From investment banking to the business of makeup, Didi Beauty founder Doyinsola Afolabi is shaping a more inclusive and intentional future for African beauty.
Beauty can often feel performative, but Doyinsola Afolabi brings something different: clarity, confidence, and a community-first mindset. For the powerhouse behind Didi Beauty, it’s not just about long-lasting products but the purpose behind them. What began as a love for makeup rooted in childhood memories has grown into a globally reaching, proudly African brand. One that’s helping women of colour feel seen and beautiful.
After a successful career in investment banking, Doyinsola Afolabi took a leap of purpose. With a personal desire for more inclusive beauty, she shifted her focus to fill an important market gap: the lack of accessible, high-quality beauty products for women of colour. This birthed Didi Beauty — a brand built to reflect the diversity and complexity of women across Africa and the diaspora.
Now, Didi Beauty has grown into a brand known for inclusive products, tech-forward retail thinking, and an unmistakable aesthetic. With a customer base spanning Nigeria, the U.S., and Europe, Doyinsola Afolabi is building a beauty ecosystem where women don’t have to choose between quality and representation. Every product is created with a clear mission: to help women own their beauty with confidence and ease.
In this Marie Claire Nigeria Beauty Issue spotlight on the Woman Behind the Brand, Doyinsola Afolabi opens up about the journey behind Didi Beauty, her definition of beauty, the power of community, and why being loud isn’t the only form of power. With over 35,000 women impacted by her brand’s initiatives, she’s not just building a business — she’s raising the bar.
Founding journey & inspiration
You made a significant shift from investment banking to the beauty industry. What motivated this transition, and how did your background in finance influence your approach to building Didi Beauty?
A lifelong passion for makeup inspired my shift from investment banking — fueled by my father’s love of gifting beauty products and my mother’s entrepreneurial spirit. As a woman of colour, I saw that the beauty market lacked inclusive, high-quality, and affordable products tailored to us. Didi Beauty was created to fill that gap. My finance background still informs our strategy — from pricing to sustainable growth — as we work to redefine beauty standards.
What was your initial perception of beauty before you built your brand? Has that perception changed now?
Initially, beauty felt like art — an exciting, expressive tool. But as I built Didi Beauty, I realised that beauty is also deeply tied to confidence and identity. That shift now fuels everything we do. We’re now exploring new product categories and experiences that go beyond aesthetics, products that inspire self-assurance, elevate everyday routines, and truly resonate with the African woman.
Didi Beauty has expanded its product range over the years. What specific gaps did you observe in the beauty market that you created Didi Beauty to fill, particularly regarding inclusivity and accessibility for African women?
As a makeup artist, I saw how many international products didn’t cater to the diversity of women of colour. There were also financial and age-related barriers making many beauty products inaccessible. Those were the real gaps that Didi Beauty set out to address.
How do you define beauty, and how does this definition influence your brand’s mission and product development?
To me, beauty is that undeniable aura of confidence a person carries when walking into a room. It’s powerful, effortless, and deeply personal. At Didi Beauty, every product we create — from the first brushstroke to the final bristle swipe — is designed to amplify that aura of confidence. Our mission is to help women feel seen, bold, and beautiful in their own skin.
Brand impact & industry influence
You’ve built a brand with an extensive presence across Africa, the U.S., Europe, and more. Developing products that resonate with diverse markets can be complicated. How did you achieve this while staying true to your brand’s core values?
Expanding into diverse markets has taught us that beauty isn’t one-size-fits-all. It’s cultural, personal, and constantly evolving. We are leveraging the unique differences of every market while staying true to our core values: inclusivity, accessibility, and innovation. It’s a continuous learning curve. We don’t have it all figured out, but we’re proud to be a progressive brand that listens, adapts, and grows with our community.
Winning The Future Awards Africa for Beauty in 2020 highlighted your innovation in the industry. How has that recognition influenced your brand’s trajectory and your personal journey as an entrepreneur?
Winning The Future Awards Africa was a defining moment. Until then, the love and feedback from our customers had always affirmed that we were on the right track, but the award took things to another level. It brought visibility and validation, confirming that our work was not only resonating with our community but helping to shape the wider industry. Personally, it reminded me of our responsibility to keep building, innovating, and empowering.
In nurturing the next generation of leaders in the beauty industry, can you share more about the initiatives your brand takes to support, impact, and empower beauty enthusiasts and professionals, especially women in Africa?
At Didi Beauty, we’ve stayed committed to empowering women who dare to dream bigger. Through sponsorships, masterclasses, mentorship, and wellness events, we’ve impacted over 35,000 women so far. Our initiatives are designed to give aspiring women-led brands the tools, confidence, and support to thrive. Breaking barriers is part of our DNA; we want every woman, regardless of age, race, or background, to feel seen and empowered.
