What's Driving The Beauty Boom In Asia And The UAE?
It wasn’t long ago that all eyes were on Hollywood for the latest and greatest products, techniques and trends from the realm of beauty and cosmetics. However, according to Euromonitor International, all eyes will be peering towards Asia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as both regions experience an unprecedented beauty boom.
The rise of UAE beauty
It only takes a quick swipe through one’s Instagram feed to discover that top beauty influencers are emerging from the UAE. And it seems the young and affluent are not only driving trends but also sales in the beauty and cosmetics industry.
“Strong consumer confidence, high literacy rates and high social media exposure are the main drivers of beauty and personal care products,” said Amna Abbas, Research Analyst at Euromonitor International.
“The category of fragrances, especially traditional oud and amber-based fragrances, are always very much in trend due to their cultural significance within the region,” she said.
The quest for traditional scents has inspired many an international firm to explore oud-based fragrances.
“The UAE is thus benefiting from the increasing product portfolios of international brands,” Abbas said. “Oud-based fragrances [are] appearing from the likes of Gucci, Armani, Tom Ford, Hugo Boss, Versace and Alaia.”
By doing so, these high-end fashion houses are exporting local tradition, creating a trend and cementing the UAE as a trailblazer in the beauty and cosmetics sector.
While the cosmetics boom in the UAE has somewhat declined, experiencing a growth of eight per cent in 2015 as opposed to nine per cent in 2014, the region’s appetite for all things beauty is not set to wane. It will, however, give rise to the savvy shopper.
“With a rising pressure on the economy in 2016, consumers will increasingly make use of loyalty cards, deals and special offers by retailers to purchase smartly,” Abbas said.
