• Dubai Municipality Director General His Excellency Eng. Dawood Abdulrahman Al Hajiri opens Beautyworld Middle East 2019
• Three-day event in Dubai features 1,790 exhibitors from 66 countries targeting MEA’s US$34.9 billion beauty and personal care market

Dubai, UAE, April 15, 2019:  Beautyworld Middle East 2019, the region’s largest international trade fair for beauty products, hair, fragrances, and wellbeing opened in Dubai today (15th April), featuring 1,790 exhibitors from 66 countries.

Running until 17th April at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, the 24th edition of the annual three-day event was opened by His Excellency Eng. Dawood Abdulrahman Al Hajiri, the Director General of the Dubai Municipality. 

With a new record in exhibitor numbers, 25 national pavilions, seven spectacular show highlights, and hundreds of product launches across 62,000sqm of exhibition space, Beautyworld Middle East 2019 is once again the focal point of the latest innovations in a regional market that is tipped to grow by 7.5 percent annually over the next three years. 

According to analysts Euromonitor International (EMI), the retail value of the beauty and personal care market in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) is estimated to be worth US$34.9 billion in 2019, an eight percent increase over the previous year (US$32.4 billion).

That figure is projected to grow to be worth US$43.4 billion in 2022 according to EMI, making the MEA region one of the fastest growing markets in the world for cosmetics, skincare, fragrances, hair care, men’s grooming, personal care and hygiene. 

“As one of the world’s top three top three trade fairs for beauty, hair, fragrances and wellbeing, Beautyworld Middle East continues to uncover the entire spectrum of products serving this vibrant regional market,” said Elaine O’Connell, Show Director for Beautyworld Middle East.

“There is no other trade fair in the wider region that delivers such a wide range of beauty products, personal care, and fragrances from across the globe.  At the same time, it’s an educational focal point shining the spotlight on the latest trends and innovations that are moving the needle for the beauty profession on an international scale.”

Front Row dazzles on debut

Spearheading a long list of show highlights at Beautyworld Middle East 2019 this week is is Front Row, a three-day educational programme of live on-stage makeup and hair demonstrations, where panel discussions on successful business brands are interspersed with entertaining shows presenting the biggest trends in global beauty.

More than 40 leading international and regional artists, influencers, and beauty entrepreneurs are on-board for this interactive showpiece event, with celebrity hairstylist Laura Polko the headline act. 

One of Hollywood’s most sought after hairstylists, Polko’s client list includes celebrities such as Kim Kardashian, Gigi Hadid, Chrissy Teigen, Poppy Delevingne, and Hailey Baldwin, to name a few. 

In her first of three styling sessions today, Polko said makeup palettes, clothing, and accessories are the top three trends shaping hairstyles in 2019:  “Makeup palettes shape hair trends. I work so closely with so many amazing makeup artists and it’s important the two work together.  Now people are working with more blush and bronzy palettes and that calls for more sleek and shiny hair.

“Clothing also shapes looks,” continued Polko, while revealing her signature tousled beach hair look at Front Row.  “As dresses are becoming less over the top that means less over the top hair. This allows for more creative and cool looks.  And using accessories ties everything together to give extra details and to help take the look from great to amazing.”

Product launch galore at Beautyworld Middle East 2019

Beautyworld Middle East has for more than two decades been the preferred launch pad for exhibitors to showcase their latest wares for thousands of regional trade visitors, with more than 150 participating companies confirming new product launches in 2019.
Among that group is Korean company lululab, which is launching its AI Skincare Assistant LUMINI – an AI Skin Analysis kiosk that uses Artificial Intelligence (AI), deep learning, and big data to analyse a customer’s skin and recommend the best skin care creams based on real-time analytics.

lululab’s CEO Yongjoon Choe said the LUMINI kiosk has a touch display with a multi-spectral-camera to capture an entire face in a snap, taking 10 seconds to analyse the six biggest skin concerns such as wrinkles, pigment, redness, pores, sebum, and Acne.

“The LUMINI kiosk is a self-experience machine that analyses skin problems in a fun and entertaining way,” said Choe.  “Consumers will get one picture of what their facial skin will look like when using the right skincare products and one picture of what their facial skin might end up looking like if they don’t use any skin care products at all.”

Choe said once LUMINI captures and analyses a customer’s face using AI, it then provides a recommendation of skincare products and a QR-code with an analysis report that customers can access via their mobile phones:  “Thanks to AI technology, deep learning, and big data, LUMINI recommends the best products and services for customers’ skin,” he said.

“It allows consumers to analyse their skins themselves for free, giving transparent, clear and independent information on skin conditions and personal suggestions based on actual digital skin analysis data that the consumers can rely on when buying skin products.”

Seven spectacular show highlights under one roof

Apart from Front Row, other new highlights at Beautyworld Middle East 2019 include Ready to Beauty, a showcase of beauty brands catering specifically to the wants and needs of a multicultural audience; and the three-day Beauty Business Conference, which covers pertinent topics such sustainable packaging of beauty products.

Meanwhile, returning highlights include the always popular Quintessence, an exclusive showcase of 20-plus handpicked niche perfume brands from across the globe; and Battle of the Barbers, where the UAE’s finest male grooming technicians are pitted against each other in a live competition in a boxing ring setting, with two coveted titles up for grabs – the UAE’s Best Barber and UAE’s Best Shave.

The UAE’s most talented nail technicians are also competing for the top spot at the 11th Nail It! Competition, supported by US nail brands, Artistic Nail and OPI, while the Fragrance Station presents samples of the various scents presented by participating exhibitors. 
A truly global event spearheaded by UAE participation  

Beautyworld Middle East is organised by Messe Frankfurt Middle East, and covers the six product groups of Cosmetics and Skincare (500 exhibitors); Machinery, Packaging, Raw Materials, and Contract Manufacturing (400); Hair, Nails, and Salon Supplies (360); Fragrance Compounds and Finished Fragrances (200 exhibitors), Personal Care and Hygiene (200 exhibitors); and Natural and Organic (110 exhibitors).

The global flavour of the dedicated showpiece is underlined by 25 pavilions coming from Argentina, Brazil, California, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Morocco, Pakistan, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, GCC, UK, USA, and for the first time in 2019, Belgium, Jordan, Romania, and Lithuania.

UAE participation is also strong, with 168 local companies spanning 7,300sqm of exhibition space.  Top local companies on-board in 2019 include Nazih Group, Sawaya Trading, Creative Beauty Source, Gharieni, Swiss Arabian Perfumes, and Premier Cosmetics.

Beautyworld Middle East 2019 will again present an unrivalled platform of business networking and inspirational ideas for an expected audience of 35,000-plus trade buyers and beauty professionals.