Meet the founder: Mathilde from AIME !

August 21, 2024By Victoria Guillou

A visionary in the beauty industry and entrepreneurship. Discover Mathilde Lacombe's journey and her commitment to revolutionizing skincare with her brand AIME, pioneering a holistic approach to beauty.

Who is Mathilde Lacombe, the founder of AIME?

The famous founder of the JolieBox beauty boxes, acquired in 2013 by Birchbox, Mathilde Lacombe , launched her new entrepreneurial project in October 2018. The author of the book entitled “ A Question of Balance ” co-founded the cosmetics brand AIME with François Morrier. Suffering from rosacea, after many years without understanding how to control her redness and papules, she became very interested in nutrition. She became aware of the very strong link between the skin and the microbiota, and from that moment on, everything started to make sense to her. No brand back then has offered a holistic approach to the skin with solutions that address the problem at the root, not just what we see on the surface. AIME represents a new way of approaching skin care thanks to an innovative range of food supplements, beauty essentials and even make-up.

What is your favorite memory from the beginning of the brand?

There are many because the excitement of starting an entrepreneurial adventure is very exhilarating! When I launched AIME, everyone expected me to launch a cream or makeup brand, no one expected us in the food supplement niche. The announcement on the first day created a real tidal wave in terms of communication which was very supportive for us. My community was able to trust me and followed me in this second entrepreneurial adventure as it did the first time.

What are the most valuable lessons you have learned from your journey as a female entrepreneur so far?

The importance of trusting your instincts, trusting your inner voice and learning to listen to it. The rare times I didn't do it, I often regretted it. I find that women have a very strong power of intuition and that we must use it, especially when we begin because we do not follow a set path, no one other than us knows the path to follow.

What has been the most rewarding moment for you as the founder of AIME?

What drives us is the feedback from our customers. Knowing that we are part of their daily routine, that we support them in their search for well-being and that we help some to feel better about their skin, to overcome complexes like acne or rosacea , it's very rewarding. This is why we do what we do!

What are your 3 favorite products from the range?

It's always hard to choose because I love all our products! If I really have to choose, I would say French Glow our best-selling probiotic formula which is fabulous for sensitive skin, suffering from rosacea, redness and others. Then I consume our collagen every day, I have a passion for our Matcha Glow collagen which I enjoy in an iced latte version as soon as the sunny days arrive. Finally, our makeup care powder with a care formula that blurs the complexion, smoothes pores... A filter in a box!

Which product was the most complicated to produce and why?

All our products are long and complex to develop, because we always start from a blank page. It takes between 18 months to 2 years, sometimes more, for a product to be released by AIME. Our collagen range and our SPF30 skincare powder foundation are among the latest developments which required a lot of back and forth to arrive at the perfect formula. I am my first client and I am very demanding! I'd rather not release a product than release something that I'm not completely satisfied with.