Ankita Thadani, Co Founder, Secret Alchemist
Secret Alchemist, a Direct to Consumer (D2C) fragrance brand is positioning itself as a domestic clean perfume alternative to international brands as Indian consumers increasingly look for premium fragrance products.The Mumbai-based perfume brand, founded by Ankita Thadani and Akash Valia alongside South Indian actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu, offers premium perfumes priced in the range of ₹1,500-₹3,000, sitting in between Indian budget offerings and entry-level international brands.Thadani suggests that many existing brands in India often achieve abnormal scent longevity using artificial essential oils alongside harmful additives and petroleum-derived alcohols leading to allergies, skin issues and migraines.“We never market our products as 100 per cent natural. Not everything that is natural is safe just as not all chemicals are not inherently harmful. Our philosophy of ‘clean’ is rooted in ingredient selection. We use therapeutic-grade essential oils alongside safe synthetics and cleaner alcohol alternatives,” she said. Thadani was speaking to businessline at the launch of the company’s latest fragrance ‘Sandalwood Nostalgia’ in Chennai. Secret Alchemist has seen its business grow over 8X in FY26 as against FY25. Without revealing exact details, Thadani said that the company is expecting similar growth in FY27 as it introduces new fragrances alongside launching other product categories like hair perfumes. It is also looking to actively expand its presence across e-commerce and quick commerce channels. Currently about 65 per cent of the company’s sales come from its own website with the rest split across other online marketplaces. “Fragrances are a sensory product and so it is critical to have a physical presence. We already have kiosks in some major malls and are exploring ways to further expand our offline presence,” Thadani added.As for its customer mix, Thadani suggests that the brand’s positioning has always been gender-neutral, but given the association with Actress Samantha, the fragrances are more popular among women. “Around 75 per cent of our business currently comes from women primarily between 28-38 years,” she said. The company operates an R&D lab in Mumbai, where new perfume concoctions are prepared while the commercial production is done using contract manufacturing partners. Secret Alchemist had earlier this year secured $3 million in funding led by Unilever ventures with Thadani suggesting that the capital has been deployed primarily towards expanding inventory as well as marketing. Published on July 20, 2026
