Rawan Bin Hussain is passionately driven to succeed. Half Kuwaiti and half Palestinian, Rawan grew up in Kuwait and has lived around the globe. By her early 20s, the entrepreneur had become a published author, launched her own lipstick line, and amassed over three million followers on Instagram, while studying for a Master’s Degree in Human Rights Law. In February, Rawan welcomed her daughter Luna into the world; we asked about the life-changing arrival and what she has planned for the future.

Tell us about your varied career

I started my Instagram page four years ago, and it picked up by chance when MBC published my articles and pictures, calling me the ‘Kuwaiti writer that looked like Brooke Shields’. It was a hot topic for a couple of months! Now I’m a mom to a one-month-old, a social media influencer, and a beauty entrepreneur. I love my work and enjoy creating wonderful things with amazing brands. I have also studied Law, and I’m planning to continue my Master’s degree next fall.

How has life changed since having your daughter?

Having a baby girl changed my life completely. It rearranges all your priorities and gives you a totally different understanding. Nothing feels the same anymore, but it’s in a very good way. As a mother, you have a reason to wake up in the morning and you have a little person who looks up to you. That motivates me to do better as a human, to do better as a social media influencer, and to do better in all fields of my life.

What is your favorite thing about motherhood so far?

Well, I can tell you the least favourite thing – having to wake up every two to three hours. But I think my most favourite thing is the feeling of love. Our mutual love and connection and the fact that she was growing inside me for nine months is a miracle. I’m so grateful!

What inspired you to launch House of Rawan?

I think beauty is within every woman. I launched House of Rawan because social media is not going to last forever and a smart businesswoman would try to use that platform to establish her own independent business. Working with so many successful beauty brands has taught me a lot about the industry, so I try to take all of those beautiful experiences and capture them in my own brand.

What lessons have you have learnt as an entrepreneur?

The first things were commitment and loyalty. When you sign a contract, you are ethically and legally obliged, and you need to be loyal because you’re establishing your relationship and image. Another important thing is teamwork when you’re working with different types of people. Working with brands taught me how to achieve great things in teams – a director, a photographer, videographer, stylist, and marketing manager.

How do you balance your different roles?

I give each role its fair piece of my life, and I don’t waste time in between. For now, I have taken a year off from House of Rawan, as well as a year off from school, to focus on family and it has been wonderful. Next year, I am going back to school, so the focus would be more on school and my daughter.

What’s next for House of Rawan?

We are re-launching the whole brand with a new brand identity and concept. It’s a big step but I don’t regret it, I am actually very excited and proud that I have the courage to step back and say “ok, we’ve done good but we can do better!”

Do you have any beauty/style tips for new mums?

Embrace it! I’ve had a lot of comments from moms about hormonal changes that cause acne and other impacts on their skin, hair and bodies. Just try to embrace it. Motherhood is a beautiful journey and it comes in a package. It’s not a perfect journey, but it’s worth it. Learn how to deal with those changes and learn how to love them.

How did you first hear about banking stem cells?

I actually used stem cells myself for some scar tissue that wasn’t healing very well; then when I heard about newborn stem cell storage, I was really excited to store my daughter’s stem cells.

Is stem cell storage something you would recommend to others?

Yes! Science is evolving every day. Tomorrow stem cells could be used to treat even more diseases, so why not do it when it is such a simple and safe process.

What general advice would you give to first-time mums?

I did so much research but I still felt anxious because I was worried that I might fail and I wouldn’t know what to do. But you know, God made us all moms and it’s something we were created to do. Please don’t worry, enjoy every single second of it and as soon as you have your baby in your arms, you have the capacity to care for him or her perfectly.