ORGANIC,

NATURAL & 20
CLEAN 23
BEAUTY

MENA Market Report 2023

Exploring GCC market opportunities worth $2.6 billion
1 Understanding MENA’s obsession with clean &
natural beauty

2 Estimating market demand, potential and size

3 Suppliers of clean & natural cosmetics to the

Middle East

4 Major players

5 Hear from the buyers!

6 Export requirements to the Middle East

7 Taking Advantage Of E-Commerce

 Understanding MENA’s obsession with clean &
natural beauty
The Middle East is known to have one of the highest per capita spends ($247) in the world on
beauty and personal grooming, with Saudi Arabia and UAE leading the race. What initially started as
a trend has now become a way of life. The pandemic has accelerated the use of environmentally
friendly beauty products in the region. MENA’s millennials today are eager to read and learn more
about the fine print for the products they use and consume daily. Given the nature of beauty and
self-care applications, a surge in consumer interest regarding ingredient toxicity, sourcing and
formulations has evolved over recent years in the Middle East and around the world.

Considering the shift in preferences the demand for organic, ethically sourced and natural
cosmetics is said to soar.

With such burgeoning demand from the Middle East, how eager are you to capture your market
share?

Estimating market demand, size & potential

By 2025, the clean beauty industry in the GCC alone will be worth US$ 2.6 billion

54% of female millennials aged 20 to 29 confirmed they were shifting toward

simplified beauty routines, making this cohort more selective about the brands
and ingredients they use on their skin daily.

The UAE is the fourth largest market for cosmetic, toiletries and fragrances in the
Middle East, with USD 2.2 billion traded in 2021, according to the Euromonitor
Institute.

In the UAE, The personal care segment has the largest share of $518.8 million,
followed by skin care ($292.5 million), cosmetics ($174.5 million) and fragrances
($142.7 million).

On an average, money spent on makeup, other cosmetics can amount to $909 a

year in Saudi Arabia.
Major countries that export clean & Major countries that import
natural cosmetics to the Middle East clean & natural cosmetics into the Middle East

USA Saudi Arabia

South Korea UAE
Turkey Iran
United Kingdom Qatar
China Oman
India Qatar
Germany Bahrain
Switzerland Egypt
France
Italy

Other
14% E-commerce
24%

Market distribution share

Retail - brick and mortar E-commerce - Online stores & marketplaces
62% Retail - brick and mortar (Makeup stores, pharmacies, hypermarkets)

Others – Hotels, Spa, Wellness centers and Saloons

Major players in the Middle East clean

beauty market
E-commerce websites and homegrown beauty brands – Huda Beauty,
Misspalletable.com, ILIA Beauty, Clean Beauty Binge, Secret skin

Retailers – Sephora, Lifestyle (Landmark Group), Bath & Body Works

(Alshaya retail), Face shop (Al Ghurair Retail), Bloomingdales,
Watsons (Al Futtaim Retail)

Others – Hotels, Saloon, Spa

 Capitalizing on MENA's growing demand:
Opportunities for Organic, Natural & Clean
Beauty
The MENA region presents a significant opportunity for tea exporters looking to capitalize on the growing
demand for organic and specialty teas. As consumers in the region become increasingly health-conscious
and seek out products with natural ingredients and health benefits, there is a growing demand for organic
and functional teas. This presents an opportunity for exporters of these types of teas to gain market share in
the MENA region.

Growing demand for organic and natural products: The demand for organic and natural beauty products
is on the rise in the MENA region due to increased consumer awareness about the harmful effects of
synthetic ingredients.
Favorable regulatory environment: Many countries in the MENA region have implemented regulations
and standards that encourage the use of natural and organic ingredients in cosmetics and personal care
products.
Increasing disposable income: With increasing disposable income, consumers in the MENA region are
more willing to spend on high-quality natural and organic beauty products.
Growing e-commerce industry: The e-commerce industry in the MENA region is growing rapidly,
providing an excellent opportunity for beauty product importers to reach a wider audience.
Limited domestic production: There is limited domestic production of natural and organic beauty
products in the MENA region, creating a significant demand for imported products.
Strong cultural and religious beliefs: Many consumers in the MENA region prefer using products that
align with their cultural and religious beliefs, such as halal-certified or vegan products.

