Why Dubai is becoming Indian beauty’s favourite testing ground

What makes Dubai such a lucrative hub for Indian beauty brands? Is it just the burgeoning Indian diaspora or is there more to this than meets the eye? We ask Indian beauty brands with plans to foray in the region

A deep-rooted love for maximalism when it comes to beauty isn’t new in Dubai—traditionally big on make-up and haircare, skincare is steadily gaining traction across the Arab markets. The beauty and personal care sector in Dubai, valued at $2,554.9 million in 2024, is projected to reach $4,126.8 million by 2033. What’s more, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) records one of the highest per capita spend globally on beauty products, making Dubai a veritable goldmine for international and homegrown brands alike—including a rising number from India.

Legacy Indian beauty brands like Lakmē and Colorbar have long been accessible in the GCC (Gulf Corporation Council) region through supermarket chains such as Lulu and department stores like Centrepoint. But the past few years are seeing a new generation of Indian beauty brands making a decisive entry into the Gulf: Forest Essentials, Nykaa’s GCC counterpart Nysaa, Minimalist (now acquired by Hindustan Unilever), Katrina Kaif’s Kay Beauty, SUGAR Cosmetics, and Purearth to name a few. 

Diaspora-founded brands including Fable & Mane, Ranavat, and indē wild are also carving a space for themselves through global retailers like Sephora, Amazon, and Comptoir 102. 

But what is it that really makes Dubai such a fertile ground for Indian beauty brands? Is it only the booming Indian diaspora, or is there a deeper shift at play?

Dubai’s beauty consumption shift is real—from OTT to contemporary

Dubai has long favoured high-glamour beauty. Within four years of its launch in 2013, Huda Beauty’s liquid matte lipsticks, ultra full-coverage foundation, and false eyelashes found a natural home in the region’s over-the-top, extravagant aesthetic. In 2017, Mario Dedivanovic—Kim Kardashian’s make-up artist, and now founder of Makeup By Mario—hosted a masterclass in Dubai, with tickets priced at $1,668 (approximately ₹1,13,000 in 2017, and 1,42,000 today)—a sold-out event. Meanwhile, UAE’s market for aesthetic procedures is equally booming, expected to nearly double in revenue by 2030. 

Yet, a quieter shift is parallelly underway. Clean beauty, Ayurveda-inspired routines, scalp care, hydration-first skincare, and sustainable living are fast gaining currency. The UAE’s near-total smartphone penetration and rising use of hybrid shopping models like ROPO (research online, purchase offline) and BOPIS (buy online, pick up in-store) are further fuelling beauty e-commerce. 

The region’s consumer is changing as well—and Indian beauty brands fit right in.

How Dubai is becoming a playground for Indian beauty brands

When sister-duo Pragya Sood and Pritha Sood launched Mudra Ayurveda, an Ayurveda-first e-commerce platform in the UAE in 2023, they were responding to what they describe as “a post-pandemic shift towards mindful beauty.” “The Gulf, especially Dubai, was evolving as a wellness-conscious market, but there was a clear gap for premium Ayurvedic brands,” notes Pritha. “Many Emiratis and Saudi nationals are already familiar with Ayurveda—they frequently visit India for Ayurvedic treatments and retreats.”

At Aminu, the approach was more cautious—a test run via UAE-based exhibitions. But the response was enough for co-founder Aman Mohunta to greenlight a full launch. “What stood out was a genuine curiosity about what Indian homegrown brands can offer beyond Ayurveda. For a brand like ours, rooted in research, innovation, and real-world problem-solving, it’s a great space to grow organically,” he says. 

For Shamika Haldipurkar, founder of d’you, the decision to foray into the UAE was driven by demand. “The search volume for d’you on many UAE-based marketplaces has increased, which gives us the confidence that the consumers there are actively seeking out the brand,” she shares. Elizabeth Isaac of Gunam Beauty, too, noticed occasional orders for their supplements, which eventually led to a listing on Percup—a UAE-based online wellness retailer.

After its international debut in London in November 2022, Forest Essentials entered Dubai in May 2023. The brand currently has two standalone stores and retails through its website. “Consumers today are looking beyond surface beauty; they’re seeking rituals, ingredients they can trust, and brands with a deeper story,” says Samrath Bedi, the brand’s executive director. “Additionally, the city has a sizeable Indian diaspora already familiar with our brand, giving us a built-in base to grow from while simultaneously targeting local consumers through education and awareness.” 

