by The inaugural summit, focused on skin experiences in the Middle East, “The Skincare Edition: Unfiltered,” is now underway in Riyadh.
The five-day event will include a range of experiences and educational opportunities for consumers and professionals alike. “Our goal for this summit is to educate and engage,” said Patrick Chalhoub, group president of the Chalhoub Group, in an interview with WWD.
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The group conceptualized the event with a larger aim: to unlock the untapped potential of the skincare market in the Middle East. The ambition, he said, is to increase the skin care segment of the region’s beauty market to 20 percent from 14 percent over the next three years.
“We see a lot of imbalance for the beauty market in the Middle East,” he explained. “Skin care only accounts for 10 to 11 percent of the market in the UAE, compared to 33 to 35 percent and even up to 50 percent in some Asian markets. This presents a great opportunity if we can change people’s behavior and raise awareness of the importance of skin care.”
The group identified education as the key driver for the growth of skincare, which has shown a lot of promise during the pandemic, growing twice as fast as other beauty categories in the region. “Providing education is key, which is why we considered Skincare Edition a consumer-driven experience,” said Chalhoub.
Through masterclasses and brand activities, visitors will have the opportunity to navigate through different routines, use technology and tools to assess their skin health, gain a deeper understanding of their skin type, learn about the most recent advances recent and choose the products that are tailored to their needs.
Participants include L’Oréal, Faces, Estée Lauder Companies, Shiseido, Waldencast, L’Occitane Group, Dior, Guerlain, Benefit Cosmetics, Roc, Caudalie and Patyka, as well as regionally developed brands such as the care brand skin based on a recent personalized prescription. ilik.
Laurent Duffier, managing director of L’Oréal Middle East, said the timing of the departure was right for their business. “This is coming at a perfect time, where the beauty market in Saudi Arabia is really emerging, driven primarily by an affluent Saudi consumer who is young, connected and digitally savvy.” He added that while consumers are learning, there is also an opportunity for brands to listen. “It’s crucial to keep ‘localization’ in mind. What works in Europe or the US is not necessarily relevant in Saudi Arabia. The Skincare Edition can help us build knowledge and bonds with the new Saudi consumer.”
Saudi Arabia itself has huge market potential. Mohamad Al Khalil, managing director of Shiseido Group Middle East, said: “Saudi Arabia is the engine that powers the growth of the entire region. There is a lot of white space and potential in skin care that will drive the growth that will drive the growth of the Middle East. Saudi Arabia is only penetrating 9 percent of the skin care market, so events like this will increase awareness and have a big impact.”
Interest in smaller niche skincare brands is strong in the region. Henk Van Der Mark, Estée Lauder’s vice-president of retail, commercial and business development in Europe and the Middle East, said: “The launch of The Routine in February 2023 has accelerated our leadership in this category and our ability to tap into local consumer demand and meet on the needs of the region, especially among younger consumers and their desire for ingredient transparency. Also, due to the introduction of Dr. Jart+ will be on the market in July 2024, further diversifying our active dermis offering by introducing Korean innovation.”
Chalhoub emphasized the importance of collaboration across the entire industry. “When you want to raise awareness, you need to have a comprehensive movement, where all the market players are going to join you. We didn’t want it to be just a Chalhoub partnership event. We are very much involved as an industry event, giving everyone access to the latest products and techniques and, most importantly, an opportunity to engage with industry experts.”
Hasmik Panossian, managing director of Sephora Middle East, said the region is rapidly embracing clean beauty, highlighting growing consumer demand for products that deliver high performance without compromising on values. “Our customers are more conscious than ever about the ingredients they use and are looking for products that deliver high performance without compromising their health or the environment,” said Panossian.
According to a date from Chalhoub, in the UAE, beauty shops are still the best destinations to buy skin care. In Kuwait, brand boutiques are included in the top three shopping destinations for beauty. However, in Saudi Arabia pharmacies are more relevant, with a penetration of 41 percent. Finoli, owner of the heritage French skincare brand Patyka, is among those exhibiting at Skincare Edition. The brand, which is mostly sold in pharmacies, is now testing the market in Saudi Arabia.
“It makes a big difference from being present here in Saudi Arabia and seeing our product in pharmacies, seeing how customers interact with it to understand how to position the brand. For example, we may seek medical recommendations from doctors as a means of growth. Something we do in other markets,” said Pierre Juhen, co-chief executive officer of Finoli.
Looking ahead, Chalhoub sees significant potential for the Middle East skin care market to outperform global averages, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the success of the overall beauty market in the Middle East. “I see no reason why we in the Middle East can’t be as sophisticated in taking care of our bodies and faces as anywhere else in the world,” he said.
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