Didi Beauty is big on collaborations and has partnered with various brands and platforms. How do these partnerships contribute to your reach and the broader beauty community?
Strategic collaborations are core to our identity and growth. We don’t see beauty as just makeup — it’s a lifestyle, a culture, and a conversation. Partnering with like-minded brands allows us to extend our reach, deepen our community impact, enrich customer experience and celebrate beauty in all its forms. It’s about creating experiences that go beyond the product and building a movement where every Didi Diva feels confident, celebrated, and included.
Vision for the future of beauty in Africa
As you continue building retail accessibility across Nigeria and beyond, what changes would you like to see in how African consumers experience beauty shopping?
I would love to see technology play a bigger role in beauty retail across the continent. From AI to smart logistics, there’s huge potential for tech to personalise and simplify how African consumers discover and shop for beauty. We’re building toward a future where tech meets consumers exactly where they are, making the experience more intuitive, efficient, and enjoyable.
Sustainability is increasingly important in the beauty industry. How is Didi Beauty approaching this in ways that work for the African context?
Sustainability has always been a local responsibility at Didi Beauty. We’re mindful about how we design and produce our products — from right-sized packaging that reduces waste to recyclable brush and sponge guards. We’ve also made innovations like our smudge-proof Lash Climax Mascara and dual-use Browgasm Pencil, both designed with function, longevity, and minimal impact in mind. It’s about making sustainability real, accessible, and effective in our own context.
What new innovations or product categories are you most excited to explore next with Didi Beauty? Any expansion plans?
Something exciting is coming this May, and Marie Claire Nigeria gets the first whisper! This isn’t just another product drop; it’s a bold step rooted in innovation and sustainability. As always, we’ve listened closely to our community, gathered real customer feedback, and conducted in-depth market research to guide this next step in our product line. We can’t share too much just yet, but it’s a major shift.
On the topic of expansion, we are currently working on a couple of projects that will revolutionise the beauty industry in Africa.
Read also: Temi Otedola: A portrait of beauty as ritual, reflection, and reclamation
What shifts would you like to see in how African beauty brands are funded, represented, or distributed — and how is Didi Beauty helping lead that change?
I would like to see more intentional structure around funding and scaling African beauty brands. Access to funding is often hindered by weak financial documentation and a lack of formal frameworks that allow brands to scale confidently. We also need regulatory bodies that uplift African-owned beauty brands globally. Distribution-wise, the space is too fragmented. We need more strategic collaboration and shared infrastructure to move forward collectively.
Personal insights & reflections
What part of your journey have you found the most personally transformative — not just in business, but in how you see yourself?
One of the most transformative parts of my journey has been hearing heartfelt feedback from our Divas, women who weren’t part of the creation process but found confidence and joy through our products. Knowing that something we created resonated so personally with them has shaped not just how I lead in business, but how I see myself.
In building a beauty brand that celebrates women, how has your understanding of femininity and power evolved?
My understanding of femininity and power has evolved in my building journey. I’ve come to see femininity not as something fragile, but as deeply resilient, bold, intuitive, and endlessly dynamic. Power isn’t always loud, sometimes, it’s quiet confidence.
Has there ever been a moment when you almost gave up? What pulled you back into the vision to focus and continue building?
Absolutely! There have been moments when the weight of it all felt overwhelming. But what always pulls me back is the community we’ve built. It’s the heartfelt messages, the Divas’ Gist Forum, the unexpected phone calls. The feedback, genuine love and support always reignite my passion and remind me why I started.
Reflecting on your journey, what is one key lesson you’ve learnt that you would share with aspiring entrepreneurs?
Not every opportunity is for you, and that’s okay. As an entrepreneur, it’s tempting to say yes to everything. But real growth comes from clarity and alignment. Knowing when to walk away is just as powerful as knowing when to seize the moment.
Get to know Doyinsola Afolabi
Favourite Didi Beauty lip product that makes you feel confident?
Your ultimate beauty icon, and why?
Rihanna. She didn’t just enter the beauty industry; she redefined it.
One self-care ritual you never skip?
Facials, including lip treatment with our Old Skool Lapél lip oils or shimmer lip gloss, and getting my nails done.
Quote or mantra that empowers you?
Don’t let anybody tell you that you can’t do it. A lot of times, women are confined to a box. We have to start thinking outside the box, knowing we are much more than society tells us.
Dream global beauty band collaboration and why?
MAC Cosmetics. They’ve demonstrated remarkable longevity in the beauty industry and have also championed inclusivity long before it became mainstream.
