How It Fits Into a Routine
Al Iksir is designed to be used as the final step in an evening routine, applied to slightly damp skin after cleansing (ideally with one of our tallow soap bars) to help lock in both the serum and any residual moisture from cleansing. A few drops, warmed between the palms and pressed gently into the skin, is typically all that's needed.
Our Philosophy Going Forward
Al Iksir represents the approach we take to every product at Hayat Naturals: fewer ingredients, chosen deliberately, given the time they need to work properly, rather than a long list of synthetic actives designed to look impressive on a label. It's slower to make and costs more to produce than a mass-market alternative, but it's the only way we know how to build something we'd genuinely want on our own skin.
If you're curious about the specific science behind each ingredient in Al Iksir, we've written a companion piece breaking down exactly what rose, argan, frankincense, and sea buckthorn each contribute to the formula, worth a read if you want the full picture before trying it yourself.