While the expanding Indian diaspora in the UAE poses as a viable target audience, perhaps, at lesser marketing spends to create awareness and explain the benefits of a product, homegrown beauty brands are eager to tap a wider, global audience.

Factors like geographical proximity, social structures, and economic disposability play a crucial role.

Haldipurkar doesn’t see d’you as an “Indian brand for Indian skin” either. “Our formulations are rooted in science, not geography. We’ve always built for universality and global appeal, and our customer base in India reflects that: It's diverse across skin types, concerns, and ethnicities. So, for Dubai, the expat Indian community may be our entry point, but we see the broader multicultural population as equally vital,” she elaborates. 

What makes Dubai crop up on every Indian beauty brand’s radar?

In 1999, fewer than 2 million Indian nationals travelled to the UAE. By 2022, that number had jumped to 21.6 million. As of 2025, Indians make up around 35 per cent of the UAE’s population. But for many founders of beauty brands, the diaspora is just the beginning.

“The Indian diaspora definitely gives us an initial springboard,” says Mohunta. “But our formulations are designed to work across skin tones and concerns. Dubai’s diversity gives us a chance to test that on an international scale.” 

Proximity, ease of logistics, and cultural fluency also help. “Dubai acts like a bridge between the East and West. It’s cosmopolitan but not disconnected from regional values,” says Haldipurkar. “That makes it easier for us to understand the consumer psyche and communicate who we are without needing to completely recontextualise the brand. Logistics-wise too, it’s a win: The proximity to India reduces supply chain strain, and from a regulatory standpoint, it's one of the more streamlined global markets to enter. All of these factors make it a smart launchpad for international expansion.” 

Consumer habits in the Gulf are evolving at a fast pace. “The Arab, Western, and Southeast Asian populations are also crucial—they are wellness-savvy and actively exploring clean, non-toxic, plant-powered skincare and self-care. According to Nielsen, over 48 per cent of beauty consumers in the GCC are seeking natural/organic products, with wellness tourism and lifestyle trends driving this shift,” shares Pragya.

For investors, Dubai’s role is increasingly strategic. “Middle Eastern beauty and fashion-incubator investors like the Apparel Group, Chaloub, and Al Tayer recognise the core purchasing power that lies within certain communities here—Indians, British, Russians, and Chinese, according to latest charts,” says Vama Kothari, a Dubai-based independent editor, underscoring a direct relationship between what forays into UAE and what the values and preferences of these communities are. 

Why Dubai has the potential to be the next big stage for Indian beauty brands 

Dubai isn’t another expansion shot for Indian beauty brands. With its global consumer base, high spending power, and appetite for innovation, it’s becoming a proving ground.

Dubai has all the hallmarks of a high-potential beauty market: diverse demographics, a taste for efficacy and performance, and consumers who are willing to invest in thoughtful brands. “We’d love to see—and help shape—a shift away from trend-chasing to more thoughtful consumption. That’s the niche we’ve always occupied in India, and we believe it can exist in Dubai too,” says Haldipurkar. 

Pritha sees the city cementing its place as a prominent wellness hub in GCC. “The city’s focus on health, self-care, and sustainable living is only deepening,” she shares. “We believe Ayurveda will continue to gain mainstream traction here.” 

Exposure to extreme heat, dryness, and stress-induced hair fall make haircare a priority in the region—especially anti-hair fall oils and serums. Consumers are also seeking glow-enhancing and hydration-boosting skincare with ingredients like saffron, rose, and turmeric, notes Pritha. As trends around inner beauty and gut health grow, wellness teas and adaptogens are attracting newfound popularity. "Notably, products crafted with familiar, home-staple ingredients like ghee have garnered significant attention too.”

Bedi agrees, “It’s a global city with a deep appreciation for luxury, craftsmanship, and culture—values that many Indian brands are built on.” A renewed interest in Ayurvedic rituals and experiences also makes Dubai a fertile land for A-beauty entries. “Dubai’s online-to-offline sales ratio also differs significantly from those in European markets—in the former, offline retail remains stronger for conversion,” he adds, indicating a tendency to touch and feel the product, which allows stores to introduce rituals and educate consumers.

“For Indian homegrown beauty brands, especially those rooted in R&D, purpose, and transparency, Dubai won’t just be an opportunity.It will soon become a necessity,”says Mohunta. “If you’re a brand with global ambition, showcasing in Dubai isn’t optional.”

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