Deanna: [00:00:00] On this episode, we're talking about creative partnership. I'm your host, Deanna Utroske and my guest on CosmoFactory today is Begoña Sanjuán, co-founder and creative lead at BIT Beauty Intelligence. BIT Beauty is a global creative agency that specializes in cosmetic and wellness concepts that shape the future of our industry.
Begoña, welcome to CosmoFactory.
Begoña: Oh, uh, thank you, [00:01:00] Deanna, for having me here
Deanna: Yes, no, I'm super glad for this conversation. I think we should begin, uh, by talking about the idea of breakthrough innovation. I think everything new starts somewhere, right? This is true even for the most significant and valuable innovations in beauty. And breakthrough innovation often moves several steps forward all at once, right?
Rather than making one small incremental change at a time. I wanna just start, though, by asking where do you believe new ideas come from?
Begoña: Good question, Deanna. Mm, for me, new ideas often start by questioning. Questioning, questioning, questioning. What everybody else accepts as normal, uh, uh, to me is, is just questioning why. I've been in the beauty industry for more than 30 years, and for a long time I saw an [00:02:00] industry focused on perfection, constantly telling people, especially women, um, what need to be corrected.
And, and to me, mm, again, I start asking myself why. Because beauty has enormous power. People wants to take care of themself, and they want to feel beautiful. So why not use the power as a source of wellbeing, as a source of longevity? It's, it's, it's that. Um, it's questioning
Deanna: Yeah. Yeah, no, that's fantastic because it, you know, I think sometimes when we try to come up with new ideas, we're looking for a formula or a process, but this is almost a, like a habit, right? You are just going to keep asking questions a- and finding inspiration. That's so cool
Begoña: The, the questioning, it has [00:03:00] become part of my vision always. New ideas begin, um, when we dare to ask a different question
Deanna: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. No, that's, yeah, that sounds exactly right. I, I believe you when you say that. Now, um, I, I think it's commonly understood in the cosmetics industry, um, that our work is, our work, I speak for the whole industry,
Begoña: Yes, why not?
Deanna: um, uh, the work in, in the cosmetics industry is equal parts science and art. Um, so it often involves then a collaboration between science and artists.
And I, I wanna think about partnerships, um, and how necessary, right, allies and partners are when it comes to turning these new ideas into reality in the cosmetics industry. Um, I know you do creative work with, um, ingredient companies. I'm, I'm hoping you can talk about that work just sort of in general terms.
What, what does that look like?
Begoña: Especially in my case that I, I mean, when I work [00:04:00] with ingredient companies and, and in my case I work with ingredients companies that they, they do breakthrough innovation, very scientific oriented, and I'm not a scientific. Uh, but I work closely with scientific and, and I work with them as starts, um, understanding and respecting science and understanding studies, mechanisms.
And in my case, I need to understand, um, them. But, mm, the, the... As you said before, mm, we usually think that innovation comes with, uh, science, no? And, and sometimes, and what I bring to the conversation is the human behavior. Um, a- after understanding them, after understanding science through the journey, I bring that into the conversation.
I bring, [00:05:00] um, what this innovation, what this science is going to help, um, to people's life, no? What kind of value it's adding. And I always put in, in the conversation a consumer, an aesthetician, a dermatologist. Um, it's not only, um, mm, the science by itself, it's how this consumer is going to understand the value of the science, and that's what I bring to the, to the conversation.
Deanna: Yeah, no, that makes very good sense. There's certainly the lab and the technology piece of it, but the, the creative adaption to real lives, right? Sort of the lived experience, like you're saying, of, of professionals, but of course the consumer as well. I would love it if you could give us an example if there's a particular creative role you play in developing concepts and products that we've actually seen in the ingredient [00:06:00] marketplace
Begoña: connecting with the previous question, no? It's, it's my role is to make science Simple, but without make it s- simplistic, no? It's like, um, it's, it's, mm, it's giving the understanding, no? And I can give you an example, a recent example. I'm not going to give you much details because, because this example is not been launched yet.
