playnext.fm

She's So Lucky

From Idea to Sephora: How Diarrha N'Diaye-Mbaye Built Ami Colé Into a Cult-Favorite Beauty Brand

·1 hr 10 min·5 clips
Diarrha N'Diaye-Mbaye went from working at Sephora in college to building Ami Colé into a cult-favorite beauty brand sold at Sephora.
The episode features Diarrha N'Diaye-Mbaye, founder of Ami Colé, discussing her journey from idea to Sephora. Diarrha explains how her early exposure to beauty in her mother's Harlem hair salon shaped her perspective. She describes her father's entrepreneurial spirit as a key influence. Diarrha's career included roles at Teen Vogue, L'Oreal, and Glossier, where she gained industry insights. In 2014, she first conceptualized Ami Colé, even commissioning a logo from an Italian designer. After being laid off from Glossier in 2019, she took a solo trip to Thailand, which clarified her decision to launch the brand. She tested ideas by visiting friends' homes to understand their beauty routines. Ami Colé launched in May 2021 with three products: a skin tint, lip treatment oil, and highlighter. Diarrha discusses the challenges of product development, including creating a mascara during the COVID-19 pandemic. She shares the story of getting into Sephora, which involved a chance meeting at an award event while pregnant. Diarrha also talks about the complexities of retail partnerships, data-driven decision-making, and the pressure for founders to be public figures. The conversation covers topics like supporting Black-owned brands, the role of TikTok in discovery, and balancing creativity with business scalability.

As heard by us

Jada Njai traces Amicole's path from Sephora and Cosmoprof to a brand shaped by product trust and visual clarity.

The conversation frames Amicole as a founder story built less on mythology than on judgment under pressure. Jada Njai, its founder and CEO, moves from a college job at Sephora to what the host calls a Sephora darling, and the episode is strongest when it stays with the practical…

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

You want the bridge from working at Sephora in college to building Amicole into a Sephora darling.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →
Listen to the show on
Apple PodcastsSpotify
Play clips from this episodeMore from She's So Lucky