Spending on beauty in Saudi Arabia and the UAE totalled nearly $6.85 billion in 2015, with Euromonitor predicting that it’s only going to increase in 2016. It’s seen the Middle East and Africa overtake Latin America, emerging as the world’s fastest growing beauty and personal care market.

The male grooming industry in South Africa has seen over 10% of growth, and this has largely been down to products targeting a new audience: African men. This demographic now has more disposable income, and wants to look polished and groomed.

When a historical agreement was made in Vienna to lift economic sanctions on Iran, an influx of Western brands was widely anticipated. Leading the charge is Sephora, which is planning a string of store openings next year in a country widely tipped to be the ‘the next UAE’.

When the daughter of a Japanese mother and African American father entered the 2015 Miss Universe contest, she knew the controversy she would face if she won. Now, representing Japan in her freshly-won crown, Ariana Miyamoto is challenging Japan's racial stereotypes.