But I was introduced into a beautiful science around hydration inspired by how nature maintains balance in hydration. And, and hydration is a category that has been in the beauty industry forever.
Deanna: Yes
Begoña: I, I start questioning the category itself, you know? So because, uh, it's like we are used to see hydration as water or adding [00:07:00] humectants or ingredients that helps to retain moisture, no?
So what I was introduced, mm, like I was introduced to this new kind of balance in nature. I was, um, think- yeah, I was, mm, mm, thinking is why if hydration is not only about adding water or adding humectants? This is how we see hydration, no? It's like we see hydration like the skin is a container of water, no?
And in reality it's not that, no? And what if we see hydration as the result of interconnections, uh, between a biological conversation in the skin and the microbiota and the environment, no? So, so here is, is an example of, um, how creativity comes with innovation and also innovation in the way that we understand a category that is, is a, a, a [00:08:00] category by itself very well known, no?
S- I don't know if, if this is something that can, um, help to understand the kind of work that we do from, from our side or from my side sometimes. Um, science doesn't simply give us another ingredient. It gives us, thanks to this new science, no, the permission to rethink something that we, we thought that we already know, no?
So, so this can be an example.
Deanna: Yeah
Begoña: uh, and I, if, if you allow me, this is not related to a, a, a lab. This is related to my grandmother, no? My grandmother is,
Deanna: please
Begoña: i- is, was this kind of woman that she gather... I'm from a very little town from Spain, and my grandmother was this kind of woman that ga- she gather [00:09:00] plants and, and she always dry the plants.
I remember her kitchen with, mm- typical, uh, medicinal plants, no? And she always used to say, "This is anti-inflammatory," or, "This is..." Or, or even she didn't use the word anti-inflammatory. She used like, "When you have this kind of problem, you can use this," no? And I remember that rosemary as a plant that is very common in Mediterranean environment, no?
I remember the, the moment that I understood that ros- rosemary contains a molecule that's called ursolic acid that is anti-inflammatory. And that's science giving us the information, um, that allows us to think different, no? So I don't know if that is, is enough to give you how can, can as an example, no, of how can I help to, to, uh, an active [00:10:00] ingredient lab.
Deanna: Yeah. No, that's, it's really interesting to think about both of those examples because it, it helps, it does help unders- help, help me understand at least that, that translation piece of it, but also, yeah, the new vision, the new possibility, the, the rethinking of, as you suggested, the hydration category, something we think we're so familiar with, um, but we can definitely look at it from, from many new angles.
Um, yeah, both through the creativity lens, but also through, um, new science innovation. That's so cool. Um, I know you also work on the brand side. I'm, I'm wondering when you partner with a brand or do brand work, if there's any sort of difference between creative innovation for the ingredient marketplace, and then for the, for a consumer brand or even a s- a spa brand.
Is there, is there a difference there ,
Begoña: the foundation is the same, but the scale of the experience is different. When I work with an ingredient, [00:11:00] I'm looking at the science and especially what the scien- this science can bring to the skin, the hair, the nail. You know, it's like, uh, looking at the, um, at the molecule and something that, uh, works on the skin.
When I create for a brand, I can design the whole experience. A cosmetic, a cosmetic product is much more than what it does for the skin or for the hair. It's also what it does for the person. Um, h- how can I tell you? I mean, of course, the formula matters. The formula is a given. I mean, the formula must work, you know?
And, and the formula means, um, carefully selecting ingredients or avoiding ingredients of concern. You know, You need to look at the formula definitely if we are talking about the skincare. But the product is also texture, it's [00:12:00] aroma, it's gesture, it's packaging, it's the words that you are using, um, and much more.
Because to me, when, when we design a product, we design this product also in people's life, in their bathroom, in their bedside table, in your handbag, in your luggage. So a product is everything and becomes part of the experience. And, and for example, for Ayuna, uh, my brand, um, I have an example which is mental beauty and, and, and that can bring some, some idea of I'm, what I'm trying to, to explain about bringing the experience,
Deanna: Can you say more about that?
