e.l.f. Beauty announced that its e.l.f. Cosmetics and e.l.f. SKIN brands are now available in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries—Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates—through an exclusive partnership with Sephora. The launch includes 70 Sephora stores across the GCC and extends to Sephora’s online platform, sephora.me, giving consumers immediate access to the full product line.
The expansion follows a community‑driven demand strategy that has seen the GCC region become the most requested market for e.l.f. products, with social mentions up 38% in the region. In Q1 of fiscal year 2025, non‑U.S. sales grew 91% year‑over‑year and represented 16% of total net sales; by Q2 of fiscal year 2026, non‑U.S. sales accounted for roughly 20% of total net sales. The GCC launch is a continuation of that trajectory, positioning e.l.f. to capture a significant share of a high‑growth, affluent market.
Shares in e.l.f. Beauty rose 1.91% to $72.59 on the day of the announcement, reflecting investor confidence that the GCC expansion aligns with the company’s proven international growth strategy and its ability to generate new revenue streams in high‑demand markets.
Chief Commercial Officer Jennie Laar said, “We’re thrilled to partner with Sephora to answer our community’s call and bring E.L.F. directly to their doorstep in the GCC. Standing alongside the best of beauty at Sephora, we’re committed to delivering the quality and value our GCC community has been waiting for.” Chairman and CEO Tarang Amin added that the partnership “highlights the immense potential for international impact and the strategy of partnering with leading retailers while meeting community demand.”
The move strengthens e.l.f.’s competitive positioning against established beauty brands in the GCC, leveraging Sephora’s strong retail footprint and e.l.f.’s clean, vegan, and accessible product portfolio. While the company faces headwinds such as increased SG&A expenses and foreign‑currency fluctuations, the GCC launch is expected to offset these pressures by tapping into a market with high social‑media penetration and strong consumer demand for premium, clean beauty products. The expansion is a strategic step toward diversifying e.l.f.’s global footprint beyond its traditional U.S. and European channels, supporting continued growth in the rapidly expanding Middle Eastern beauty market.
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