Ustawi Skincare | U.S.-France Strategy & Localization
Ustawi was a science-backed skincare brand for melanin-rich skin, created by French influencer Natacha Paugam.
When I came on as Social Media & Content Strategist in early 2025, the brand was at an inflection point: their products were selling better in the US than in France, stocked in major NYC beauty retailers, and they needed someone who could bridge both markets.
They brought me in to localize their content strategy for American audiences. Ustawi's identity was all about African heritage and wisdom, combined with French skincare expertise. Translating that for African-American consumers required understanding how they connect differently than Black French audiences to African identity and beauty rituals.
I developed an Instagram strategy tailored to how US beauty consumers discover skincare, adapting Ustawi's warm, empowering tone to resonate culturally with American audiences while keeping the accent on the brand’s values.
I worked on their bilingual content infrastructure: social captions, newsletters, video concepts, and community engagement in both French and English. The goal was creating a voice that felt authentic whether someone discovered Ustawi in Paris or New York.