Dubai: The lawyer of a make-up artist said in court that his client did not practise aesthetic medicine at a beauty centre but she only did facial cleansing.

The Dutch make-up artist pleaded not guilty before the Dubai Misdemeanours Court when she refuted the charge of practising aesthetic medicine at the beauty centre without obtaining a licence from Dubai’s health authorities.

The Dutch woman was apprehended after a woman health inspector from the Dubai Health Authority [DHA] posed as a client and made an inspection visit to the beauty centre in Jumeirah in June 2017.

The Dutch woman’s lawyer Uday Al Kazwini of Dar Al Balagh Advocates and Legal Consultants argued in court: “My client is an educated person and holds a college diploma in cosmetology and beautification. She did not provide any medical advice to the DHA inspector and she didn’t use any medical terminology with her. She just applied a cleansing lotion on her face. On the other hand, the law enforcement procedures were applied wrongly and unlawfully against my client. She was questioned in absence of a legal translator.”

Records said in the beauty centre, the DHA inspector was attended to by the Dutch make-up artist, who took her into a room.

When the DHA inspector asked the Dutch woman about the treating aesthetic doctor, she told the inspector that she herself would make the consultation and treatment at the same time.

Thereafter, the inspector identified herself and asked the Dutch woman if she was licensed to practise aesthetic medicine at the beauty centre.

The DHA inspector found out that the make-up artist didn’t have a licence from the health authorities. She then reported the matter to the police.

“My client used a facial magnifying lamp as she applied cleansing lotion to the inspector’s face … such a lamp exists in all beauty centres and barber shops as well. The inspector deemed that device as a medical device but it is not. Moreover, the inspector misinterpreted the word consultant and deemed that my client was practising medicine without a licence. Actually, the word consultant does not mean that my client is a doctor or that she practises medicine … in other industries and professional fields, the word consultant is commonly used. For instance, it is used to describe a consultant in law, engineering, beauty and other scientific fields. The Dutch woman is an experienced make-up artist and she works particularly in make-up, beauty and facial cleansing … her professional title is a beauty consultant at the spa where she works,” argued lawyer Al Kazwini.

The case file did not include any crucial or decisive evidence to corroborate prosecutors’ accusation that the suspect had practised medicine without a licence, contended Al Kazwini.

Police apprehended the Dutch make-up artist and the beauty centre’s Indian owner before prosecutors accused the Dutch of practising unlicensed aesthetic medicine and the Indian woman was charged with abetment [by hiring the make-up artist].

The suspects pleaded not guilty in court.

The Dutch woman argued before the presiding judge that she only does make-up at the centre and dismissed the inspector’s allegations that she offered her a treatment.

In her statement before police interrogators, the Indian owner said the Dutch woman had been working for her since 2014 as a make-up artist and not as a doctor.

“The inspector came in for a consultation and I was cleaning her skin in the room. I applied cleansing cream on her and cleaned her skin … such a cream is used by anybody at home,” said the Dutch woman.

In his verbal argument before the court, lawyer Al Kazwini contended that his client did not mention that she was a beauty therapist to the inspector and told her she was a make-up artist.

“She has practised skin treatment in her country where a licence isn’t required, but she didn’t practise skin treatment in Dubai. She didn’t pose as an aesthetic medicine specialist or use any medical device,” argued Al Kazwini who asked the court to acquit his client.

A ruling will be heard soon.