DUBAI: Hia Hub, Saudi Arabia’s conference for fashion, beauty and lifestyle, returned this week for its fourth edition in Riyadh’s JAX district, featuring discussions, masterclasses, workshops, interactive exhibitions and live performances.
Among the highlights were several appearances by Patrick Chalhoub, president of Chalhoub Group, where he and the guest speakers discussed the latest developments in the skincare industry as part of “The Skincare Edition: Unfiltered” summit.
“The whole idea of the summit is to take our visitors — be it professionals, skincare lovers, or customers who don’t have enough knowledge — through different experiences,” Chalhoub told Arab News ahead of the event.
“They get to diagnose their skin, so they know which areas to focus on, but in a playful way, where people come and engage in all these different experiences, each one brought by a different brand. They’ll learn more in a non-commercial way, almost like a discovery game.”
Speaking about the skincare landscape in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf region, Chalhoub said he had noticed different trends among younger and older consumers.
“The more mature group, I would say, tends to be quite traditional in their skincare habits. They prefer brands they know and trust more than anything,” he said.
“Although mature women are the ones who might benefit more from extensive skincare routines, they tend to use fewer products that target specific needs.”
By comparison, people under 30, including men, were “much more conscious of their wellness,” Chalhoub said.
“They use skincare products more frequently and are willing to experiment with innovative products, even with brands that are not necessarily very popular.
“They read more. They are more curious and adventurous, which is why South Korean and Japanese brands, even though they’re not that well known here yet, are making a strong impact in the region.
“Asia has such a big skincare market, with a lot of laboratory research,” he said.
Chalhoub also discussed how climate and culture can influence people’s skincare habits.
“For example, in the Gulf region in general and Saudi Arabia in particular, we know the sun here is very strong. So, sunscreen and products that protect against sun-related damage are essential here.”
People also used more moisturizers to ease the irritation of sun-dried skin, he said.
Chalhoub said that while he believed an era of homegrown skincare products could be on the horizon, it was not an easy industry to break into.
“There is a certain level of research and professionalism required in order to be able to do it,” he said.
“It’s not just about creating packaging and making it attractive, you really need to make sure that the product contains high-quality ingredients. Entering the skincare market will always be more complex.”
