Those who know 30-year-old Tarfa Al Farhan well know that her competitive spirit is uncompromising. And for those of us who don’t know her too well, get ready for a proper introduction. Not only is this beauty maven the proprietor and founder of locally loved natural skin care line Soufflé Beauty, she is out to dispel every myth there is about women in sports. She has strong opinions on what women can achieve, and she proves time and time again that it’s never too late to start chasing your passions.
Never confuse her poised demeanor with meekness, because Tarfa is everything but shy about her opinions. She begins, “People usually first wonder about my looks, as I’m constantly asked about where I am from. Being half Filipino, half Kuwaiti, I’ve had to contend with a lot of questions, but at the end of the day, I like to keep the conversations going, until I am asked about my hobbies. As soon as I’ve mentioned scuba diving and competitive horseback riding, I see people’s eyes widen in surprise.” In Kuwait, both fields are usually dominated by men, and Tarfa is constantly having to contend with statements like “But, you’re a woman! Isn’t it dangerous? Are you sure this is suitable for your age?”
She’d been an avid fan of sports ever since she was a child, and credits her father for this shared passion. Tarfa tells us, “I’ve always liked taking risks, and I know I get it from my dad. My parents always played sports. I was exposed to everything, from volleyball to tennis, but nothing too extreme. They wouldn’t allow me to push for more challenging activities like horseback riding or scuba diving because they worried too much.” But as Tarfa grew up, established a strong footing in entrepreneurship, an industry she is equally passionate about, she was seeking more. She smilingly says to me, “You make your own decisions when you get older, and then I just pursued them and my parents have been 100% supportive. They even come to my showjumping competitions or training practices. So, that’s amazing.”
Tarfa’s journey with scuba diving began in 2014 while on holiday in Thailand. She’d been dreaming of exploring life under the sea ever since she was a kid, so she simply went for her first certification and progressed from there. After a few years of PADI training, Tarfa realized that she wanted to impart her knowledge on to others, especially women in Kuwait, who might feel intimidated or uncomfortable to pursue underwater adventures with a male guide. She is currently well on her way to complete her teaching certification, and she dreams of retiring and opening up her own dive shack somewhere by the beach.
Tarfa also hopes to shed light on Kuwait’s marine life and to utilize her teaching skills to create a greater sense of awareness about our relationship with the sea and how we must work harder to preserve it. “What is most ironic is how living from, and by the sea, was a way of life for us in Kuwait for a very long time, yet with every dive I take, I see marine life dwindling. It is very sad when you see the corals dying, and fewer fish with every trip we take.”
Being underwater surely could present several precarious situations, but Tarfa loves to conquer every challenge. “It’s when your fight or flight instinct kicks in, and all of the knowledge that you’ve accumulated with experience as well. It’s magical,” she says. She credits her scuba diving teachers Juan Page, Franky Lotta and Derron Tume for their invaluable lessons.
From the world of scuba diving to the competitive arena of show jumping and horseback riding, we wonder how she does it all! “Scuba diving is for the weekends, horse riding is for the weekdays, that’s how I split it up!” she laughingly tells me, citing the same sense of exhilaration which she experiences when she’s at the stables ready for her training session, “I cannot describe it, but you feel like you are flying as if you’re Superwoman!” While Tarfa pursued riding just for fun three years ago, her competitive edge kicked in when she noticed how she kept improving her skills with every ride under the professional guidance of her trainers Zoran Dodev and Zeinab Almousawi. “I gained more confidence with more practice, and from there, began to enter competitions. Once I got a taste for it, I couldn’t stop. Slowly but surely, my jumps got higher and higher, and with every competition, we performed well in, I felt my passion for riding grow even more.”
Balance is very important for Tarfa, as it helps her stay focused on all of her interests and passions. While it is important for her to reach milestones with her professional career, she believes that pursuing hobbies seriously allows her to stimulate a different part of her brain. “It’s what makes life interesting,” Tarfa says.
I ask Tarfa if she had to choose between her dream dive shack on an exotic island, or taking her riding skills to the Olympics and winning a title, what would she do? She thinks very deeply, and with a calculated look says, “The title, because I’ll still get the dive shack in the end!”
UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL QUESTIONNAIRE
What do you most value about your friends?
They all have different personalities which makes them really valuable. But the traits I value the most are honesty, love, and loyalty.
Which living person do you most admire?
Venus and Serena Williams.
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
When there is no drama around you over silly things.
What is your greatest extravagance?
Travel and Sports.
What is your most treasured possession?
My phone.
What is your greatest fear?
Losing the people and pets I love.
What is your most marked characteristic?
Resilience.
Which talent would you most like to have?
Automatic computation when it comes to numbers, I am really horrible at it.
What is one trait you have that you are most grateful for?
Adaptability.
What is the human trait you most dislike about others?
Egotistical humans.
What is it that you most dislike?
When people say you can’t do it.
Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
OH MY GAWD and Like.
What are your favorite words to live by?
Life is too short so make sure you live it.
Where would you most like to live?
South East Asia or the Caribbean.
If you could have any job, what would it be?
I am at my dream job right with my own skincare brand Souffle Beauty.
What would you consider your greatest achievement?
Building a skincare brand with my best friend and pursuing the sports I love at the same time.
What do you hope for the future?
Human decency.
Follow Tarfa’s latest adventures on Instagram @nomadia.princessa.
