October 27, 2025 marked the opening day of Beautyworld Middle East 2025, with Armaf as the title sponsor, drawing significant international attention as the largest international trade fair for beauty, hair, fragrances, and wellbeing in the Middle East. The event, held at the Dubai World Trade Centre, runs from October 27-29, 2025.
International Presence
Beautyworld Middle East is featuring over 2,400 exhibitors and expects 70,000 visitors this year, drawing participants from across the globe. With attendees from retailers, distributors, manufacturers, and government agencies, the trade fair facilitates networking and product discovery on an international scale.
This year’s edition includes pavilions and booths from countries around the world, with a dedicated section highlighting international participation and showcasing the diverse offerings from numerous nations.
Predicting the Return of Musk & Other Trends
A highlight of this year’s event is the “Next in Fragrance” conference, featuring over 70 international speakers participating in 30 sessions. These sessions cover a wide array of topics.
One notable panel, featured on the first day of the event, “The TikTok Effect: How Fragrance Influencers Are Shaping Global Taste,” highlighted the resurgence of musk fragrances, driven by social media trends. The prediction of this trend was also prevalent during the Emirates Perfumes and Oud Exhibition earlier this October.
AI in Beauty and Fragrance
The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the beauty and fragrance industries was a prominent theme throughout several panels and showcases that addressed AI’s potential, including “Inside a Successful Product Launch – Strategy & Execution” and “The Future of fragrance: How AI is Transforming Scent Creation for Brands”.
While AI presents opportunities for innovation, its adoption is met with regional scepticism. Studies (according to Jane Henderson, an investor, the chair of Mintel Beauty & Wellness, and a panel speaker) indicate that a growing % of women in the UAE and surrounding regions do not trust brands that utilise AI in their advertising and prefer real people whose appearance isn’t heavily enhanced by AI or otherwise.
Despite this, brands are increasingly exploring AI in fragrance creation, raising concerns about the potential for AI to infringe upon perfumers’ intellectual property and replicate popular fragrances. This highlights a critical discussion within the industry regarding the ethical implications and consumer trust surrounding AI’s role in the future of beauty and fragrance. Another issue stemming from the use of AI is the growing demand for sustainable, eco-friendly measures in product creation. AI has an undeniably negative effect on the environment. Will brands find a way to use AI sustainably, or will one have to be compromised for the sake of the other?
Looking Ahead
As Beautyworld Middle East 2025 continues, the intersection of global trends, technological advancements, and regional preferences will shape the discussions presented going furth concerning the beauty industry. While the potential of AI is undeniable, the importance of consumer trust and ethical considerations remains paramount, particularly in the Middle East. Therefore, I will pose the following question: Will the convenience of AI use prevail over the ethical measures and the desire for sustainability and transparency?
You can still register for Beautyworld Middle East 2025 and attend the remaining days. This will be a great opportunity for you to visit the booths, attend the panels, and take a look at the future of fragrance and beauty in the region and the world.