Begoña: uh, o- of course, definitely. Definitely. Mental beauty is, is a good example. I like to say that we have two skin cares. One is a skin care that we apply, [00:13:00] uh, from outside, the formula, the ingredients, everything that you put on your skin. And, and this is how we understand the skin care.
But in my mind, uh, and that's, that's what I'm trying and I'm envisioning to everybody understand, no? It's like another skin care. There is another skin care and, and it's the, the one that comes from inside, and, and this is our thoughts. The skin and the brain are constantly communicating, and we know that.
Um, what happens on the skin sends information to the brain. You know, what that is, you know, the touch, all this is information, even aromas. All this is information the s- the brain is digesting somehow. But, and, but what makes me think i- in this innovation and creative- creativity way is, [00:14:00] mm, for decades we create, um, the moment of people being in front of the mirror, uh, looking at wrinkles, at spots, imperfections.
And in my, in my understanding is, okay, what if we transform the same moment into a moment of wellbeing? And instead of, um, looking to imperfections, like people is in front of the mirror and they are already there, and, and they are touching the skin, and they are looking at their self, what if we enjoy the texture, the aroma?
What if the message that we send to the person who is in the mirror, who is yourself, is a message, a positive message? For example, I develop, um, uh, massage techniques that draws hearts in the face that I call I [00:15:00] Love You massage. And, and instead of looking into the mirror finding what's wrong, we can use this moment to change the conversation and more positive, um, enjoying applying the product, enjoying doing those hearts, enjoying the message.
So you bring this other skin care because what you are thinking also reflects in the skin. So this is part of creating a product and elevating with You know, the product and the ingredient take care of, let's say, the cuticle of the hair or the barrier of the skin or the elasticity of the skin, you know? But the experience takes care of the person. And using an skincare product and, and transforming the experience of using the skincare product into a positive, [00:16:00] a positive application, a self-acceptance application, that's what makes Atalie creation different
Deanna: Yeah. Yeah. No, definitely. So this makes me want to know, though, based on your last couple of answers, how then are partnerships built?
Begoña: Uh, and that I need people who are open to think differently with me. I don't need people who thinks the same than me. It's like, for me, the foundation of, of this kind of relationship is, is communication, constant communication, and but the most important is being open, open to do something different, open to, um, you know, to look outside of our own industry.
Because I have seen also, and I don't feel comfortable with that, and because I have been working also with [00:17:00] these kind of companies that they are looking at the market data and the competitors and what is already successful, which is fine. I always look. Mm, I always benchmark. That's, that's part of the creativity process.
But, mm, if you stay only understanding the market, that, mm, doesn't feed the imagination. So to me, it's important, uh, to work with people who is open to think different with me
Deanna: Yeah. No, that's beautiful. And, you know, I- we talked about the idea earlier in our conversation about beauty really being a collaboration between art and science, and, and clearly what you're contributing is, is much more art than science. every artist, whatever their format, certainly has a process, right?
Creative professionals have some sort of process. Do you have a particular creative process? Or you even mentioned there looking outside the industry to sort of feed your creativity. What can you say about that?
Begoña: It, [00:18:00] mmm, yes, definitely I have a process. Um, and my process is not linear. My process is circular. Uh, I have a concept in the middle, mm, and, and a- around this concept, and the concept can be just an idea, a name. Um, mmm, I don't know. It's, it's, for example, for, for Ayuna, the concept was fasting, no? So, mm, it's in the middle.
And, and around this concept, I need to understand the science behind, and I need to think how to apply this concept, and I need to think how to bring the concept to the market, how to make business with the concept, and how this concept should be communicated in words, in visuals. So everything is around this concept, and the concept is a central idea.
