Before the return of the Taliban to power in 2021, Afghanistan’s beauty sector included thousands of beauty salons and parlors, which provided employment mainly for women and served as hubs for cosmetic services and product sales. These businesses helped spur local demand for skincare, makeup, haircare, and related products.
However, in mid-2023 the Taliban imposed a nationwide ban on beauty salons, declaring many beauty practices “not permissible.” This policy forced around 12,000 salons to close and displaced more than 50,000 workers, significantly contracting one of the most visible parts of the industry.
Despite the salon closures, Cosmetics demand in Afghanistan has not diminished — it has transformed. Rather than disappearing, beauty consumption has shifted into alternative channels:
Underground and Home-Based Services: Many former salon owners continue to operate discreetly in private homes or clandestine spaces, meeting ongoing demand for cosmetic applications and beauty services.
DIY Beauty Trends: With salons closed, Afghan women increasingly buy cosmetics for personal use at home, nurturing a culture of self-grooming and self-care that extends beyond public services.
Social Commerce & Online Channels: Instagram, Telegram, and WhatsApp have become major marketplaces for both international and locally sourced beauty products. Online sellers provide discrete delivery services, particularly appealing where women face restrictions on public movement.
This shift demonstrates that, instead of declining, the cosmetics market is adapting — with demand rerouted into retail sales, e-commerce, and informal networks.
Afghanistan’s cosmetics industry remains largely import-driven. Retailers and distributors stock products from neighbouring and global markets, including brands from Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, India, and beyond. This broad product availability helps sustain consumer interest even under regulatory constraints.
For instance, distributors like La Belle in Kabul offer an extensive range of branded cosmetics and haircare products to retail outlets across the country. Additionally, there are hundreds of dedicated cosmetics stores nationwide, indicating a substantial retail footprint for beauty products.
Although imports dominate, local cosmetic manufacturing has begun to take hold. Small Afghan brands are producing skincare, haircare, and personal care products using indigenous ingredients such as saffron, rose water, and herbal extracts. These products cater to cultural preferences for natural and herbal formulations, and they are gaining recognition in local markets.
This niche of herbal and traditional beauty products draws on Afghanistan’s rich botanical heritage — for example, premium Herati saffron is valued globally not just for culinary use, but also as a cosmetic ingredient thanks to its antioxidant properties.
Several factors contribute to sustained and evolving demand:
Young and Growing Population: With a high proportion of young people — especially women — personal care remains a priority.
Cultural Emphasis on Grooming: Beauty and grooming play important roles in social life, ceremonies, and personal well-being, helping maintain demand even under restrictive policies.
Urban Consumer Base: In cities like Kabul, Herat, and Mazar-i-Sharif, middle-class spending and remittances keep retail sales active.
Men’s Grooming Segment: There is a rising interest in men’s personal care products such as Beard oils and skincare, adding a new dimension to market growth.
Despite its resilience, the cosmetics industry in Afghanistan faces ongoing obstacles:
Regulatory and Social Restrictions: The salon ban and broader limitations on women’s public life impact Business structures and workforce participation.
Competition from Imports: Local manufacturers struggle to compete with widely available imported brands.
Infrastructure and Supply Chain Issues: Limited manufacturing infrastructure and unstable supply chains constrain large-scale production.
The cosmetics industry in Afghanistan illustrates a story of resilience and adaptation. While conventional beauty salons have declined sharply due to political decisions, demand for personal care and beauty products has not vanished. Instead, it has evolved into a complex market influenced by online commerce, informal service providers, import distribution networks, and emerging local manufacturers.
The Afghan cosmetics market today reflects the intersection of cultural values, economic necessity, entrepreneurial spirit, and adaptive consumer behavior — demonstrating that even under challenging circumstances, the desire for beauty and self-care persists.