● Beautyworld Dubai opened its 30th edition today, drawing the global beauty community to the Dubai World Trade Centre for the first of three days.
● Day One spanned a deep dive into the GCC beauty market, headline fragrance conversations and live masterclasses from some of the industry’s most recognised artists.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates - 06 October 2026 – Beautyworld Dubai opened its milestone 30th edition today, with the first day setting the tone for three days of business, ideas and live artistry across the show floor. From recent market research reshaping how the industry reads the GCC, to headline fragrance conversations and masterclasses from world-renowned artists, Day One underlined the show's role as a global meeting point for beauty.
A new read on the region’s market
Among the day's most significant sessions was a deep dive into the GCC beauty market, as BeautyMatter Founder and CEO Kelly Kovack took the Next in Beauty stage to explore the findings of the GCC in Focus report — produced by BeautyMatter and commissioned by Beautyworld Dubai. Drawing on the research, Kovack challenged long-held assumptions about the region, including why Saudi Arabia and the UAE can no longer be treated as a single market.
The Next in Beauty conference also turned to the commercial realities shaping the industry. In Global Dealmakers: Inside Beauty's New Investment Playbook, leading investors examined where funding is flowing and what makes a brand fundable in today's more disciplined climate. And on the future of luxury retail, Harrods' Head of Beauty Mia Collins took the stage to share what it takes to lead beauty at one of the world's most recognised luxury destinations, and the trends reshaping how prestige beauty is bought and experienced.
"The client is the most discerning in the world, so the standard and service the client expects never stops moving, and as a retailer, we never stop moving," said Mia Collins, Head of Beauty at Harrods. "There is no shortage of opportunities to buy. What we do at Harrods is enrich the client with something that transcends the transaction."
Fragrance in focus
Over at Next in Fragrance, the day’s conversations turned to scent. The programme opened with the Global Fragrance Power Map, powered by the Fragrance Creators Association, as its President and CEO Farah K. Ahmed examined where fragrance growth is accelerating worldwide - and the Middle East’s role not just as a market, but as a source of fragrance knowledge and creativity the global industry can learn from.
"This is a story of heavy trade winds and real growth in the US-UAE corridor, and fragrance is part of it. Three of the ten best-selling fragrance brands on US TikTok Shop this year are UAE houses – Lattafa, Armaf and Afnan," said Farah K. Ahmed, President and CEO of the Fragrance Creators Association.
A further highlight was In Conversation with Aurélien Guichard, Master Perfumer at Takasago and Founder of Matière Première, who shared the story behind one of niche perfumery’s distinctive modern houses and his perspective on the Middle East’s growing influence on global fragrance.
"People are capable of imagining themselves wearing a perfume in their own way, mixing different brands, buying an ingredient, adding it on top of a finished fragrance. It's very intuitive, but it's very strong, and it's becoming very powerful worldwide. The trend, in a way, has started here," said Aurélien Guichard, Master Perfumer at Takasago and Founder of Matière Première.
Masterclasses from the artists shaping global beauty
The show’s live stages drew crowds throughout the day. At The Makeup Studio, celebrity makeup artist and Founder of m.ph, Mary Phillips, led a masterclass on her signature skin-first approach and “underpainting” technique, later joining the Next in Beauty stage for a conversation on her career and the evolving world of beauty artistry, moderated by Founder of The Desk and Editor at Large at Harper’s Bazaar Arabia Olivia Phillips.
"Makeup has changed so much in the last few years. I want to create a lift in the face, to enhance the structure rather than carve it out - not change someone’s face, just enhance it,” said Mary Phillips.
Earlier at The Makeup Studio, celebrity makeup artist Aya Abdelhamid led a masterclass on modern red-carpet glamour, walking the audience through her approach to skin preparation, complexion and the finishing details that make a look read flawlessly in person and on camera. The Makeup Studio also hosted M.A.C Global Senior Artist Mariam Khairallah, sharing techniques and the latest innovations from the brand.
"TV and film makeup is so different from regular or even stage makeup, and with the red carpet you really need to balance the three," said Aya Abdelhamid. "The focus is on the skin, and on what it will look like on the red carpet, on stage, and talking to people before and after."
On the beautyLIVE stage, celebrity hairstylist and colourist Dimitris Giannetos gave a live demonstration of his signature work, bringing more than a decade of international experience to the professional hair audience.
"So many people are talented, but what separates you is developing the idea, executing it, and finding the personality in it," said Dimitris Giannetos. "Being technically good isn't enough. To sell a look, it has to reflect the person and give them confidence, and ultimately make them trust you."
Still to come
Day One set the stage for two more days of programming, with the Next in Fragrance and Next in Beauty conferences continuing, further masterclasses across The Makeup Studio and beautyLIVE - including sessions with Mounir, Josh Lamonaca and Patrick Ta - the return of Natural Notes, and the Beautyworld Dubai Awards 2026 on the evening of 7 October, where Huda Kattan will receive the Beautyworld Icon Award.
Beautyworld Dubai continues until 8 October 2026 at the Dubai World Trade Centre