That's it. And, and I always, mm, I, [00:19:00] I, I always work in this way. Um, f- for me, the concept has to be true everywhere. If not, it's just an, a story
and as you said before, mm, my creativity, uh, it, it comes from different places. And art for sure, but, but nature is, is a place that I feel, um, I get information, conversations, books, travel. Different cultures is very important. Understanding how, mm, different cultures, and especially in the beauty and the wellness industry, how different cultures take, take care of themselves.
Art, I don't look at art only as aesthetics. I look at art to a place where, uh, to answer questions. So, so this process, which is circular, has to be fit also for information [00:20:00] that came, comes from outside. But also in my case, solitude also helps me. Walking around, uh, I don't know, um, walking alone, um, in the forest is also part of this process of creativity.
As well as a scientific paper
Deanna: Right, right.
Begoña: So I, I think creativity happens when, when things that are unrelated, um, it ca- it becomes suddenly connected
Deanna: Yes. No, 100%. And I, I wanna move a little deeper into the personality piece of it. Uh, for myself, um, I'm someone who's very inclined to help people share meaning or information. This is true if I'm, you know, having a meal with my family, um, if I'm spending time with friends. It doesn't matter the setting, right?
I like to help facilitate conversation and communication. I'm wondering, are there parts of your own personality that, that [00:21:00] show up in your work in that way as well?
Begoña: You know what? it's like, um, help to, to create a better work and working daily and, and studying. But I will say that yes, my personality is part of my work. Um, I don't know.
I mean, curiosity is been, I, I'm, I've been even as a child, the why question, um, it's been, mm, for me, uh, forever. I mean, it's like I always been asking. But curiosity is part of my personality always. But sensitivity, um, I'm emotionally sensitive, but I've been, as I said, for more than 30 years touching skin texture products and, and this sensitivity, uh, [00:22:00] it's part, part is being developed, as I said, but some of this sensitivity is intuitive and, and, and that's part of my work, no?
What my intuition is say- is giving. And definitely, and this is me, um, I'm a very persistent person, and for me, a no today doesn't necessarily means a no tomorrow. So if I can, if, if I came with an idea and I find a no from my partner or from my client or from a consumer, uh, that doesn't, doesn't means failing for me.
I will come back maybe with n- not the same, for sure, it's not going to be with the same argument. I will learn, and I will find another, uh, perspective, and I [00:23:00] bring maybe more evidence, and I will try again. So questioning is part of me always.
Feeling, al- definitely it's part of my personality, and persistence are, um, part of the way that I create.
Deanna: Yeah. Yeah. And you know, and with that persistence and it makes me wonder too, because at, at some point in your creative process early on, in fact, it sounds like you put the concept in the center, right? And you build, you build around it. It seems like to make a, a breakthrough innovation around a, a single concept, there's an element of, of risk, right?
And, and you probably, you know, s- you have to have some sort of confidence in your vision. I'm wondering if that's part of your character
Begoña: I, I, as I said, Deanna, I'm very intuitive, and I, I will say that's part of my, um, [00:24:00] foundation and character.
Deanna: that's fabulous . Um, now before we finish our conversation, I do have at least one more good question for you. I'll take a moment though to say a quick thank you to our listeners. We are so thankful that you're here with us. The global community that is CosmoFactory would not exist without you.
If you're listening now, I trust that you believe this and other interviews you hear on CosmoFactory are interesting and informative, so I encourage you to leave a positive review on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you are listening. Uh, and one more thing, uh, there will be a next CosmoFactory episode available on the first Tuesday of next month.
Be sure to tap follow on your podcast app, and that episode will automatically show up in your feed. Begonia, uh, to finish our conversation, my final question for you today is why do you do this work? Is there maybe a moment in every project where [00:25:00] you're like, " This is the reason I love my job," or why are you doing this?
Begoña: Wow . Um, mm, Deanna, seeing something that once only exist in my mind become real, it's like I can never get tired of that. 'Cause like, it's like, okay, I have an idea, and then it becomes an ingredient, a product. That's very exciting
Deanna: Yeah. No, it, it sounds almost like a, a magical feeling. I can imagine. That's wonderful . Well, thank you for, for saying that and, and for being my guest today here on CosmoFactory, Begonia. It's been a pleasure
Begoña: Oh, thank you. Thank you for having me here. It's always a pleasure talking to you
Begoña, welcome to CosmoFactory.
