Ami Colé
| Founded | 2021 in Harlem, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Founder | Diarrha N'Diaye-Mbaye |
| Products | Cosmetics |
| Website | amicole |
Ami Colé is a cosmetics brand created by American businesswoman Diarrha N'Diaye-Mbaye. The product line was developed for dark and deep skin tones and has been recommended by Vogue, Allure, Marie Claire, and others.[1][2][3]
History
[edit]The company's founder and chief executive Diarrha N'Diaye-Mbaye secured one million dollars in pre-seed funding from investors including Imaginary Ventures, Lindsay Peoples Wagner, and Hannah Bronfman.[4] She spent three years developing the products, which included collecting survey responses from 400 people to develop the tinted moisturizer.[5] Some products include baobab seed extract as an homage to her Senegalese heritage.[6]
The line launched in June 2021 with a tinted moisturizer, a lip oil, and a highlighter.[7] N'Diaye-Mbaye stated that the company uses "clean"[8] ingredients to provide alternatives to mainstream beauty products developed for people of color, which have disproportionate levels of toxic chemicals.[9] The founder also focuses on enhancing skin luminosity to complement brown skin tones.[5] Ami Colé products are marketed as easy to use and providing high quality within a simple makeup routine.[7] Marketing materials typically include Black women with dark skin, as well as hijabis.[4]
Ami Colé began to retail at Sephora in December 2022.[10] In September 2024, L'Oréal invested an undisclosed amount into the brand through its venture capital arm.[11] Ami Colé also became available at Sephora locations in Canada.[11] At that time, the founder reported the brand had made approximately $3.5 million in sales.[11]
Founder
[edit]CEO Diarrha N'Diaye-Mbaye was born and raised in Harlem. She named the line after her mother,[7] who immigrated to the U.S. from Dakar, Senegal.[12] Her mother founded the Harlem-based salon Aminata African Hair Braiding in 1988.[12] One reason N'Diaye-Mbaye chose to create a cosmetics brand was because she struggled to find foundation in her skin tone when she began to experiment with makeup as a teenager.[4] The founder has worked in the cosmetics industry since 2013.[12] She worked in social media strategy for L'Oréal and as a product developer at Glossier.[8] N'Diaye-Mbaye resides in Harlem.[8]
Accolades
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Valenti, Lauren (2021-02-08). "13 Gentle Mascaras That Are Ideal for Sensitive, Easily Irritated Eyes". Vogue. Retrieved 2025-03-26.
- ^ Morinia, Aniyah Morinia (2025-03-20). "30 Beauty Favorites Filling the Extra Space in My Vanity". Marie Claire Magazine. Retrieved 2025-03-26.
- ^ a b Schaffner, Liana (2022-09-13). "The Very Best Eye Makeup of 2023". Allure. Retrieved 2025-03-26.
- ^ a b c Etiesit Samuel, Ruth (2021-12-08). "Ami Colé Founder Diarrha N'Diaye-Mbaye Is Putting A-Beauty On The Map". HuffPost. Retrieved 2025-03-28.
- ^ a b Pridgett, Tamara (2021-08-11). "Ami Colé Is the New Clean Beauty Brand That Celebrates Melanin-Rich Skin". Well+Good. Retrieved 2025-03-26.
- ^ Espy-Jones, India (2023-10-06). "Ami Colé's Latest Launch Embodies Joy". Essence. Retrieved 2025-03-26.
- ^ a b c Forbes, Jihan. "I Have Literally Been Waiting Years for Ami Colé to Launch". Allure. Retrieved 26 March 2025.
- ^ a b c Mitchell, Amanda. "Ami Colé Is Making No-Makeup Makeup For Melanin-Rich Skin". Grazia Magazine. Retrieved 26 March 2025.
- ^ Stubbs, Shannon. "Ami Colé is a new Black-owned makeup brand developed for darker skin tones — we tried it and we were impressed with the entire lineup". Business Insider. Retrieved 2025-03-26.
- ^ Trakoshis, Angela. "This Just In: Ami Colé Is Launching at Sephora This Month". Allure. Retrieved 26 March 2025.
- ^ a b c Manso, James (2024-09-20). "EXCLUSIVE: Clean Makeup Line Ami Colé Secures L'Oréal Investment, Expands at Sephora". WWD. Retrieved 2025-03-28.
- ^ a b c Yeates, Jacqueline Lauren. "Ami Cole cosmetics' makes quality makeup for melanin-rich skin more inclusive and accessible". ABC News. Retrieved 26 March 2025.