Perfume brand Secret Alchemist raises $3 million in funding round led by Unilever Ventures

Clean fragrance brand Secret Alchemist has raised $3 million in a seed funding round led by Unilever Ventures, with participation from DSG Consumer Partners. The round includes a mix of primary and secondary capital, signalling continued institutional confidence in the brand’s long-term vision. The company was previously backed by IPV.

Founded by Ankita Thadani, Akash Valia and actor Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Secret Alchemist is positioning itself at the intersection of aromatherapy, wellness and modern perfumery. The brand aims to redefine Indian fragrance by offering clean, ingredient-led perfumes tailored for contemporary consumers, according to a press release.

Secret Alchemist began its journey with ailment-led wellness solutions rooted in aromatherapy and essential oils. Over time, it has evolved into a fragrance-first brand that blends the science of aromatherapy with contemporary perfumery, creating emotion-driven, lifestyle-led fragrances that emphasise both self-expression and wellbeing.

The fresh capital will be deployed to expand the brand’s clean fragrance portfolio, deepen formulation expertise, and strengthen research and development capabilities. The company also plans to invest in building leadership and core teams, while scaling brand presence and distribution as it works towards becoming an India-first brand with global ambitions.

Commenting on the fundraise, Ankita Thadani, Co-Founder, Secret Alchemist, said, “Globally, ‘clean’ has become a baseline in beauty and personal care, and fragrance is naturally moving in that direction. Our focus has always been on building perfumes that are ingredient-led, well-formulated and uncompromising on quality. We are among the first in India to openly publish full ingredient and allergen disclosures in perfumery, because for us, clean means being honest. This investment allows us to deepen product innovation and strengthen our R&D capabilities.”

Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Co-Founder, added, “This feels like the right moment in Secret Alchemist’s journey. It gives us the opportunity to build more deeply on what truly matters—clean ingredients, thoughtful formulations and fragrances people genuinely enjoy using every day.”

Akash Valia, Co-Founder, said, “Clean fragrance is seeing strong traction globally, and India is ready for brands built with that mindset from day one. This fundraise enables us to scale Secret Alchemist as a fragrance-first, ingredient-led brand, strengthen distribution and brand presence, and eventually take Indian perfumes to global markets.”

Pawan Chaturvedi, Partner and Head of Asia at Unilever Ventures, said, “We are delighted to partner with Secret Alchemist as it builds one of India’s first clean, indie fragrance brands. Clean has become the norm globally in beauty, and fragrance is beginning to follow the same trajectory. Secret Alchemist is well positioned to lead this emerging category in India.”

Hariharan Premkumar, Managing Director and Head of India at DSG Consumer Partners, added, “We have believed in the clean fragrance opportunity for many years. Secret Alchemist stands out due to a strong founding team with deep product capabilities, a compelling value proposition and a celebrity co-founder who is deeply involved in building the brand. Given the significant under-penetration of fragrances in India, we are highly bullish on the long-term potential of both the brand and the category.”