Begoña: Oh, uh, thank you, [00:01:00] Deanna, for having me here
Deanna: Yes, no, I'm super glad for this conversation. I think we should begin, uh, by talking about the idea of breakthrough innovation. I think everything new starts somewhere, right? This is true even for the most significant and valuable innovations in beauty. And breakthrough innovation often moves several steps forward all at once, right?
Rather than making one small incremental change at a time. I wanna just start, though, by asking where do you believe new ideas come from?
Begoña: Good question, Deanna. Mm, for me, new ideas often start by questioning. Questioning, questioning, questioning. What everybody else accepts as normal, uh, uh, to me is, is just questioning why. I've been in the beauty industry for more than 30 years, and for a long time I saw an [00:02:00] industry focused on perfection, constantly telling people, especially women, um, what need to be corrected.
And, and to me, mm, again, I start asking myself why. Because beauty has enormous power. People wants to take care of themself, and they want to feel beautiful. So why not use the power as a source of wellbeing, as a source of longevity? It's, it's, it's that. Um, it's questioning
Deanna: Yeah. Yeah, no, that's fantastic because it, you know, I think sometimes when we try to come up with new ideas, we're looking for a formula or a process, but this is almost a, like a habit, right? You are just going to keep asking questions a- and finding inspiration. That's so cool
Begoña: The, the questioning, it has [00:03:00] become part of my vision always. New ideas begin, um, when we dare to ask a different question
Deanna: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. No, that's, yeah, that sounds exactly right. I, I believe you when you say that. Now, um, I, I think it's commonly understood in the cosmetics industry, um, that our work is, our work, I speak for the whole industry,
Begoña: Yes, why not?
Deanna: um, uh, the work in, in the cosmetics industry is equal parts science and art. Um, so it often involves then a collaboration between science and artists.
And I, I wanna think about partnerships, um, and how necessary, right, allies and partners are when it comes to turning these new ideas into reality in the cosmetics industry. Um, I know you do creative work with, um, ingredient companies. I'm, I'm hoping you can talk about that work just sort of in general terms.
What, what does that look like?
Begoña: Especially in my case that I, I mean, when I work [00:04:00] with ingredient companies and, and in my case I work with ingredients companies that they, they do breakthrough innovation, very scientific oriented, and I'm not a scientific. Uh, but I work closely with scientific and, and I work with them as starts, um, understanding and respecting science and understanding studies, mechanisms.
And in my case, I need to understand, um, them. But, mm, the, the... As you said before, mm, we usually think that innovation comes with, uh, science, no? And, and sometimes, and what I bring to the conversation is the human behavior. Um, a- after understanding them, after understanding science through the journey, I bring that into the conversation.
I bring, [00:05:00] um, what this innovation, what this science is going to help, um, to people's life, no? What kind of value it's adding. And I always put in, in the conversation a consumer, an aesthetician, a dermatologist. Um, it's not only, um, mm, the science by itself, it's how this consumer is going to understand the value of the science, and that's what I bring to the, to the conversation.
Deanna: Yeah, no, that makes very good sense. There's certainly the lab and the technology piece of it, but the, the creative adaption to real lives, right? Sort of the lived experience, like you're saying, of, of professionals, but of course the consumer as well. I would love it if you could give us an example if there's a particular creative role you play in developing concepts and products that we've actually seen in the ingredient [00:06:00] marketplace
Begoña: connecting with the previous question, no? It's, it's my role is to make science Simple, but without make it s- simplistic, no? It's like, um, it's, it's, mm, it's giving the understanding, no? And I can give you an example, a recent example. I'm not going to give you much details because, because this example is not been launched yet.
But I was introduced into a beautiful science around hydration inspired by how nature maintains balance in hydration. And, and hydration is a category that has been in the beauty industry forever.
