e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (ELF) shares climbed Thursday after announcing something its fans have been asking for relentlessly: the brand is finally coming to the Gulf.

The cosmetics company is partnering with Sephora to bring its full lineup to shoppers in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. This marks e.l.f.'s first physical retail presence in the Gulf Cooperation Council region, and the timing isn't random.

Listening to the Internet

Turns out, the GCC was e.l.f.'s most-requested region without a retail footprint. The company had been watching social mentions spike dramatically, which makes sense given that social media penetration in the Gulf ranks among the highest in the world. e.l.f. had already built a strong digital presence there, and now it's time to show up in person.

The launch follows growing online demand that made it pretty clear: people wanted to buy this stuff in stores, not just scroll past it on Instagram.

How It's Rolling Out

Starting November 21, e.l.f. products will be available in all 70 Sephora locations across the six GCC nations. If you're shopping online, you can already find the full e.l.f. Cosmetics and e.l.f. SKIN lines on Sephora's regional platform, sephora.me.

"We're thrilled to partner with Sephora, a best-in-class, brand building retailer, to answer our community's call and bring e.l.f. directly to their doorstep in the GCC," said Jennie Laar, Chief Commercial Officer of e.l.f. Beauty. She noted the company remains committed to offering premium-quality products at exceptional value in the region.

The Bigger Picture

This isn't just about adding a few stores. Right now, e.l.f. generates roughly 20% of its net sales from outside the United States. The GCC launch represents a deeper push into global markets and shows the brand is serious about growing its international business.

The company recently reported second-quarter results and projected fiscal year 2026 earnings per share in the range of $2.80 to $2.85. Full fiscal year net sales are expected to land between $1.55 billion and $1.57 billion.

Price Action: ELF shares were trading higher by 1.91% to $72.59 premarket at last check Thursday.