An Ivorian entrepreneur’s search for local cosmetics

When Nahomie Daleba, a marketing assistant from Abidjan, was looking for specialised skin treatments, she came across locally-made products offered online which were made with African ingredients. Intrigued, she followed the links. Soon she was buying the product.

“I was scrolling through Facebook when I came across an ad for the brand on social media… I have atopic skin, which is very sensitive. I had a hard time finding suitable products on the Ivorian market. So, I was pleasantly surprised to discover an Ivorian brand offering natural products that really helped me.”

For Maïmouna Coulibaly, consumers like Daleba are dream customers. Coulibaly was three when she was severely burned by hot water. As she grew older, repeated skin problems made her realize how difficult it could be to find products that were appropriate for her skin condition and tone.

Starting her professional life as a journalist, Coulibaly later worked in film and events. However, the search for solutions that worked for her skin evolved into a more and more important pursuit.

During a trip to India in 2014, Coulibaly came across natural skincare products and began researching the usage of plants in cosmetics. Returning to Côte d’Ivoire, she realized that some of the plants she had seen in India were also used in African traditional medicine.

She spent more than a year researching African medicinal plants before leaving her career to study biocosmetics in 2015.

“My motivation wasn’t to start a business. My motivation was to say to myself: we need to have our own brand. We need to transform our raw materials. We need to have products specifically designed for Black skin and its needs.”

In 2016, after months of research and experimentation, she made her first skincare formulations. The early experiments took place on a small scale, but the idea quickly outgrew the garage where the business began.

By December 2017, Sub Saharian Bio was formally established as a company developing skincare products from plant-based ingredients sourced in Africa.

For Coulibaly, the idea was bigger than creating another skincare brand.

“I was driven more by a vision. And especially when you look at the figures for the cosmetics industry and the growth rate in Africa, which is quite significant, I thought to myself: this isn’t possible. Africans need to be part of this growth and share in the opportunities it creates.”

But Coulibaly’s approach raises an important question: can traditional knowledge about plants translate into products that are scientifically proven to treat skin conditions?

Professor Mamadou Kaloga, a consultant dermatologist and professor of dermatology practicing in Abidjan, explained that the presence of a plant ingredient in a cosmetic does not, on its own, establish that it can treat a dermatological condition.

According to Kaloga, the active chemicals must be isolated and tested on relevant skin lesions, as well as toxicity tests to ensure safety.

“Clinical trials must first be conducted. The active compound is extracted and then tested on the relevant skin lesions. Once we have scientific evidence showing positive results, we can then determine whether that plant can effectively treat a particular condition,” he said.

Coulibaly increasingly works in the space between increasing interest in African plant ingredients and the more difficult challenge of how to turn those substances into safe and functional products.

She has built both research and production capacity to support her ambition. The company has a production site, a research cultivation facility, and a digital skin-diagnosis tool to assist clients in selecting products.

Her timing also fits with an expanding African skincare industry. According to Africa Cosmetics Market Report 2026, skincare accounts for 42.4% of cosmetics income in Africa, driven in part by increased awareness of skin health and issues such as hyperpigmentation, acne, and dryness.

Coulibaly’s interest in the future of African raw materials after harvesting is also reflected in the company’s growth. Rather than simply exporting raw resources, she wants them processed and manufactured on the continent.

The experience that pushed Coulibaly into natural skincare has also shaped the kind of workplace she has built. As Sub Saharian Bio, she has created jobs and brought more women into the business.

“Today, we have around 30 employees. Our team is predominantly female, with women making up about 80% of our workforce.Back then, there were just two or three of us, and the team has gradually grown over time.”

Coulibaly also regards the creation a local cosmetics industry as an opportunity to challenge conventional beauty beliefs. The brand describes itself as creating natural cosmetics for Black and mixed-race skin with flaws, with a focus on African botanical innovation.

“Skin in general, and Black skin in particular, needs living ingredients, living active ingredients, which conventional cosmetics do not provide. Beyond that, there are all these controversial and potentially harmful ingredients, many of which are even banned on other continents, yet are still being used here in conventional cosmetics.”

Coulibaly is particularly critical of the increasing use of skin-lightening cosmetics, noting that worries over hyperpigmentation should not be interpreted as an attempt to change the natural color of Black skin.

“On top of that, there is the growing proliferation of skin-lightening products, which could pose a serious risk to public health in the future.”

That argument is based on broader public-health concerns. The World Health Organization has issued a warning about the health dangers linked with mercury-containing skin-lightening cosmetics and advocated for their ban. Mercury exposure can harm the kidneys and brain system, among other health consequences.

For customers like Daleba, however, the narrative boils down to a more pressing question: does the product make a difference in their daily lives?

Daleba was initially drawn by its packaging but said it was the change she noticed in her skin that convinced her to continue using the products.

“I first started with the anti-acne kit, which helped dry out the spots I had on my body and on my face.After that, the only thing left were the dark spots, so I started using the algae soap. Honestly, it was even more effective”

Coulibaly’s company presently has both physical stores and online sales capacity, with locally sourced botanical ingredients, such as Terminalia chebula.

Her entrepreneurial journey was recognized in August with Côte d’Ivoire’s National Excellence Award for Best SME, following a screening process that included thousands of applications. Sub Saharian Bio’s was chosen thanks to its growth, innovation, and contribution to local production.

Coulibaly sees the acknowledgment as a return to the beginning of her story.

“How can people with Black skin locate products designed specifically for their skin while also ensuring that the ingredients and claims behind those products are credible?”

Written by Yakubu Masseni for bird story agency