Deanna: Yes
Begoña: I, I start questioning the category itself, you know? So because, uh, it's like we are used to see hydration as water or adding [00:07:00] humectants or ingredients that helps to retain moisture, no?
So what I was introduced, mm, like I was introduced to this new kind of balance in nature. I was, um, think- yeah, I was, mm, mm, thinking is why if hydration is not only about adding water or adding humectants? This is how we see hydration, no? It's like we see hydration like the skin is a container of water, no?
And in reality it's not that, no? And what if we see hydration as the result of interconnections, uh, between a biological conversation in the skin and the microbiota and the environment, no? So, so here is, is an example of, um, how creativity comes with innovation and also innovation in the way that we understand a category that is, is a, a, a [00:08:00] category by itself very well known, no?
S- I don't know if, if this is something that can, um, help to understand the kind of work that we do from, from our side or from my side sometimes. Um, science doesn't simply give us another ingredient. It gives us, thanks to this new science, no, the permission to rethink something that we, we thought that we already know, no?
So, so this can be an example.
Deanna: Yeah
Begoña: uh, and I, if, if you allow me, this is not related to a, a, a lab. This is related to my grandmother, no? My grandmother is,
Deanna: please
Begoña: i- is, was this kind of woman that she gather... I'm from a very little town from Spain, and my grandmother was this kind of woman that ga- she gather [00:09:00] plants and, and she always dry the plants.
I remember her kitchen with, mm- typical, uh, medicinal plants, no? And she always used to say, "This is anti-inflammatory," or, "This is..." Or, or even she didn't use the word anti-inflammatory. She used like, "When you have this kind of problem, you can use this," no? And I remember that rosemary as a plant that is very common in Mediterranean environment, no?
I remember the, the moment that I understood that ros- rosemary contains a molecule that's called ursolic acid that is anti-inflammatory. And that's science giving us the information, um, that allows us to think different, no? So I don't know if that is, is enough to give you how can, can as an example, no, of how can I help to, to, uh, an active [00:10:00] ingredient lab.
Deanna: Yeah. No, that's, it's really interesting to think about both of those examples because it, it helps, it does help unders- help, help me understand at least that, that translation piece of it, but also, yeah, the new vision, the new possibility, the, the rethinking of, as you suggested, the hydration category, something we think we're so familiar with, um, but we can definitely look at it from, from many new angles.
Um, yeah, both through the creativity lens, but also through, um, new science innovation. That's so cool. Um, I know you also work on the brand side. I'm, I'm wondering when you partner with a brand or do brand work, if there's any sort of difference between creative innovation for the ingredient marketplace, and then for the, for a consumer brand or even a s- a spa brand.
Is there, is there a difference there ,
Begoña: the foundation is the same, but the scale of the experience is different. When I work with an ingredient, [00:11:00] I'm looking at the science and especially what the scien- this science can bring to the skin, the hair, the nail. You know, it's like, uh, looking at the, um, at the molecule and something that, uh, works on the skin.
When I create for a brand, I can design the whole experience. A cosmetic, a cosmetic product is much more than what it does for the skin or for the hair. It's also what it does for the person. Um, h- how can I tell you? I mean, of course, the formula matters. The formula is a given. I mean, the formula must work, you know?
And, and the formula means, um, carefully selecting ingredients or avoiding ingredients of concern. You know, You need to look at the formula definitely if we are talking about the skincare. But the product is also texture, it's [00:12:00] aroma, it's gesture, it's packaging, it's the words that you are using, um, and much more.
Because to me, when, when we design a product, we design this product also in people's life, in their bathroom, in their bedside table, in your handbag, in your luggage. So a product is everything and becomes part of the experience. And, and for example, for Ayuna, uh, my brand, um, I have an example which is mental beauty and, and, and that can bring some, some idea of I'm, what I'm trying to, to explain about bringing the experience,
Deanna: Can you say more about that?
