In this article
Key takeaways
- 33% of UAE skincare ads lead to WhatsApp without a store, against 19% in Saudi Arabia.
- The "WhatsApp message" button is on 31% of the ads, "Shop now" on 51%.
- The median price is AED 315 and the upper quartile starts at AED 700: one of the highest price bands in the ads.
- Video on 77% (Saudi Arabia 69%), a discount or an offer on 45%.
The UAE skincare market is bigger than you think
Skincare takes 9% of all the Arabic ads that targeted the UAE, against 6% in Saudi Arabia. The Emirati advertiser spends a clearly bigger share on skin, and the number of ads itself is higher than Saudi Arabia's, although the Saudi market is bigger in almost everything else.
The category overlaps with its neighbours: 30% of these ads also mention hair, 21% fall in health and supplements (collagen and vitamins for the skin), and 12% in makeup. So think of your competitor as a "beauty store", not a "serum store". For the Gulf picture read the skincare ads guide; for makeup, Makeup ads.
Why the ad ends in a WhatsApp chat
33% of UAE skincare ads lead to a WhatsApp chat with no store, 14% to Shopify, and Salla <1%. In Saudi Arabia the picture is split: WhatsApp 19%, Salla 16%, Shopify 13%.
The buttons say the same: "WhatsApp message" on 31% of the ads, above Saudi Arabia (18%) and the Gulf average for the category (22%). The reason is the product: the buyer asks "does it suit my oily skin?" and "can I use it with retinol?" before paying, and the chat answers and sells. A "Book now" button appears on 2%, most likely the trace of clinics and beauty sessions among the advertisers. How to build this kind of ad: WhatsApp ads.
Offers and payment
A discount or an offer in 45% of the ads (Saudi Arabia 35%), "limited time" in 30%, a gift in 10%. Cash on delivery in 14%, a little higher than UAE perfume, because a new skincare product needs more trust. Instalments in 5%, which makes sense for devices and pricier bundles.
Emojis in 89% of the ads: the language of skincare in the UAE is soft and personal, closer to a message from a friend than a discount banner.
Prices in dirhams: a wide range
Of 604 ads that stated a price in dirhams: the lower quartile up to AED 199, the median 315, the upper quartile from AED 700. For comparison, Saudi Arabia in riyals: 155, 229 and 720. The Emirati median is higher, and the range is wide in both because the category mixes a serum at the price of a perfume with a device or a package of sessions at the price of a phone.
The working rule: below the median, sell from a store page with a "Shop now" button; above it, open a chat: an expensive product is sold by answering questions.
The skincare ads that lasted in the UAE
654 pages for 3,853 ads: the category is open and no advertiser owns it. What usually lasts: a "before and after" video or daily use on a real face, a three-step routine sold as a bundle, sunscreen and pigmentation products, all with copy that explains who the product is for.
Try other words in the same sort ("سيروم" serum, "تفتيح" brightening, "كولاجين" collagen), and open the store page or WhatsApp link behind the ad to see how the sale is closed. For the whole UAE market: Trending in the UAE.
Practical steps and copy templates for Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah
- Choose the sales route by price: a store page for products under the median, a WhatsApp chat above it.
- Prepare the WhatsApp replies before the ad runs: the five most frequent questions with ready answers.
- Video with a real face and natural light, and the result after a stated period, not "instantly".
- Do not promise a cure: write what the product does and who it suits.
| Angle | Copy (ours) |
|---|---|
| Consultation | "Not sure it suits your skin? Message us on WhatsApp with a photo of your skin and we suggest the right routine. Delivery inside Dubai in [time]." |
| The routine | "A [problem] routine in [number] steps: [product 1], [product 2] and [product 3] for AED [price] instead of [price]." |
| The result | "After [period] of daily use: [result]. Watch the full trial in the video." |
| Trust | "Original product, expiry [date], cash on delivery in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, exchange within [period]." |
