Healthy choice: Saudis embrace ‘clean beauty’ after pandemic
Homegrown businesses meet growing demand for natural self-care products
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a rise in health awareness worldwide as consumers question their pre-virus lifestyle, and adopt more hygienic, healthy and environmentally friendly behaviors.
Saudis are no exception. Many are embracing healthier lifestyles and practices, seeking natural products to improve their health and prevent diseases, resulting in a growing demand for local eco-friendly, natural and organic beauty products.
According to a recent Mordor Intelligence forecast on the Saudi beauty market from 2021 to 2026, there is a growing demand for natural, organic, herbal and halal products, along with innovative and eco-friendly packaging and designs.
Homegrown young businesses offering naturally made self-care and cosmetic products are noticing increased interest by consumers in their products.
“There had been a growing demand for our products with the pandemic because people are becoming more aware of their wellbeing and they want a healthier lifestyle,” Amani Daghriri, owner of Sun Pharmacy, told Arab News. Sun Pharmacy (@sun_pharmacy) is the first of its kind in the Kingdom to specialize in fully organic daily skin and personal care products made in Saudi Arabia.
“Every crisis has its bright side, and the pandemic has definitely helped us grow, especially with the shift toward e-commerce, which allowed more people to learn about our store and to try our products,” she added.
Daghriri said that more people are now prioritizing the safety of ingredients and formulas on their skin, which is a message she is keen to communicate.
“The skin is the biggest organ in the body, and the first defender of our immunity. Applying chemicals weakens it, but feeding your skin with natural products that are similar to the structure of our cells and bodies helps preserve its glow and health, and therefore the health of the entire body,” she said. At Sun Pharmacy, Daghriri targets consumers looking for daily use self-care products such as toothpaste, deodorant and shampoo. However, women between 20 and 60 make up most of her clients.
The fast growth of the natural products market reflects the rise in public awareness, said Daghriri. “This market is growing very quickly. When I started five years
ago, there were hardly 10 people working in the field, but now it is very difficult to count.”
Although handmade natural products are seen as cost-effective, easy to make and consumer attractive, Daghriri insists that it is a knowledge-based craft that can be expensive, but is also good value. She believes that business owners in the natural products industry must obtain the necessary knowledge not only to support their business and expand their products line, but also to better serve consumers, gain their trust and
eliminate mistakes.
As the home became the new spa during the pandemic, DIY and natural self-care recipes saw significant growth worldwide. “I see many DIY recipes everywhere,” said Daghriri,
“but these recipes are prone to fail, rot quickly or interact in an unpleasant way.”
She said that investment in this field requires knowledge about how to produce products properly to gain confidence in your abilities and earn the consumers’ trust.
Sun Pharmacy is permitted by the Saudi Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) to establish its own lab and manufacture its own products.
“The FDA procedures are much easier today than in the past for those who work in our field,” said Daghriri. “In the past, the permit was conditional to factories, but they later made an exception for those who work from home or their own private places to produce their products until they become a factory.”
She also highlighted that products registration is made accessible online, so any registered business can submit its products for approval and release in the market.
Sun Pharmacy closely follows Daghriri’s own lifestyle, beliefs and principles, a fact that she believes is essential for these types of businesses.
“This is not a profit-driven business; passion and faith are necessary to grow,” she said. “I believe the more effort I give, the better the results.”
Daghriri has confidence in the effectiveness of her products, and hopes to expand in the wider MENA region as a leading Saudi brand in the “clean beauty” industry. Essence (@essence__sa) is another young Saudi startup that offers natural handmade self-care products to Saudi consumers.
The Instagram-based store is run by a mother, Rhonda Howard, and her daughter Lujain Malibari.
“We have always been passionate about using natural skincare, and we want to share our favorites with our customers and people who have the same passion as we do,” Malibari told Arab News.
Essense offers homemade natural essential oil skincare to women customers, but is planning to expand with a product line for men.
Malibari said: “More people are becoming interested in natural remedies for their skin and want to know what’s in their products. We see this trend in Saudi Arabia as well.”
The pandemic has led to an increase in sales for young brands such as Essence.
However, Malibari said: “Our loyal customers have stayed loyal, but it has made it difficult to attract new customers.”
With the safety of products a major concern for potential users of handmade products, Daghriri advises people to refrain from buying products that fail to list ingredients since not all natural components will suit everyone. Packaging and the right storage for natural products is also important for safety.
“We take pride in using the best of ingredients and in our hygiene practices in the preparation of the products. We make sure that our products are packaged in safe containers that support essential oils, too,” said Malibari.
Regardless of how big or small the business is, those working in the natural beauty industry bear the responsibility of educating customers about ways to adopt a healthy lifestyle and achieve healthy beauty. Both Sun Pharmacy and Essence make knowledge not only a message but also an essential marketing factor. “We educate ourselves to provide the best quality for our customers,” said Daghriri.
Both Essence and Sun Pharmacy are proud local Saudi brands based in Jeddah that were launched from home. The two businesses are registered at Maroof, a platform launched by the Ministry of Commerce and Investment for online stores.
“What was really exciting when I first started was the ‘Made in Saudi’ label — it brings me joy and pride every time I stick that label on my boxes,” said Daghriri.