Begoña: uh, o- of course, definitely. Definitely. Mental beauty is, is a good example. I like to say that we have two skin cares. One is a skin care that we apply, [00:13:00] uh, from outside, the formula, the ingredients, everything that you put on your skin. And, and this is how we understand the skin care.
But in my mind, uh, and that's, that's what I'm trying and I'm envisioning to everybody understand, no? It's like another skin care. There is another skin care and, and it's the, the one that comes from inside, and, and this is our thoughts. The skin and the brain are constantly communicating, and we know that.
Um, what happens on the skin sends information to the brain. You know, what that is, you know, the touch, all this is information, even aromas. All this is information the s- the brain is digesting somehow. But, and, but what makes me think i- in this innovation and creative- creativity way is, [00:14:00] mm, for decades we create, um, the moment of people being in front of the mirror, uh, looking at wrinkles, at spots, imperfections.
And in my, in my understanding is, okay, what if we transform the same moment into a moment of wellbeing? And instead of, um, looking to imperfections, like people is in front of the mirror and they are already there, and, and they are touching the skin, and they are looking at their self, what if we enjoy the texture, the aroma?
What if the message that we send to the person who is in the mirror, who is yourself, is a message, a positive message? For example, I develop, um, uh, massage techniques that draws hearts in the face that I call I [00:15:00] Love You massage. And, and instead of looking into the mirror finding what's wrong, we can use this moment to change the conversation and more positive, um, enjoying applying the product, enjoying doing those hearts, enjoying the message.
So you bring this other skin care because what you are thinking also reflects in the skin. So this is part of creating a product and elevating with You know, the product and the ingredient take care of, let's say, the cuticle of the hair or the barrier of the skin or the elasticity of the skin, you know? But the experience takes care of the person. And using an skincare product and, and transforming the experience of using the skincare product into a positive, [00:16:00] a positive application, a self-acceptance application, that's what makes Atalie creation different
Deanna: Yeah. Yeah. No, definitely. So this makes me want to know, though, based on your last couple of answers, how then are partnerships built?
Begoña: Uh, and that I need people who are open to think differently with me. I don't need people who thinks the same than me. It's like, for me, the foundation of, of this kind of relationship is, is communication, constant communication, and but the most important is being open, open to do something different, open to, um, you know, to look outside of our own industry.
Because I have seen also, and I don't feel comfortable with that, and because I have been working also with [00:17:00] these kind of companies that they are looking at the market data and the competitors and what is already successful, which is fine. I always look. Mm, I always benchmark. That's, that's part of the creativity process.
But, mm, if you stay only understanding the market, that, mm, doesn't feed the imagination. So to me, it's important, uh, to work with people who is open to think different with me
Deanna: Yeah. No, that's beautiful. And, you know, I- we talked about the idea earlier in our conversation about beauty really being a collaboration between art and science, and, and clearly what you're contributing is, is much more art than science. every artist, whatever their format, certainly has a process, right?
Creative professionals have some sort of process. Do you have a particular creative process? Or you even mentioned there looking outside the industry to sort of feed your creativity. What can you say about that?
Begoña: It, [00:18:00] mmm, yes, definitely I have a process. Um, and my process is not linear. My process is circular. Uh, I have a concept in the middle, mm, and, and a- around this concept, and the concept can be just an idea, a name. Um, mmm, I don't know. It's, it's, for example, for, for Ayuna, the concept was fasting, no? So, mm, it's in the middle.
And, and around this concept, I need to understand the science behind, and I need to think how to apply this concept, and I need to think how to bring the concept to the market, how to make business with the concept, and how this concept should be communicated in words, in visuals. So everything is around this concept, and the concept is a central idea.
That's it. And, and I always, mm, I, [00:19:00] I, I always work in this way. Um, f- for me, the concept has to be true everywhere. If not, it's just an, a story
and as you said before, mm, my creativity, uh, it, it comes from different places. And art for sure, but, but nature is, is a place that I feel, um, I get information, conversations, books, travel. Different cultures is very important. Understanding how, mm, different cultures, and especially in the beauty and the wellness industry, how different cultures take, take care of themselves.
