Welcome to the very first #beautyinsider Q&A, where you can find out who is behind some of your favourite beauty brands, what they are working on and how they got there. My first guest is Claire Chanudet, Global Assistant Brand Manager at Dove. Claire and I met through a mutual friend who was trying to professionally match-make us: I was recruiting, Claire was job hunting. And whilst that part was not meant to be, Claire did move from Paris to London for a job at Dove. Since then we’ve been regularly meeting up for a catch up on travels, family and of course beauty, all the while tirelessly working our way through the best brunches in town.

1. Hi Claire, thank you for being my very first Q&A guest! Tell me how did you land your 1st job at Dove? 

After graduating from a business school in Paris with a masters in international luxury marketing, I landed a job at IOMA Paris, part of the Unilever Prestige division. IOMA is the only brand in the world that offers a personalised skincare recommendation based on a diagnostic of your skin’s characteristics. I joined the team at a crucial time as they were completely redefining the brand’s identity and my mission was to re-design the entire range’s packaging. It was a lot to take on for a first job but I thrived and developed an entrepreneurial mindset. I was looking for opportunities outside of France and applied for a position with Dove in the UK, developing their gifts for markets worldwide. My sense of aesthetics and experience in premium beauty got me the job which I have now been doing for the past two years.

2. So what are the 2 best things about your job? 

I love the creativity and international aspect of it. I’ve always been passionate about visual and creative work, it’s so rewarding. Every year we generate new gift set ideas for Dove, my job is to deliver the product, from concept to launch. I work in a global team which means I interact with our markets across the world on a daily basis: Asian markets in the morning, American markets in the evening… I have learned so much about the different cultures, it gives me a lot of perspective.

Image courtesy of Dove Global Instagram Channel (all rights reserved) 

3. Insider tips please! What would you say are 3 beauty trends set to be big in 2018?  

Makeup overload?! I have to admit I’m horrified by the influence of the Kardashians on teenage girls’ beauty routine, but let’s focus on positive trends!

• Clean beauty – Consumers are increasingly careful about what they put on their skin. They are seeking information and are aware that certain ingredients have negative health implications. This is driving a big change in the beauty industry, where local natural brands are booming and challenging big players to review their product formulations.
• Inclusivity – I am proud to say that Dove is a pioneer in this area with its ‘real beauty’ campaigns. There is still a lot to be done before we see a truly diverse representation of beauty in the industry, but I am delighted to see more and more brands embracing this trend.
• Asian beauty – The last few years have clearly been influenced by Asian beauty trends. In 2018, I would say that the biggest one is probably the “glass skin”. Largely fuelled by Social Media and influencers from South Korea, it involves a lengthy skin care routine combined with a healthy diet to achieve a clear, radiant and impressively translucent skin.

Image courtesy of Dove Global Instagram Channel (all rights reserved) 

4. Let’s get personal: what are your 4 must-have beauty products?

• Moisturizing is key, I can’t skip it otherwise my skin feels like a dried up raisin! I’ve been using REN for a long time: Evercalm Global Protection for daytime and V-Cense Revitalising Night Cream in the evening. The formulations are clean yet effective
• The weather here doesn’t allow for much of a natural tan so I tend to cheat by mixing Clarins Radiance Glow Booster to my day cream 
• Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse, a classic. I also mix this to my day cream to make it more nurturing. You can also use it for body and hair and it’s full of botanical oils, making it close to 100% natural
• Dove has recently launched Dermaseries, a range specially developed for extremely dry skin where all products are hypoallergenic, dermatologically-tested and fragrance-free. I’m a fan of the Replenishing Body Lotion which really helps to soothe dry skin in the winter. For now the collection is only available in the US but watch this space…

Image courtesy of Dove Global Instagram Channel (all rights reserved) 

5. I love London, how about you? What are the 5 things you enjoy the most about this city? 

For me the best thing about London is its diversity. People in this city are from all around the world and embrace their differences, it’s just incredible. I also appreciate the Londoners’ open mindedness, I have met so many people with amazing stories to share. I can tell you I’ve never seen such a thing in Paris! I love the cultural life here, there is so much to do. Whatever your interests are you will always find something to do or see. You can’t get bored in London – you can eat, shop, explore, do anything you want but you can’t get bored. And I guess the last thing is the English accent, it sounds so good I could listen to it endlessly.

6. And finally, looking into the future: where do you see yourself in 6 years’ time? 

I like to push myself outside of my comfort zone, and take opportunities to learn new skills. It will definitely be in a marketing management position for a creative industry. I guess the beauty of it is that I can’t predict exactly where it will lead me. What I can tell you is that it’s likely to be in a place where I have never been before!

If you have any burning questions you’d like to ask Claire why not leave a comment below? Or you can get in touch with her directly on LinkedIn.