Online shopping in Ramadan to reach $6.2 billion! Beauty and personal care become new trends

According to research in the "Unlocking Ramadan 2022" report, online shopping in the Middle East and North Africa increased by 36% and personal care spending increased by 41%. The online market size of Ramadan in the Middle East and North Africa is expected to reach US$6.2 billion in 2022, an increase of 39% from 2021.

As highlighted in the Middle East and Africa Beauty and Personal Care Products report, a closer look at the beauty and personal care industry reveals that the region has huge market potential, with a projected CAGR of 3.1% between 2022 and 2027.

Mehdi Moutaoukil, chief marketing officer at L’Oréal Middle East , said Ramadan is a good time for brands and businesses to pay attention to changes in consumer behavior, lifestyle habits and mindsets.

Now entering the post-pandemic recovery phase, the survey found that consumer behavior in the UAE and Saudi Arabia has changed significantly during Ramadan: 46 % of residents said they planned to participate in more celebrations, while 56% planned to spend more on personal care and 42% said they would spend on luxury goods.

Meanwhile, there has been a noticeable shift in the way local consumers approach facial care, makeup and hair care during Ramadan.

In terms of facial care, there has been a noticeable shift in interest in products as consumers worry about dry, flaky skin during Eid, with searches for masks increasing by 7% per month ; moisturizers by 2%; and serums by 3%.

In addition, women’s demand for cosmetics is different from usual. During Ramadan, women tend to wear less makeup, and focus more on products such as lipstick, eyebrow makeup and blush.

In terms of hair care, hair loss and dry hair are among the top concerns for consumers during Ramadan. Prior to Eid, there was a surge in interest in hair coloring.

Due to the epidemic, it has become more difficult for people to try out hair dyeing. Some companies have provided very advanced solutions, namely, providing consumers with real-time 3D hair color testing services through AI technology, realizing a virtual try-on function with real-time results to meet consumers' hair dyeing and color trial needs.

In addition, many companies have made more online attempts during the Ramadan season, such as combining shopping with live streaming, which allows consumers to browse and shop in the live streaming space at the same time without leaving the website and application.

This move conforms to the trend of online shopping and provides consumers with a comfortable home shopping user experience.

Beauty and personal care remain an integral part of daily life for many consumers around the world, not just in the Middle East and North Africa. Ramadan is just one example of seasonal changes, with local consumers using new shopping methods to meet their hair and facial care needs. These care routines have evolved into a synonym for self-love and self-care for the locals, and are therefore very popular.

Cross-border e-commerce market

Ramadan