Having effortlessly transitioned into acting, Fouzia's debut film swiftly captured global acclaim, earning accolades at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival
We’re taking the liberty to put forward a personal question. No, we’re not asking how much you earn, how old are you turning this year, or what’s your annual rental. We’re digging deeper. We’re asking how much do you spend on skincare, and how much is too much? Spending on skincare is always a good idea, one can’t argue against that. We’re not here to make you feel guilty, the opposite rather. We’re here to assist you to make a good judgement call, economically and environmentally, as you look after your skin. The fact is that we all do at times end up spending more than required on skincare, for we live under the assumption that expensive products work better. Fret not, experts are here to rescue.
What’s our average cost of skincare maintenance?
Abhish Chandhok, general manager marketing, The Himalaya Drug Company, predicts the average spend is expected to amount to Dh1,500/ annum/consumer. Sarah Gardner, head of beauty, Lifestyle, starts off with clearing the air when she says that if you think women are the big spenders when it comes to beauty products, think again. “Equal percentages of men and women report spending levels ranging from less than $50 a month to more than $100 per month,” she adds.
Manju Choudhary, managing director, Radiant Splendorous Mothers (RSM) International and distributor for Mamaearth, MEA region, opines that generally men tend to spend less than women, “but interest in health and wellness among men is also high in the region. However, statistics are yet to support this trend.”
Sonal Sachdev, director of strategic planning at Leader Healthcare Group, confesses on an average she spends Dh1,000 a month when purchasing skincare that is botanically derived and has a multipurpose use.”
We’re in the midst of making a sensible change in the skincare game
It’s possible, yes, especially since 2020 was the year when beauty went natural, and consumers discarded heavy makeup and embraced minimalism. It’s still about the skin glow, but more. Sarah specifies how both genders agree on certain factors when choosing products: price, followed by reputation, claims and ingredients, “they rely on trial and error, recommendations from friends and family and online research when making purchase”. Manju states how market trends in the Middle East show that consumers are aware of the need to use natural cosmetics and maintain a healthier skincare regimen. “They are keen to know the content of the products to ensure that they contain nothing toxic or harmful to their skin and overall health.” Nisha Ganapathy, group product manager, DermoViva, Dabur International, adds, “Consumers are conscious about where and how they spend but also extending their conscious duties beyond to see if the ingredients used are safe even for the environment.”
In the long run, it’s about enrichment
The trend towards spending on make-up products would witness a further decline, with a shift to spending on products with long-term benefits. Abhish points out that the female millennial population (aged 20-29) is hugely responsible for this change. “Also, the pandemic brought about moments of realisation. Consumers are inclined towards reducing excessive consumption and fancy beauty products that are organic in nature as well as environment-friendly.” Sarah couldn’t agree more. “People are concerned about wellness and are embracing/investing in things which will bring long-term benefits. They’re opting for long-term feeling of enrichment over things that only bring superficial enlightenment,” she shares. Adds Manju, “We see this trend rapidly increasing in the UAE. There is a growing demand for holistic and natural wellbeing practices, and, of course, skincare is at the heart of this practice. Retail trends show that consumers in Mena and the UAE are willing to spend for these products.”
purva@khaleejtimes.com
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