| Day Two of Beautyworld Dubai’s 30th edition turned to the future of fragrance, with headline conversations on perfumery’s craft, its next generation of consumers, and the trends reshaping the category. The day also saw standout masterclasses on the beautyLIVE stage and the Natural Notes panel bringing producers and brands together, ahead of the Beautyworld Dubai Awards in the evening. |
Dubai, United Arab Emirates – 07 October 2026 – The second day of Beautyworld Dubai’s milestone 30th edition placed fragrance firmly at the centre, as master perfumers, brand leaders and analysts took the stage to explore where scent is heading, from the craft behind the world’s great fragrances to the trends that will define the category’s next chapter.
The craft behind the scent
A highlight of the day came at Next in Fragrance, where Louis Vuitton’s Master Perfumer Jacques Cavallier Belletrud joined a conversation on creation, collaboration and the artistry of building a fragrance House’s entire scent identity. Among the stories he shared was how his own love of oud, and of the region’s perfumery, first took hold.
“My father told me he smelled oud in the 1960s, and that it was so powerful – but it wasn’t the true oil, it was fake. So for me, oud was a fantasy, something you couldn’t approach,” said Jacques Cavallier Belletrud, Master Perfumer at Louis Vuitton. “My first visit to the region was 30 years ago. A man I admired took me to his factory near Mecca and told me the true history of oud, how it was produced, and my love for real oud started there. The history, the culture, the rituals were so strong, so inspirational. The beauty of perfume there felt endless.”
The day’s fragrance programme ranged widely across the questions shaping perfumery’s future. Hani Jabbour, Senior Vice President Beauty, Luxury Tech & Media at Chalhoub Group opened proceedings with the five trends to shape the year ahead, and a message about the region’s place in global fragrance.
“The Middle East is not following trends, it’s shaping them,” said Hani Jabbour, Senior Vice President Beauty, Luxury Tech & Media at Chalhoub Group. “Oud, the region’s most loved note, is now the number-two trending fragrance note globally on social media. That tells you how far the appeal of local notes has travelled.”
A standout session, Gen Z & Alpha Decoded, brought together perfumers and brand leaders, including voices from Givaudan and OMANLUXURY, to examine what the industry’s youngest consumers really want from fragrance: gender-neutral options, authenticity, sustainability and discovery through social media.
In Global Scent: How Perfumery Is Going Multicultural, perfumers and brand leaders from houses including Eurofragance, Ajmal Perfumes and Symrise explored how traditions and ingredients from around the world are blending into fragrances that cross borders.
In The Rise of Neo-Gourmand, powered by Düllberg Konzentra, perfumer Rebecca Kirchmeier explored how a new generation of gourmand fragrances is pushing beyond sweetness and blending unexpected ingredients and sophisticated accords into indulgent, modern scent.
“New gourmand is really beyond sweetness, it’s about working with contrast, building bridges between savoury and sweet,” said Rebecca Kirchmeier, Perfumer, Düllberg Konzentra. “And it should be unisex now, not only something women wear. It doesn’t need to be edible or soft; it can work with materials you usually wouldn’t use.”
The business of beauty retail
Aside from the fragrance programme, the Next in Beauty conference turned to the changing world of retail. In The New Rules of Beauty Retail, actress, model and media personality Amy Jackson Westwick joined a panel moderated by BeautyMatter founder Kelly Kovack, exploring how brands and retailers capture attention and connect with today’s consumers in a fast-changing landscape.
“There are so many different ways to shop, and as a creator it’s really important to know how to communicate trust,” said Amy Jackson Westwick. “My community loves to be involved in the process, they like to see it in different formats, and it builds trust and recognition. The best platform for this is YouTube, which is the opposite of what you’d think, but once people see it on YouTube, then a TikTok review, then a Google review, then the ad, they’re more motivated to buy. A massive point is community – there are so many products and so many ways to advertise them, but being part of the process makes people feel special and that’s what makes them want to purchase.”
Brand moments on the floor
The day carried the fragrance theme into live brand moments. Among the houses from Sterling Parfums on the show floor was ARMAF continues The ARMAF Hour, its three-day showcase with a new launch each day. After Club de Nuit intenso Fuego opened the series on Day One, Day Two saw the debut of Club de Nuit Bling Gold Edition, the latest addition to the Club de Nuit Bling collection. The scent pairs sunlit florals with soft gourmands, opening on heliotrope and neroli before settling into Madagascar vanilla and Mexican Palo Santo.
Its flacon, cut in sharp geometric lines and set with diamond-like stones, reflects what ARMAF calls “fragrance couture,” where perfumery borrows the craftsmanship and visual language of high jewellery. Born in Dubai and now present in more than 140 countries, ARMAF seized the opportunity of the show’s expanded fragrance floor to connect with distributors, retailers and buyers from around the world.
At this year’s edition, fellow Sterling Parfums house and UAE-born HAMIDI stepped into a broader identity, evolving from a fragrance house into a wider beauty and wellness proposition built on clean, 0% alcohol formulations. The brand spotlighted its Scent Rituals concept – a layered approach that builds fragrance across a personal-care routine, alongside its Dubai Delights Gourmand Collection of concentrated perfume oils inspired by Middle Eastern desserts. HAMIDI is now present in 65 countries.
Eurofragance also launched ASCENT, an immersive olfactive experience exploring the relationship between scent and emotion. The launch introduced a collection of seven fragrances – Ignite, Cherish, Indulge, Levitate, Dreamstate, Immerse and Radiate – each a different interpretation of an emotion through scent, alongside the company’s proprietary EuroMotion® mood-enhancing technology.
The start of the supply chain
Fragrance’s roots were in focus as Natural Notes held its centrepiece panel, bringing natural-ingredient producers face to face with the brands that collaborate with them. Moderated by Resperfuma founder Virginie Gervason, the session explored how brands and producers can partner to create lasting value, putting the growers and distillers at the very start of perfumery in the same room as the industry they supply.
“Most farmers have never experienced the fragrances their ingredients create. It would be beautiful to see partnerships where everyone in the supply chain benefits, and where farmers and distillers get to experience the products they help make,” said Aayush Tekriwal, CEO, PT Van Aroma. “The journey of jasmine, patchouli and so many other ingredients start on the farm, and brands can work with producers to create real impact, rather than just ticking sustainability boxes.”
The artists on the beautyLIVE stage
Beyond the fragrance programme, the spotlight turned to hair. The beautyLIVE stage drew crowds for two headline hair masterclasses. Internationally acclaimed hair designer and educator Mounir gave an exclusive masterclass on the distinctive colour work and transformations behind his global reputation, while British Men’s Hairdresser of the Year 2025/2026 Josh Lamonaca demonstrated his approach to modern men’s hair, blending traditional barbering precision with contemporary technique. He broke down the principles behind his work for the professional audience.
“The three principles that guide my work are structure, balance and precision,” said Josh Lamonaca. “Having the sections mapped out keeps you on course, and precision is all about the way you hold your tools and create your sections.”
More in store
Day Two closes with the Beautyworld Dubai Awards 2026 taking place this evening at Le Méridien Dubai Hotel & Conference Centre, celebrating excellence across 17 categories and presenting the Beautyworld Icon Award to Huda Kattan.
The show’s final day continues on 8 October, with further fragrance conversations, the Spanish World Champions of Hair on the beautyLIVE stage, and a closing masterclass from celebrity makeup artist Patrick Ta. Beautyworld Dubai ends tomorrow on 8 October 2026 at the Dubai World Trade Centre. For more information on Beautyworld Dubai 2026, visit the official website