Requirements for export of organic & natural cosmetics, beauty

products into the UAE & Middle East

Product Pictures - both sides

Produce Label Pictures PDF Format
Product Ingredient List
2 leaflets of each product - soft copy
Country Of Origin Certificate
ESMA Certification
Health Certificate from Health Department/ Food Department/ Municipality with
approval that the product is Good to consume/apply
Valid Date of Manufacture/Produce and Date of Expiry to be printed on the
product packing
Product Registration copies in Country of Manufacture
Certificate of Organic approval and registration from Country Issued (copy)
2 pieces of each product for Lab Test
Taking Advantage Of E-Commerce For Beauty
A Platform That Is Rising To Popularity In The MENA Region

The beauty industry is experiencing a surge in demand

for natural cosmetics and beauty products as
consumers become more aware of the harmful effects
of synthetic ingredients. This presents a valuable
opportunity for businesses to tap into the growing
trend and offer high-quality natural products to
consumers.
To showcase these products to a wider audience,
businesses can turn to online marketplaces like
Arabian Organics. This platform provides a dedicated
space for businesses to sell their natural beauty
products in the Middle East, offering a convenient and
effective way to enter this market.
By offering natural beauty products, businesses can
meet the needs of consumers who are seeking eco-
friendly, cruelty-free, and sustainable options. Arabian
Organics, with its focus on quality and affordability,
presents businesses with an opportunity to showcase
Arabian Organics: their products and reach a wider audience in the
Middle East market.
The Rising Online Wholesale Marketplace for
Organic & Natural Products in the Middle East .

What are the buyers saying?

We are distributors of many brands, but
we also have our brand which we
manufacture with contract manufacturers.
Since we work very closely with the
manufacturers, we’ve understood that
mostly they’re trying to find alternatives
for harsh chemicals and synthetic
products.
So, what we’ve seen high demand for is
vegetable oils, mostly coconut oil and
avocado oil. They are extremely functional
and have active properties which is the
reason that its always in high demand.
Another raw ingredient that we’ve seen on
demand is licorice. The demand for
products that contained licorice was
boosted because of its immunity-building
properties. Lately, a lot of brands have
been using licorice for its anti-aging
benefits.
Gijo Jacob, Head of Distribution &
Wholesale (Alfa-One), Aster Pharmacies (a
household name in the Middle east that
offers a wide range of curated and
nutritious cosmetic products along with
several other products)
With clean beauty, there has been an overall
growth especially post-pandemic. People
always think that organic and natural are
better than synthetic and that’s where clean
beauty comes into play. Clean beauty
emphasizes and looks at how products are
formulated without the excessive usage of
ingredients that have high contents of
preservatives.
Minimalist skincare is what sells the best
because our consumers have very simple and
straightforward needs. When brands are very
simple with their product descriptions and
packaging, we have noticed that they do
much better just because a customer can
easily go on our website, read about the
product, and add it to their cart.
Most of the time customers just want simple,
clean ingredients that are highly effective.
Nishant Bhatia, Sr. Innovation Manager,
Costa Coffee (a household name and one of
the fastest growing and largest coffee
chains in the Middle East and the UK)
Think anybody bringing a product into this
market needs to be transparent in terms of
ingredients, sourcing, and packaging. The
more transparent you are about the
product, the easier it is for somebody like
me, who works with multiple brands, to
make an informed decision and see how the
product would fit with the mix and have a
very credible brand story.
My understanding after being in this market
for 5 years is that the simpler your message
is, the better. I feel that there is no patience
in this market, the products’ message has to
cross language barriers and easily enable a
consumer to understand what the product
is and what it does.
Karen Wells, Brand Director (Mikyajy),
Kamal
Osman Jamjoom Group (An Arabian
homegrown makeup brand with over 1.5
million fans in Saudi Arabia, U.A.E, Oman,
Bahrain and Qatar)
Market Report For
Middle East & Africa 20
23
Recommended Events In The Region For Exporters

The Middle East Organic & Natural Products Expo Dubai 2023
12th - 14th December 2023 | 10 am - 5.00 pm
The Middle East Organic and Natural Product Expo is an annual event that
takes place in the MENA region. It expo aims to promote eco-friendly and
ethical products in the market, as well as provide a space for networking
opportunities among industry professionals.

CONTACT - Jennie Robin

Exhibition Director
E: jennie@glexhibitions.com
T: +971 52 2853 668

Organic Majlis
Clean, Natural beauty - Helping Middle East's conscious millenials
accelerate the shift to natural, clean beauty.
Date - 2nd May 2023 | 3-5pm GST
A series of online roundtable conversations between international suppliers
and regional buyer community to develop trade.