Amaani Raises $5M Series A to Expand AÏZA Beauty and Wellness Brand Across GCC

Amaani, a Dubai-based consumer company focused on beauty and wellness products inspired by the Middle East, has raised $5 million in Series A funding to expand its AÏZA brand across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region.

The round was led by BECO Capital, with participation from Homegrown Ventures and Peak XV's Surge.

The latest financing brings Amaani's total funding to $8 million. The company previously raised $3 million in seed funding from Peak XV's Surge.

Founded in Dubai in 2023 by Shubham Poddar, Amaani launched AÏZA in December 2024 with a focus on translating ingredients, scents and beauty practices from the Arab world into modern skincare and haircare products.

Expanding AÏZA across the GCC

The fresh capital will primarily support AÏZA's expansion across the GCC, with Saudi Arabia identified as the company's immediate priority.

The brand is scheduled to launch at Ulta Beauty stores in Jeddah and Riyadh by the end of September 2026. Kuwait and Qatar launches are planned for the fourth quarter.

This expansion represents a shift from AÏZA's initial online-first strategy toward a broader retail presence across the region.

The company is currently available through its own website, Ounass and Ulta Beauty in the UAE.

According to Amaani, AÏZA ranks among the top 10 brands at Ulta Beauty in the UAE across more than 300 global and regional brands.

Beauty products inspired by the Arab world

AÏZA's product strategy centres on ingredients and beauty traditions associated with the Middle East.

Its formulations incorporate ingredients including dates, black seed, frankincense, rose and bakhoor.

Rather than relying on a single manufacturing location, AÏZA's formulations have been developed in laboratories across Korea, Japan and Italy.

The company describes the approach as combining regional beauty inspiration with international formulation expertise.

Among the brand's hero products are Sukkar Rush lip treatment, Scent Storm hair mist, and Date Setter brow and lash serum.

AÏZA's formulations are described as vegan, cruelty-free and alcohol-free and are designed to meet Clean at Sephora standards.

Moving from online-first to retail

Amaani's growth has accelerated as AÏZA has expanded beyond its original online-first model.

The company claims that AÏZA's net revenue grew more than nine times year-on-year during the first half of 2026.

The growth coincided with the brand's move into retail and its expansion through established distribution channels.

For a young beauty company, retail availability can provide access to consumers who may not encounter a new brand through its own digital channels.

AÏZA's presence through Ulta Beauty and Ounass gives the company access to established beauty and luxury-commerce audiences in the region.

The planned expansion into Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar will further increase its physical and digital footprint.

Building a Middle Eastern beauty identity

AÏZA's positioning is built around a specific regional identity.

Instead of simply importing established Western or Asian beauty trends into the Middle East, the company is attempting to build products around ingredients, scents and practices associated with Arab culture.

The product range uses ingredients such as dates, black seed, frankincense, rose and bakhoor as part of its formulations and sensory positioning.

This places AÏZA in a market where global beauty brands compete alongside regional companies developing products specifically for consumers in the Middle East.

The company competes with brands including Huda Beauty, Kayali and The Giving Movement.

New funding and the next phase

BECO Capital led the $5 million Series A, joined by Homegrown Ventures and Peak XV's Surge.

The funding increases Amaani's total capital raised to $8 million.

The company now plans to use the additional capital to accelerate AÏZA's regional expansion, beginning with Saudi Arabia and followed by Kuwait and Qatar.

The upcoming Ulta Beauty launches in Jeddah and Riyadh are an important part of that strategy, giving the brand a physical retail presence in Saudi Arabia as it expands beyond the UAE.

With reported nine-times year-on-year net revenue growth in the first half of 2026 and an expanding retail footprint, Amaani is now moving into a new stage of regional growth.

The company's next challenge will be translating its early traction in the UAE into sustained demand across a much larger GCC beauty market while maintaining the regional identity that differentiates AÏZA.