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Every month, go behind the scenes of the creation of the brand.
Welcome to our brand new section: cross-interviews. Every month, go behind the scenes of the creation of the brand. Discover an exclusive conversation between Marine, the founder, and a privileged guest who contributed to the Fôme adventure.
To inaugurate the series of this first edition of "Fôme, la Genèse", we are going to meet Diogou Dramé, founder of Fabrique 621, the beauty incubator behind the innovative formula of our hand washing care .
Hello Diogou, it is an honor to welcome you as the first guest for this new section. Could you introduce yourself and tell us a little more about your background?
Diogou: I am a former financial strategy executive for international banks. I started making my own cosmetic products in 2012, for my first daughter and then for those around me and my work colleagues. Following the numerous positive feedback, I decided to create a range of natural cosmetics.
Proud of my origins and committed to environmental issues, I imagine, in 2017, a range of solid cosmetics, highlighting the knowledge and know-how of France, land of birth, but also of Africa, land of its origins.
Faced with my personal observation of the need for support for entrepreneurs who have little technical and relational background, I decided to create La Fabrique 621 to give the chance to all those who wish to get started and develop their concept.
What are the main activities of Fabrique 621?
Diogou: La Fabrique 621 is a cosmetics incubator equipped with a research & development laboratory for cosmetic formulas. We support our entrepreneurs from the idea to the marketing of the natural cosmetic product, including regulatory validation. In a world as regulated and as competitive as cosmetics, we are here to help entrepreneurs get started without making mistakes and understand all the issues involved in developing a product.
Since June 2023, La Fabrique 621 has been labeled Innov'up Incubator by the Île de France Region, rewarding the excellence of support of 28 incubators. This label facilitates access to Innov'up envelopes for our incubated entrepreneurs.
Marine: Quite coincidentally, on LinkedIn (laughs)! Diogou had participated in a conference. His approach immediately appealed to me. I will always remember our first exchange. I immediately felt the preponderant place given to the human aspect. In my previous efforts with other laboratories, I noticed a lack of this support that I was looking for. Fabrique 621 perfectly embodied this dimension, which reinforced my decision to collaborate with Diogou for the development of Fôme products.
Diogou: The fundamental values of Fabrique 621 include the promotion of more virtuous cosmetics, aimed at reducing the impact on the environment. The ambition of the product was clear: to reconcile high-end excellence with an eco-responsible approach, while preserving quality. This approach particularly interested me, because it puts back at the center the importance of the gesture of washing our hands, while seeking to reduce our environmental footprint. There was also a natural feeling with Marine, it must be admitted (laughs) and a real desire to get involved in this project.
How did the collaboration go between you?
Diogou: Marine had strict and demanding specifications, specifying the ingredients required and, above all, prohibited as well as the addition of upcycled elements (the fact of giving a second use to materials intended to be thrown away) in the formula. Thanks to this rigor, we were able to move forward easily and fluidly.
Marine: Diogou was constantly available, encouraging almost daily exchanges, obviously depending on the stages of progress. His role was extremely important for the rest of the events, addressing the regulatory aspects, the different stages, while working on the complete creation of the formula, from start to finish.
Diogou: Yes, it is essential to keep in mind that certain deadlines cannot be reduced. Despite this, solutions were found to move forward and launch the project on time.
Marine: A lot! No I'm kidding. But some, yes. Powder galenics are still quite new, we do not have the same perspective as a product unfortunately containing water. People who know me know that I am quite stubborn (in the good sense of the word obviously!) and so when I have an idea in mind... I really wanted the reconstituted product to have this sensory side with a pleasant texture to use, and which foams.
Diogou: Yes indeed! The search for an ecological and sensory alternative for foam was crucial. Opting for Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate rather than Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate (SCI) was essential, because the SCI extraction method is very polluting and not authorized in the organic standard. We have therefore favored a much more environmentally friendly alternative, offering a quality sensory foam.
Marine if I may, the other challenge you gave us was to recreate the specific texture of a liquid soap. It was necessary to develop a creamy gel, with the right viscosity, which would not run between the fingers, requiring particular attention to consistency.
And then, the work was not limited to the powder phase, but also to the reconstitution of the latter to obtain the expected result once applied.
Marine: You're absolutely right (laughs!) These challenges required meticulous work and in the end, I'm super proud that we were able to arrive at a formula that was consistent with the brand universe and, above all, efficient!
Are there other projects in progress?
Marine: Obviously! Otherwise, I would not have embarked on this entrepreneurial adventure. Our commitment remains anchored in the Fôme universe, combining excellence, eco-responsibility and sensoriality, values which have been the driving force of our approach from the beginning.
Diogou: I think Marine summed it up well, and that's all we can reveal for today!