Fama Ndiaye, CEO of Agaskin, speaks during a gala dinner celebrating International Women’s Day at Pullman Ambassador Hotel in Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of Agaskin
By Park Jin-hai
Fama Ndiaye, the CEO of Agaskin, a Seoul-based agency specializing in assisting Korean beauty companies expand their global presence, proudly identifies herself as a champion of K-beauty.
The Senegal-born French entrepreneur said it was a single experience involving a sheet mask that launched her journey. Reflecting on her introduction to Korean beauty products in 2008, she recounted, “My Korean American friends in New York took me to Koreatown, where I tried Face Shop’s sheet mask and was absolutely amazed.”
This revelation came during an interview with The Korea Times, held at the Pullman Ambassador Hotel in Seoul on Wednesday.
“Next door there was Macy’s and also Sephora a block away. But none of them had a sheet mask. I wondered why they didn’t have sheet masks. Then I started getting really interested in K-beauty,” she said.
Ndiaye delved deeper into her studies and exploration of skincare.
“I was just like, oh, wow, that really works,” she said.
This newfound interest sparked a desire within her to travel to Korea and personally observe the intricate workings of the beauty industry.
Her fervent passion for K-beauty led her to journey to Korea in 2016. Since then, she has dedicated herself to raising awareness about Korean beauty products and facilitating the entry of brands into European markets.
Agaskin hosted a gala dinner, Thursday, attended by approximately 100 influencers, beauty professionals, and industry insiders. The event aimed to foster the globalization of K-beauty and celebrate the collective passion for beauty, coinciding with International Women’s Day.
Ndiaye said the strength of Korean cosmetics lies in their innovation, citing Kahi’s multi-balm stick as a prime example.
“The environment of the Korean industry makes it so competitive that cosmetic brands always look for what is going to be the next big thing. So they’re always very creative and looking for what is going to be very new, out of the ordinary or something that nobody has seen before. And that’s something you don’t see in other beauty industries, to the point where even a company like L’Oreal comes to Korea to have their innovation center. So that says it all.”
Some 100 influencers, beauty professionals and industry insiders gathered to celebrate their shared passion for beauty on the occasion of International Women’s Day at Pullman Ambassador Hotel in Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of Agaskin
Last year, Agaskin organized a popup at Galeries Lafayette Champs Elysées in Paris featuring five Korean brands — Dear Klairs, Rom&nd, Urang, SKIN1004, and Mixsoon. Reflecting on the event, Ndiaye acknowledges that while she anticipated success, the experience served as a major eye-opener, reaffirming the immense potential of Korean cosmetics brands.
For the French luxury department store chain, the pop-up served as a test. But Ndiaye was confident in its potential for success. Her strategy was to offer visitors a chance to use Korean beauty products. The company offered K-beauty classes throughout the 12-day event.
“Everybody was shocked because after we announced the classes, every class was booked within 24 hours,” she said, adding that the event was a pleasant surprise for the department store, highlighting the substantial demand and potential for Korean cosmetics products.
Now, Agaskin has secured a permanent store, rather than a popup, within the flagship shop of the department store chain on Boulevard Haussmann, selling the five Korean brands that participated in last year’s popup event.
She expressed her admiration for the philosophy of K-beauty.
“It’s really like taking care of yourself. You learn from a very young age to really take care of yourself. And I love this philosophy,” she said. “The gala event on International Women’s Day isn’t really about makeup. It’s more about beauty. K-beauty places a strong emphasis on skincare and embracing natural beauty. I believe that prioritizing self-care and nurturing your skin go hand in hand.”
