Located in Medan, Indonesia, Exanti, a beauty consultant for the Indonesian cosmetics brand Wardah, typically sports a “full face” of makeup on a regular basis. This includes eyeshadow, eyeliner, foundation, concealer, blusher, and lipstick.
However, as the fasting month of Ramadan comes to a close, Exanti is preparing to transform her appearance.
She is opting for a new look by stocking up on cosmetics like simple eyeliner and nude lip gloss, departing from her usual bright matte shades.
With the upcoming Eid al-Fitr celebration in Indonesia being a time for family gatherings and group photos, Exanti aims for a more natural, glossy, fresh, and clean look.
Noticing an increase in customers as year-end bonuses are being paid out, Exanti is not the only one looking to revamp her style for the holidays.
Beauty consultant Exanti has seen an uptick in customers shopping ahead of the holidays [Aisyah Llewellyn/Al Jazeera]
Leading up to Eid, Indonesian consumers engage in peak shopping activities.
During Ramadan last year, skincare and makeup sales in Indonesia surged by 20 percent compared to the pre-festival period, as reported by Indonesian market research firm Compas.
The total sales value of fast-moving consumer goods, encompassing cosmetics, packaged food, and toiletries, reached 57.6 trillion rupiah ($3.6m) in 2023, marking a 1.03 percent increase from the previous year.
This sales trend is not limited to Indonesia alone.
Across Southeast Asia, retail sales saw a 47 percent rise during the initial two weeks of Ramadan last year, with Malaysia recording the highest individual increase of 40 percent, followed by Singapore at 30 percent.
Apparel and accessories sales saw a 30 percent increase, with food and beverage sales following closely at 23…
Original from www.aljazeera.com