August 30, 2025 | Dubai, UAE: The Ministry of Education (MoE) has introduced stricter UAE school uniform rules concerning school uniforms in the UAE this academic year and announced an absolute no makeup policy to protect students’ skin and to build up their self-confidence.

According to the modified manual, students will be obligated to wear the approved attire, maintain a natural look, and refrain from the use of makeup and nail polish at school during working hours. Dermatologists and mental health experts are on board with this move, as they point out the concerns of teenage acne, irritation, and pressure addressed by it.

MoE Goes for Higher Requirements

The updated UAE school uniform rules intend to provide a standard way of dressing for the students and help minimize the peer pressure that is often linked to cosmetics and fashion trends. The no makeup policy in UAE schools is put in place to encourage youngsters to take care of their skin properly, as the reason for teenage skin problems has become the use of heavy products like foundation, concealer, and contouring creams.

“From a dermatology point of view, it is really advisable that children start daily makeup use only at the age of 15 to 16. At that time the skin should be tougher and less sensitive,” said Dr. Shahrzad Mojtabavi Naeini, Dermatologist at International Modern Hospital, Dubai. “Using it regularly at a too early stage can cause the skin to get irritated due to its frailness and clog the pores.”

Dr. Asmaa Al Khatib, Dermatologist at Quttainah Specialised Hospital, concurred: “During puberty the body is going through so many changes that quite a few are hormonal and the one producing the most oil for the skin is the sebaceous gland so this is the reasoning that blockage of pores with cosmetics will only make acne rise quicker.” 

The no makeup policy in UAE schools is set to not let heavy application of cosmetics become a source of the students’ problems and break the vicious cycle. The professionals are of the opinion that even if the daily use of makeup at school is unadvised, light and age-appropriate products for special occasions at home are perfectly fine.

Among other features of the modified UAE school uniform rules are the specific shoe types (flat black shoes or sneakers) and sock colors (white), natural hair colors, designated sports attire, and black shayla for female students in the third cycle. The use of nail polish has been forbidden without exceptions.

Natural Self-esteem and Lack of Social Pressures as Additional Benefits in UAE School Uniform Rules

The no makeup policy in UAE schools is more than just a skincare routine and the issue of the student’s self-esteem and mental health is being raised by it. Dr. Sudhanthira Devi Ramdoss, Psychiatrist at Aster Hospital, said, “A lot of girls start using makeup in order to look better or to hide the imperfections of their skin. Social media along with the peer’s influence accelerates this practice, which in turn creates the pressure to look a certain way.” 

Mental health professionals say that the UAE school uniform rules make clear that schools have no right or responsibility in perpetuating the myth that physical beauty is a major factor in the student’s value and that schools should be the places where this myth is challenged and refuted. Thus, by not allowing their pupils to become early cosmetic addicts, schools will be the ones fostering within them the development of self-confidence and self-esteem.

“Teenage years are the period when a healthy skin and self-image should be cultivated simultaneously,” Dr. Ramdoss stated. “No makeup environment in Emirates schools is conducive to students concentrating on academics and not getting involved in rivalry of looks.”

Parents should allow children to use light products occasionally like tinted moisturisers with SPF or mineral powders for events outside school. This is an approach that balances the UAE school uniform rules and ensures the strictness of school and the flexibility of home.

Throughout the school year, it is expected that the Ministry of Education UAE uniform standards shall be continuously supervised. The schools have been told to ensure that students are always reminded of the rules and that the no makeup policy in UAE school uniform rules is strictly adhered to.

Through UAE school uniform rules implementation and the abstinence from the use of cosmetics, the UAE intends to safeguard the students’ skin health, lessen the bully that comes from appearance and promote the values of the nation that are already implanted in the schools.

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