Meet Michelle Mangan, Senior Scientist at Oriflame Cosmetics
Q: What’s your background? Give us a quick snapshot of a day in your life at work!
A: I’m very lucky to have a career that I love – combining my background in science with my passion for cosmetics! I went to University College Dublin and achieved a BSc in Pharmacology before landing my dream job as a Graduate Scientist in Oriflame Cosmetics in Dublin. Today, I am a Senior Scientist in the Scientific Communication team, translating the science behind cosmetic technologies into exciting product claims and communication. This involves a huge range of activities which makes each day different and exciting – from claim substantiation and efficacy testing to video production, creative storytelling, social media demonstrations and more! I have been working in the cosmetics industry for over 5 years now and I specialise in the science behind colour technologies.
Q: What about the beauty industry excites you the most?
A: The thing about the beauty industry is that it is constantly evolving – every day there are new opportunities and challenges, and the definition of beauty itself never stays the same. This makes it a dynamic and progressive space to work in and it’s great to see diversity and inclusion currently at the forefront. On a personal note, I am always inspired by new trends on social media, as I think platforms like Instagram and Tik Tok are a hot spot for consumer-led innovation. It is exciting to see ideas and conversations from beauty consumers all over the world and I believe this can lead to exciting and relevant insights for new product development.
Q: What is your biggest achievement as it pertains to this industry?
A: This year has been very exciting for me and I’m very proud of what I’ve achieved. Back in January, I spoke at the Beauty and Skincare Formulation Conference, which was the first time I’ve presented my work to a global audience, alongside experts in the industry. Moving forward to Summer, my colleagues and I submitted our latest colour cosmetics research to IFSCC Mexico 2021, which was also a first. When you are young, it can be scary to share your ideas within the industry, but to receive positive feedback and recognition makes it really something special.
Q: Can you tell us about a failure (this could even be a beauty faux paus ;) ) and what you learned from it?
A: Failure is in the DNA of research and development but it’s what you do with it that counts! Part of my job is to prove the performance of new cosmetic technologies, and that is not always an easy feat. One of the most challenging claims I’ve worked on was proving a ‘transfer proof’ benefit for a novel lip formulation technology. Although the claim ‘transfer proof’ is popular on the market, it is very subjective. This means that one consumer might think a lipstick is transfer proof and another might not! It is for this reason that we substantiated this claim through a clinical testing approach, whereby a highly controlled environment and standardised test method were employed. We also placed global consumer perception at the heart of the clinical study to ensure the formulation delivered exactly what consumers around the world expected. Although we knew the formulation technology inside out (from film formers and polymers to pigments and more), it took several formulation adjustments until the transfer proof claim successfully passed. This was challenging in such a fast-paced environment, but it was very rewarding to see the product finally launch on the market. Most importantly, we knew that the lipstick delivered exactly what we promised, and consumers could trust this benefit, confidently backed by scientifically proven results.
Product Link: https://uk.oriflame.com/products/product?code=41798
Q: Based on your personal experience in beauty, is there an insight (work related or other) that you’d like to share that may benefit our readers?
A: Although I spend my days working with colour cosmetics, I believe that true beauty is much more than just make-up. Mascara can give you big lashes and foundation can paint a flawless skin, but what really matters is how these products make you feel when you wear them. It is so easy to compare yourself against others in our digital world, but it’s important to remember that nothing looks more beautiful than confidence and self-esteem.
Q: What aspects of the industry would you like to see more of? Or less of? (e.g., product, trend, etc.)
A: I think there has been a big push towards more sustainable product development, but the cosmetic industry can do more to reduce our impact on the planet. Sustainable choices should not be optional, but essential, and it would be great to see companies make bigger leaps in this area. This is somewhat linked to the trend of transparency which has also been pushed in industry lately. It’s great to see companies being more honest and open with consumers, explaining exactly what is in their product and how they’ve proved that it works. This culture of trust is essential to build a loyal consumer base who believe in your brand and everything it stands for.
Q: What are some beauty products you’re currently loving and why?
A: When I find a beauty product I like, I tend to stick to it, so it has been a little while since I’ve purchased something new. For foundation, I’ve been a fan of Benefit’s Hello Happy Flawless Brightening Foundation for quite some time, and I continue to use this as my go-to face base. I’m a big fan of mascara and I get to try a lot of new launches for work, but I think L’Oréal Lash Paradise remains a long-standing favourite of mine. I’m less committed to lipsticks – but always love a nude or pink shade from MAC! As for skincare, I really enjoy Oriflame’s Novage products, as they have a super premium feel and trust me, they work!
Q: What advice would you give to a peer who is looking to break into the beauty industry?
A: My best advice is to believe in yourself and have the confidence to get out there and share your ideas. It is easy to sit back and watch the world go by, but if you really want to break into the industry, you need to be prepared to take risks. Stand out from the crowd and propose a new idea to your boss or put yourself forward for something outside of your comfort zone. I struggled for a long time feeling anxious and nervous, but if you push yourself forward, you’d be surprised at what you can achieve. Make it your mission to try something new every week or set small goals which will help get you to where you want to be. The beauty industry is waiting for you and it can’t wait to see what you have to offer!