Melanin Beauty Awards: Trailblazer — Diarrha N’Diaye

As a friend of Diarrha Ndiaye’s, I have to start this tribute off by stating the obvious: To know her is to love her. 

Kind, warm, generous, and always rooted in centering community, Ndaiye has been a beloved mainstay in the corporate beauty world for well over a decade. But don’t get it twisted: Beauty has been a part of her life since birth. 

From growing up in her mother’s hair salon in Harlem, New York, to working in-house at L’Oréal and Glossier, then launching the groundbreaking Ami Colé in 2019, the founder has solidified herself as a true changemaker in beauty; with her main goal always being to create products that make Black women feel effortlessly beautiful. Something she has accomplished time and time again. That said, it’s a no-brainer that she is now being recognized as the Trailblazer recipient at the 2025 Melanin Beauty Awards. 

“It feels like the warmest hug,” Ndiaye says of the honor. “As a solo entrepreneur there were many lonely long roads but moments like this remind me it was all worth it.” 

While the proud mother-of-two shuttered Ami Colé back in September 2025 due to lack of capital, the brand’s impact cannot be denied. From the product’s clean formulations, to their glowy skin-like finish, each launch was one hit after the next. And the original lip oils—which created a whole new category in the market—were a staple in nearly every New York City girl’s purse, myself included. 

“Ami Colé’s legacy was all about creating intentional and safe space for thoughtful beauty exchange,” says Ndiaye. “[Our team] shared mutual love for beauty but more importantly knew, collectively, how important it was [for Black women and women of color] to be seen, celebrated, and elevated in a society where inclusive beauty was optional not mandated. This was the DNA of my mother’s Harlem hair salon—in many ways I was able to create continuity between her legacy and this new chapter.” 

Speaking of new chapters, Ndiaye is now onto hers. Forever a beauty girl, it was recently announced that she would be joining SKIMS as executive vice president of beauty and fragrance, leading the brand’s—which is now valued at $4 billion—cosmetics category. 

“I am focusing on learning more, sharpening my practice, and expanding my wings to drive impact in an industry I love so deeply,” Ndiaye shares. “I hope to take everything I learned over the past 15 years and continue to create a truly inclusive future of beauty.” 

From her roots planted in Senegal, to her upbringing in the streets of Harlem—passion, care, and that unbeatable hustle are a part of Ndiaye’s DNA, and she’s just getting started. 

Whether building something new from the ground up, or working in-house to create more diverse product ranges for established brands, one thing is for sure: Diarrha is a star, a light, and a true force in this industry. Her impact will always be felt as she continues to rise, but she’s not one to ever forget where she came from, or lack gratitude for those who helped get her to where she is now.

“Thank you to every single consumer, customer, and friend of Ami Colé,” she exclaims. Because without her community, the same one she has always been sure to nurture, that dream would have never been realized.