Even as a young girl Rosa had a passion for beauty. Born in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, she spent her formative years in Toronto, Canada — scurrying home after school to volunteer at her aunt’s salon. “I saw the way looking beautiful made my aunt’s clients feel beautiful,” she recalls, “I saw how it helped them feel more confident. And I knew that’s what I wanted to do with my life.”

Guided by that early epiphany and her vision to use beauty as tool for empowerment, Rosa founded NOOR, “a creative, welcoming space where talented artists help clients express their inner beauty.” She divides her time between working one-on-one with clients, running the salon, mentoring her staff, and reminding everyone that they are beautiful.