Saudi Women Spend the Most Money in the GCC Region on Makeup

Saudi women spend the most money on makeup in the GCC region, according to a study conducted by Chalhoub Group.

The report is titled "Decoding the Beauty Consumer in the GCC", which provides deep insight into consumer behavior related to beauty products in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Kuwait.

The study was a quantitative study that included 2,600 beauty consumers, a four-day ethnography with 30 participants, and 15 expert interviews. 

The research shows a shift in beauty standards in the GCC market from following European standards to accepting Middle Eastern standards.

Participants also shared that focus on individual beauty and their sense of beauty also includes physical and mental well-being and self-esteem.

According to the results of the research, Saudi women diligently follow makeup and fragrance users on social media. 

Women from the UAE perceive themselves as trendsetters as they are exposed to various brands.

Women from Kuwait also follow social media trends in terms of beauty and prioritize skincare.

In regards to consumer behavior, the report shows that most beauty categories are driven by female consumers with an average spending that is 55 percent higher than men.

While Emirati women prefer multi-brand beauty stores, women from the Kingdom spend the most on makeup in the GCC. 

The beauty market in the Middle East is worth more than $10 billion and beauty brands expand their focus on the holistic well-being of their customers.

The most purchased products are related to skincare with 79 percent of consumers having purchased moisturizer in the past three months.

The second most purchased product in the past three months is cleanser at 54 percent, and the third most purchased product is sunblock at 46 percent.

For female consumers in the Kingdom, traditional retail is their main purchase channel for beauty products with 46 percent spend share, while for female consumers in the UAE, beauty stores account for 80 percent of their offline purchases.