Aime Skincare on course for sales of €10 million

In 2018, Mathilde Lacombe and François Morrier dusted off the rather austere world of food supplements by launching Aime. Eighteen months after its launch, the young nutricosmetics and skincare label with a highly polished look was claiming profitability and sales of €3 million. Six years later, sales have reached €8.5 million, profitability is still on the agenda, and the entrepreneurial duo is continuing on its path, cultivating controlled growth and a taste for independence and uniqueness.

“I often say to my teams, ‘Don’t tell me what you see on social networks, because I don’t want to get caught up in trends or be opportunistic. We’ve never given in to trends like CBD or gummies,” says Mathilde Lacombe from her bright offices in the 3rd arrondissement of Paris. 

With 160,000 followers on Instagram, Aime now generates 80% of its sales from food supplements. French Glow, capsules for sensitive and dry skin, Pure Glow to reduce blemishes and Collagène Glow, a drinkable food supplement that improves skin and nail health (€35 for a box of 10 sticks) are just some of the products that have made Aime such a success. These are products that can be taken as a course of treatment, and require a ‘long’ time to see the first results.

“It’s a change in consumption patterns. We need to educate people and remind them that to get results, like everything else in life, it takes time,” says Mathilde Lacombe. François Morrier points out: “On our e-shop, 40% of our sales are generated by subscriptions.”

Aime, which employs 30 people, generates 80% of its sales via its e-shop, with the remaining 20% shared between the Parisian Aime boutique at 16 boulevard des Filles-du-Calvaire and the selection of Sephora shops in which the brand is present. And while Aime has also invested in a number of premium pharmacies, a handful of upmarket hotels and, very soon, La Samaritaine, it is nevertheless its direct network that the brand favours. The two founders are even talking about opening a potential second shop on the Left Bank. But it won’t be as big as the store in the 11th arrondissement, which boasts 200 square metres, a beauty institute, the Glow Studio, and even a café. 

“The pharmacy network is the benchmark for food supplements, but competition is fierce and we’re a bit expensive. Sephora, for its part, has reduced the number of lines dedicated to food supplements,” explains François Morrier, who is no stranger to business creation and beauty.

He and Mathilde Lacombe were part of the founding team of JolieBox, which was acquired by Birchbox in 2012. Their expertise and certainly Mathilde Lacombe’s reputation, which she has built over many years on social networks, convinced investors to follow them from the start of their new entrepreneurial adventure. To get started, Aime’s founders raised €350,000 from business angels, including Mathilde and Bertrand Thomas, the founders of Caudalie, and Fanny Moizant, co-founder of Vestiaire Collective.

Three years ago, Aime carried out a new round of financing with its historical partners and a family office. “At that time, we recruited a lot of people, in particular our financial director. For a few months, we were no longer profitable. In 2023, we returned to profitability. What’s more, our annual growth has always been in the region of 30 to 40%,” says François Morrier.

“We have always built Aime for the long term. We’re not looking for growth at any price in order to sell our company,” explains Mathilde Lacombe, who along with François Morrier still holds three quarters of the shares in the company. 

“We’re now aiming for sales of €10 million. That’s a bit of a glass ceiling for e-commerce companies,” explains François Morrier.

One of Aime’s plans, which will shortly be launching a collaboration with Café Kitsuné, is to overhaul its skincare line, which accounts for just 5% of sales, by 2025.

“Given the size of the skincare market and its dynamism, I know that we can go further by doing things our own way,” says Mathilde Lacombe, who points out that the brand’s natural make-up is also performing very well, accounting for 15% of Aime’s sales.