Insightful facts and figures surrounding MEA’s women’s cosmetics market and the key factors driving its growth.
According to a recent report from Beautyworld Middle East’s research provider TechSci Research, the Middle East and Africa (MEA) women’s cosmetics market which includes skincare, haircare, fragrances and colour cosmetics has enjoyed a period of considerable growth over the past five years and is set to continue to do so. Much of this growth is driven by the increasing spending powers of women in the region, improved product choice and the rising adoption of cosmetics as part of the daily routine.
TechSci’s research valued the MEA women’s cosmetics market at USD 16.36 billion (bn) in 2016 having enjoyed a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.43% between 2012 and 2016. Looking at a five-year forecast period from 2017 this is expected to reach USD 25.1 bn by 2022, thanks to a higher estimated CAGR of 7.57%.
GCC Market Outlook
Conversely, the GCC women’s cosmetics market is forecast to reach USD 12.81 bn by 2022 (valued at 6.9 bn in 2016) driven by an estimated CAGR of 11.13%, significantly higher than that of the wider region. The below table, provided to Beautyworld Middle East by TechSci Research provides a country breakdown of the market value for women’s cosmetics in 2016 across the GCC.
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Country
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Market Value (USD bn)
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Saudi Arabia
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4.9 (70.98%)
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UAE
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1.02 (14.83%)
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Oman
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0.48 (7.01%)
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Kuwait
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0.28 (4%)
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Qatar
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0.13 (1.86%)
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Bahrain
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0.09 1.31%)
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The ongoing growth in the GCC’s women’s cosmetics industry can be attributed to the modern Arabian woman who has adopted the use of cosmetics in her daily routine as well as an increasing number of women joining the workplace, providing them with more disposable income to spend on cosmetics. Furthermore, the power of social media has exerted its influence and helped to create awareness on the benefits many of these products claim to offer, particularly in the anti-ageing category.
When broken down into product categories, fragrances (36.16%), colour cosmetics (26.51%) and skincare (17.69%) accounted for the largest proportions of the GCC’s women’s cosmetics market, a trend seen across the wider region.
Penetration of halal cosmetics
Not surprisingly, both halal and organic products hold a greater market share in the GCC than in the wider MEA women’s cosmetics market, with halal particularly gaining in popularity. In 2016, according to the TechSci Research, halal cosmetics products in MEA registered a market share of 7.91% with organic cosmetics products accounting for only 6.75%. However, in the GCC these proportions were much higher at 17.97% and 12.76% respectively.
Cosmetics that are fully Shariah compliant can be termed as halal cosmetics products. In Saudi Arabia this category held a 27.32% market share in 2016 and TechSci predicts this could increase to as much as a 35.17% share by 2022, thanks to a 16.36% CAGR. Similarly, halal cosmetics are growing in popularity in UAE with a forecast CAGR of 11.54% to reach USD 0.35 bn by 2022.
An increasing number of Muslim celebrities and influencers endorsing halal cosmetics in the region are helping to drive this growth as they help influence purchasing decisions of Muslim consumers. Late last year CoverGirl named American beauty vlogger Nura Afia as their first ever Muslim ambassador. Since then Muslim influencers such as Jessica Kahawaty, AlReim Saif and Dina Al Sharif have also become trusted icons in the GCC’s women’s cosmetics market helping to drive interest in halal cosmetics.
Going forward: Beautyworld Middle East’s role
A trade fair like Beautyworld Middle East can help to bolster these trends and is a particularly effective platform for introducing new product choices to the region. It delivers incredible insights and offers a glimpse into the future of the beauty and wellness industry across the MEA region and beyond. Constantly evolving to meet market requirements and exceed exhibitor and visitor expectations, the exhibition reflects industry dynamics and paints an astute picture of the MEA’s women’s cosmetics market.
