In recent years, Kenya has solidified its position as a burgeoning hotspot for the global beauty industry, emerging as a key player in the East African region. According to Statista, Kenya’s beauty and personal care industry currently sits at $2.3 billion value in 2024, with a market that is projected to experience an annual growth rate of 6.78% (CAGR 2024-2028). Compared to other popular East African countries like Tanzania, Rwanda, and South Sudan which have $391.90 million in revenue, $69.75 million in revenue, and $25.59 million in revenue respectively, Kenya is emerging as a beauty hotspot from the region, with key contenders like Ethiopia, which is expected to generate up to $5.12 billion in revenue 2024. 

Kenya’s economy has demonstrated significant resilience and dynamism, making it an attractive destination for international businesses, including global legacy beauty brands. In 2014, the Estée Lauder Companies launched a MAC Cosmetics store in Nairobi, Kenya. Through Lintons Beauty World—a multichannel retail business that has grown to 30 shops in Nairobi, Mombasa, and Kampala, founded by Dr. Joyce Gikunda and Edward Gikunda—other beauty brands like, Clinique, Clarins, and Lancome, were distributed in the Kenyan market. In 2011, French beauty giant, L’Oréal chose Kenya to launch a new subsidiary as part of its plans to enter the East African market. “[This] will be the hub for expanding the group's activities in East Africa, a region which also includes Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, and Ethiopia,” it said in a statement. “These are dynamic markets with a large number of potential new consumers,” it continued. The company also acquired Kenya’s Interconsumer Products Limited, makers of Nice & Lovely brands—an acquisition which was described to be “worth billions of Kenyan shillings.” Unilever, P&G, and PZ Cussons are some of the many conglomerates that have launched in Kenya.

The Kenyan beauty industry has experienced remarkable growth, driven by several key factors. Last year, CosmoProf Worldwide had its first ever dedicated CosmoTalks specifically on Africa, where it followed the release of a report on the challenges and opportunities in the continent. The release cited Kenya as one of the fastest and secure beauty hubs in the continent. “The cosmetics and beauty market is growing steadily in Africa, following the great trends of demographic growth, urbanization, and the increase in incomes of the middle class”, says Francesco Gastaldon, Partner and Country Manager - Italy of Kili Partners, an advisory, business, and project development firm that assists clients to access growth opportunities and markets across Africa. “Among the most interesting markets, there are South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya,” he continues.

Beyond international entrants, the country has also been home to local brands that have crossed over into the global market. There has been the rise of local beauty brands that have contributed to the rise of Kenya as a beauty powerhouse. These brands have capitalized on the unique needs and preferences of Kenyan consumers, offering products that cater specifically to African skin and hair types. Sneha Mehta, a co-founder and CEO of Uncover Skincare, tells BeautyMatter that the beauty market in East Africa and sub-Saharan Africa is one of the most underserved in the world, especially due to lack of understanding of the market. “Knowledge is a cause of the underservice,” Mehta says to BeautyMatter. “At Uncover, we’re data driven. We started with a survey, getting to know and understand the women. When we understood the why, we basically created a solution to tackle that.” The clean beauty skincare brand utilizes South Korean skincare technology to formulate science-backed products for melanated skin, made from indigenous ingredients from Africa.

In 2022, Kenya’s Uncover Skincare raised $1 million to expand its skincare range. “The products [we noticed] on the shelves were basically import-export plays that were not keeping POC in mind as their primary focus; hence, Uncover,” she tells BeautyMatter. “Living here for more than a decade and building a brand [in Kenya] has opened us to the immense potential [of the beauty industry] here which is growing rapidly,” Mehta says. “For one, the pan-African trends exist here as well. So, think of an incredibly young population, a fast growing population, and growing middle class citizens,” she continues. This has not only boosted the local economy but also positioned Kenyan beauty products on the global stage, making it an attractive destination for beauty brands.

With local brands being one of the major factors propelling the industry, there’s also an interplay between the retail industry and global brands. Kenya's wholesale and retail trade sector grew by 5.7% in the first quarter of 2023, a slight acceleration in the growth rate compared to the corresponding quarter in 2022, according to Statista. “For brands looking to explore the Kenyan market, there are several key considerations to keep in mind. Understanding the local consumer is crucial,” Galib Virani, Chief Executive of third-generation specialty beauty retail network SuperCosmetics says to BeautyMatter. SuperCosmetics has a portfolio of brands like Paco Rabanne, LaRoche-Posay, CeraVe, Revlon,  L’Oréal Paris, and many others. “Kenyan consumers are discerning of value, quality, and authenticity, and we have a loyal age group of 20-40 who have been shopping with us,” Virani continues.

With leading retailers like SuperCosmetics, the proliferation of the Kenyan beauty market has become easier, further bolstering the economy. They were one of the firsts to retail brands like L’Oréal. SuperCosmetics has up to five luxury retail doors opened in strategic locations and spread across Kenya. “With each door we open, we try to elevate the expression of beauty in Kenya, and kind of create a template that we can take in East Africa, and then in time, into West Africa,” Virani says. In order to appeal to the tastes of international and local consumers, they have a doctor and a team of clinical nurses who analyze skin conditions before prescribing derma-cosmetics.

Kenya’s emergence as a global beauty hotspot and a contender for dominance in the East African region is a remarkable development. The country's robust buying and selling prowess, coupled with a dynamic beauty market, has positioned it as a key player in the industry. With a keen understanding of the local consumer and a strategic approach to market entry, beauty brands can capitalize on the vast opportunities that Kenya offers.