Art, I don't look at art only as aesthetics. I look at art to a place where, uh, to answer questions. So, so this process, which is circular, has to be fit also for information [00:20:00] that came, comes from outside. But also in my case, solitude also helps me. Walking around, uh, I don't know, um, walking alone, um, in the forest is also part of this process of creativity.
As well as a scientific paper
Deanna: Right, right.
Begoña: So I, I think creativity happens when, when things that are unrelated, um, it ca- it becomes suddenly connected
Deanna: Yes. No, 100%. And I, I wanna move a little deeper into the personality piece of it. Uh, for myself, um, I'm someone who's very inclined to help people share meaning or information. This is true if I'm, you know, having a meal with my family, um, if I'm spending time with friends. It doesn't matter the setting, right?
I like to help facilitate conversation and communication. I'm wondering, are there parts of your own personality that, that [00:21:00] show up in your work in that way as well?
Begoña: You know what? it's like, um, help to, to create a better work and working daily and, and studying. But I will say that yes, my personality is part of my work. Um, I don't know.
I mean, curiosity is been, I, I'm, I've been even as a child, the why question, um, it's been, mm, for me, uh, forever. I mean, it's like I always been asking. But curiosity is part of my personality always. But sensitivity, um, I'm emotionally sensitive, but I've been, as I said, for more than 30 years touching skin texture products and, and this sensitivity, uh, [00:22:00] it's part, part is being developed, as I said, but some of this sensitivity is intuitive and, and, and that's part of my work, no?
What my intuition is say- is giving. And definitely, and this is me, um, I'm a very persistent person, and for me, a no today doesn't necessarily means a no tomorrow. So if I can, if, if I came with an idea and I find a no from my partner or from my client or from a consumer, uh, that doesn't, doesn't means failing for me.
I will come back maybe with n- not the same, for sure, it's not going to be with the same argument. I will learn, and I will find another, uh, perspective, and I [00:23:00] bring maybe more evidence, and I will try again. So questioning is part of me always.
Feeling, al- definitely it's part of my personality, and persistence are, um, part of the way that I create.
Deanna: Yeah. Yeah. And you know, and with that persistence and it makes me wonder too, because at, at some point in your creative process early on, in fact, it sounds like you put the concept in the center, right? And you build, you build around it. It seems like to make a, a breakthrough innovation around a, a single concept, there's an element of, of risk, right?
And, and you probably, you know, s- you have to have some sort of confidence in your vision. I'm wondering if that's part of your character
Begoña: I, I, as I said, Deanna, I'm very intuitive, and I, I will say that's part of my, um, [00:24:00] foundation and character.
Deanna: that's fabulous . Um, now before we finish our conversation, I do have at least one more good question for you. I'll take a moment though to say a quick thank you to our listeners. We are so thankful that you're here with us. The global community that is CosmoFactory would not exist without you.
If you're listening now, I trust that you believe this and other interviews you hear on CosmoFactory are interesting and informative, so I encourage you to leave a positive review on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you are listening. Uh, and one more thing, uh, there will be a next CosmoFactory episode available on the first Tuesday of next month.
Be sure to tap follow on your podcast app, and that episode will automatically show up in your feed. Begonia, uh, to finish our conversation, my final question for you today is why do you do this work? Is there maybe a moment in every project where [00:25:00] you're like, " This is the reason I love my job," or why are you doing this?
Begoña: Wow . Um, mm, Deanna, seeing something that once only exist in my mind become real, it's like I can never get tired of that. 'Cause like, it's like, okay, I have an idea, and then it becomes an ingredient, a product. That's very exciting
Deanna: Yeah. No, it, it sounds almost like a, a magical feeling. I can imagine. That's wonderful . Well, thank you for, for saying that and, and for being my guest today here on CosmoFactory, Begonia. It's been a pleasure
Begoña: Oh, thank you. Thank you for having me here. It's always a pleasure talking to you
