5 days ago
L'Oreal's Guive Balooch on future-proofing beauty
While the four Ps of marketing have evolved over time, product remains at the top of the funnel, even for legacy brands.
L'Oréal Groupe
's investments in its innovation hub and the products born from it reflect the company's commitment to future-proofing.
Leading this journey is
Guive Balooch
, the global managing director of
Augmented Beauty
and Open Innovation at L'Oréal Groupe. With nearly two decades at the company, Balooch has spent 13 years building its technology incubator, now known as Augmented Beauty, working at the intersection of science, design and brand. This is where engineers and scientists collaborate closely with marketers and creative heads to push the boundaries of what beauty can be.
'We don't want to just make great tech. We want great beauty products powered by tech,' Balooch tells Brand Equity.
Startups, science and scaling ideas
Startup partnerships form a vital part of L'Oréal's innovation pipeline. These collaborators bring expertise from fields such as agriculture, wellness, health and robotics. In return, the beauty giant offers formulation knowledge, product development capabilities and access to its powerful brand ecosystem.
Whether it is leveraging biotechnology, creating inclusive beauty-tech solutions or forging new external partnerships, Balooch's role is to explore what's next. But unlike the modern marketer who lives by the rhythm of memes and moment marketing, Balooch works on timelines that span months or even years. 'I wake up with 50% optimism, 50% anxiety,' he shares.
That emotional balancing act is the reality of innovation at scale, especially when developing products and services is an important mix in the company's portfolio. Whether it is inventing the AirLight Pro, an infrared hairdryer that saves energy, or formulating biotech-driven ingredients through collaborations with startups like Debut Bio, the work involves navigating unknown territory.
Timing is everything
According to Balooch, it is critical to include marketing teams in the product development journey. However, timing it right is an art. 'Bring them in too early and we might be working with an unproven skeleton. Too late, and we lose time aligning with brand vision,' he says.
The sweet spot, he explains, is when the technology is tested enough to solve a real problem, but is still flexible enough to adapt with brand input.
A perfect example is Cell BioPrint, L'Oréal's biological diagnostic tool that measures skin biomarkers in minutes. 'It took years to get the science and hardware right before we even spoke to a brand,' he recalls.
Not just another shiny toy
Balooch believes beauty tech is quickly becoming mainstream, especially when it delivers clear, tangible value. 'Our shade finder tools and biological diagnostics are no longer gimmicks. They're converting to business because they solve real confusion for consumers.'
In a category where inclusivity has long been a cornerstone, the rise of beauty-tech brings accessibility into sharper focus. For L'Oréal, that means ensuring its AI tools work seamlessly across all skin tones by building diverse datasets. 'It sounds simple, but it's hard. Yet crucial,' Balooch emphasises.
Beauty tech also enables hyper-personalisation, tailoring products to individual biology. 'Biology is not biased. By focusing on your skin's actual needs, we can be truly inclusive.'
Services like Beauty Genius and virtual try-ons allow consumers in remote areas, or with limited access to physical retail, to engage with its brands.
Purposeful innovation
When asked what the most challenging part of his job is, Balooch replies: 'Choosing the right problems to solve and transforming innovation into scale.'
It takes patience, resilience and the ability to work across multiple departments, from legal and marketing to R&D. 'It takes a village,' he says. 'And a team that truly believes.'
The innovation closest to his heart is Hapta, a
smart makeup applicator
designed for people with hand and arm mobility challenges. The device was launched with Lancôme during the 2024 Olympics and will roll out globally soon.
Balooch sums up his mission simply: 'Our goal isn't to make cool products. It's to make beauty more precise, more inclusive and more personal. That's the future we're building.'
