Personal care as a business

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By TP


The cosmetics, perfume and personal care sector is trading on the rise. With a deeply rooted and balanced culture among Spanish consumers and families, these activities together reach a market value of more than 10.4 billion euros, according to data from the National Association of Perfumery and Cosmetics (Stanpa). The growing awareness of the importance of well-being is reflected in a per capita expenditure of 206 euros annually. Furthermore, this sector transcends borders, registering exports of more than 7.7 billion in beauty products. In terms of employment, it also has a great impact on a national scale, generating nearly 300,000 jobs, of which 42,000 are direct and 250,000 indirect. The impact of this sector is evident. “You just have to walk through the streets and see the number of hairdressers, beauty centers and nail salons to understand their magnitude in generating employment,” says Julia González, director of Salón Look, the annual event that brings together professionals from the beauty sector, which will be held from October 18 to 20 at Ifema Madrid. This year, around 30,000 attendees are expected to participate, who will be able to learn about the latest news from around 500 brands. “We have nearly 100 activities scheduled,” adds González. In this twenty-sixth edition of Salón Look, a broad cycle of conferences and talks will be offered aimed at promoting the exchange of knowledge among attendees. In addition, the collaboration with Icex and Stanpa will be renewed to promote the internationalization of the event with the International Buyers Program, which will attract participants from countries such as Germany, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Norway and Serbia, among others. The presence of these international representatives reinforces the global relevance of Salón Look as a key point for the expansion of the beauty sector. Regarding the field of aesthetics and professional beauty, the XVI edition of the Aesthetics Congress will be held, presented by the renowned model and presenter Paloma Lago. In turn, the event will once again feature the edition of Signature Massages, and the long-awaited Nailympion Spain, the most prestigious nail championship in the world, will return to the Ifema pavilions. “Before, professionals came to the event to make direct purchases; Now, although they continue to do so to a lesser extent, Salón Look is mainly a meeting point where the protagonists are the specialists,” emphasizes González. “It is a very experiential fair,” highlights the director. During the event, the impact of new technologies, such as artificial intelligence, in the beauty sector will be discussed. Also, experts will address crucial issues such as generational change in family businesses and other key topics related to business management. “Training is essential for professionals,” González emphasizes. “We have highly recognized specialists who share their techniques. Attendees acquire new ideas and knowledge that they can then apply in their businesses, thus strengthening their competitiveness,” he concludes.