The second Beautyworld Saudi Arabia – the Kingdom's regional trade fair for beauty products, hair, fragrance and wellbeing - was opened on Sunday by Khalaf Hosan Al-Otaibi, Deputy Chairman of the Board of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The show runs until Oct. 29 at the Jeddah Center for Forums & Events, and is backed by 193 exhibitors from 22 nations bolstered by dedicated Chinese, Korean and South African pavilions. Euromonitor International has identified the Kingdom as the largest market for personal care and beauty in the Middle East and Africa, comprising 16% of all sales, and has forecast the market's value to increase in value to $5.8 billion by 2022. The Saudi market, it says, is set to register a compound annual growth rate of 3.2% over the next two years with Saudi consumers forecast to spend, per capita, $163 on personal care and beauty products in 2022. The biggest gains are expected in the hair care and color cosmetics segments which are forecast to grow by 5% and 4.5% respectively by 2022 to be worth $942 million and $719 million. "The growth prospects are key to the show attracting a 15% increase in exhibitor numbers on only its second showing," said Simon Mellor, CEO, Messe Frankfurt Middle East, which licenses the Beautyworld brand to Saudi-based organiser ACE Exhibitions. Fragrances take the lion's share of the Kingdom's beauty market with Euromonitor saying Saudis, on average, spend over $700 per month on oriental fragrances and essential oils, and $500 per month on western fragrances, make-up and skincare outstripping their western counterparts at least ten-fold in terms of spend. And the Saudi fragrance market is set for further growth with Euromonitor predicting the Kingdom's perfume market– the largest in the GCC - will rise at a compound annual growth rate of 7.1% until 2024 reaching $2.64 bn in value. It's a forecast from which international manufacturers have scented huge opportunity and which is attracting new players, including those tailoring some products specifically to Saudi preferences. Such is Saudi Arabia's weight on the international fragrance scene that an increasing number of international producers are choosing Beautyworld Saudi Arabia for global new product launches. Spain's fragrance leader Iberchem will stage the international launch of its new gel scent application, at the show - the first time the product has been promoted outside of Europe. "Since the foundation of the company in 1985, Saudi Arabia has been a key market where we have many key customers," explained Iberchem's Guillaume Audy. Iberchem is now producing fragrances designed specifically for the Saudi market. "We've seen an increase of interest in the niche fragrance market. Niche fragrances embody perfectly the uniqueness and exclusivity of the Kingdom," added Audy. "Saudi Arabia is a vibrant market where any fragrance creation house must be in order to keep up with the trends that will shape tomorrow's fragrance landscape." Meanwhile, Swiss fragrance giant Firmenich, whose master perfumers in Dubai, Paris and New York have spent the last year carefully creating fragrances specifically for the region, is at the show looking for local production tie-ups. "Saudi Arabia is extremely important market for us as it comprises 40% of our annual growth in the IMEA region," explained Ian Crompton, Firmenich's Regional Director Fine Fragrance IMEA & SEA. "The market is split in two categories, the retail and the souk markets. We are focusing on the retail market and aim to work with the largest corporations in the country as we seek to develop strong long-term partnerships to create the classics of tomorrow." And Russia is the latest to sniff out opportunity in Saudi Arabia. Moscow-based GSS Cosmetics, one of the country's biggest premium perfume producers, has already made Arabian-influenced fragrances a trend in Russia and now wants to take its concept of advanced scientific cosmetology and wellness lifestyle products to Saudi Arabia focusing on natural ingredients. It plans to present over 200 products at the show. "By combining beauty and wellness we offer a synergy of spiritual and physical beauty for everyday life. Our offer includes high-quality skincare, hair care, make-up, perfumes, natural aromatherapy and oils that are really relevant to the market," said CEO Alex Smirnov. "Our brand Zeitun is a successful fusion of Arabic traditions and European technologies." "We recreate ancient beauty recipes and work with high-quality raw materials from the Middle East and Europe to design highly natural beauty products. We also use signature traditional aromas and high demand ingredients like natural mineral shimmer for sophisticated skin care and extra glow, precious oils, Dead Sea salt and mud, and many others. Our cosmetics are made in accordance with ethical principles, not tested on animals and 100% cruelty-free." GSS is looking to replicate its Russian success in the Saudi market. "We've made the great Arabic heritage popular in Russia. Now we're ready to deliver and spread Arabic beauty and care traditions worldwide." Yet Beautyworld Saudi Arabia will be more than just a business forum – it is shaping up as a key educational event with the staging this year of its Beauty Academy. "This is where current and aspiring hair and makeup professionals, along with salon managers can enhance their skillsets and business credentials during a series of workshops and industry seminars led by a team of highly qualified international professionals," Mellor further said. The Beauty Academy is organized in collaboration with the Technical and Vocational Training College (TVTC) KH Morgan, Nazih Group, the National Distribution Company, and the Beauty Veloute Academy. Beautyworld Saudi Arabia is the 5th Beautyworld event globally, following annual shows in Dubai (Beautyworld Middle East) and Japan (Beautyworld Japan, Japan West, and Japan Fukuoka). Last year the annual three-day event attracted 4,672 visitors but Messe Frankfurt Middle East is confident it will grow the turnout with cross-sector growth forecasts and the opening of the country's tourism sector, which could spur local spend. Beautyworld Saudi Arabia is open to trade professionals aged 18 and over only. — SG
