DUBAI, United Arab Emirates—Did you know a total of Dh550 worth of halal products are distributed through Dubai each year? And a chuck of that are halal cosmetics. According to a report from the Institute of Personal Care Science of Australia, the global cosmetics market is worth $334 billion, and the global halal cosmetics market is ringing in at $13 billion. In the Middle East alone, the market for halal personal care products is estimated at Dh2.06 billion. Halal cosmetics are definitely seeing an increase in demand, partly due to Malay Chamber of Commerce Malaysia, as well as 100 other retail companies with halal products, setting up shop in Dubai, according to an Emirate Business 24/7’s interview with Elaine O'Connell, senior show manager, Beautyworld Middle East.
Muslim populations are growing and expanding, which is causing a growth and expansion in halal businesses. They are now spreading past Islamic country boundaries; they’re making their way into Europe and other Western regions. But even though the demand for halal products is growing stronger, the founder of Saaf Pure Skincare—one of the first companies to offer halal cosmetics in Europe—said 75 percent of his customers are not Muslim. So what’s driving them? The desire for pure products and the exclusion of harmful ingredients. However, awareness is still lacking in areas such as the use of haram ingredients, which Islam forbids. Emirate Business 24/7 said as more halal personal care products are produced, the more heightened consumers’ awareness will be.