NEWS

Alpago Üresin - The Mission is Innovation

Following world cosmetics trends closely and putting them into practice Before anyone does flormar deems innovation as an important company Mission. Flormar’s r&d director alpago üresin tells all about it.

Once known with only nail polishes Flormar has become one of the leaders of Turkish cosmetics sector. What is the story behind this success in terms of product oriented thinking and product development?

What triggers our product oriented thinking and our focus on product development is our mission and vision of being 'the friendliest quality cosmetic brand to women'. We have been going through sustainable changes in a number of fields from product contents to production technologies, from primary and secondary packaging to marketing and supply chain processes, from human resources to logistics, product trainings and presentations for many years in order to be able to develop such a company culture. While improving ourselves in this fast paced process we have gained a lot of experience and we paid great attention to share our experiences with our new colleagues. We utilized all negative and positive experiences as valuable lessons and took action almost immediately. Our experiences on how to produce the right product with the best quality have been our guide in this process.

Technology and cosmetics seem like a couple who are madly in love with each other. When it comes to R&D at Flormar, what kind of a technology are we talking about?

Innovation is our most important value. It is a value Flormar R&D embraces very passionately and takes as a guide. An inseparable part of innovation, technology is constantly supported by continuous research, trade show organizations and trainings. Within this framework we encourage out-of-the-box thinking, creativity and marketable solutions. As it is the case in all industries, cosmetics sector also develops, changes and improves through technology. We don’t think of technology in terms of hi-tec equipment only. In line with raw materials technology, formulation and packaging technologies also play a vital role in our business. We follow technology trends very closely and always try to be the first to implement them.

Flormar is known to be a company that is open to new ideas rather than distancing itself from cosmetic trends abroad. When it comes to product development what is your road map?

It is impossible to distance oneself from cosmetic trends in an environment where technology and means of social communication are developing in such a fast pace. All these digital means of communication are in fact helping us in our business development processes. All these outlets have made access to innovations so easy and fast that it led us to thinking “what else can we make to differentiate us from our competitors and to outpace them”. We see this as an opportunity rather than a necessity. Our R&D team is young and inquisitive. We are open to innovations and we share new information and various technologies. Our R&D, product development and marketing teams come together on a regular basis to discuss and share experiences, information and new products. Every team member shares all kinds of information and materials that could contribute to product development processes.

How do you analyze trends?

Cosmetics is a very dynamic sector. The essential rule of becoming the leader in the sector is to closely follow global developments and swiftly adapt ourselves. We partake in various national and global trade shows, seminars and trainings to add on to the knowledge base of our innovation team. We come together with international trendsetter companies and consultants to discuss the product groups the sector is focusing on, the performance of textures, popular colors and packaging solutions and develop and implement projects based on these discussions.

Talking about trends, when you analyze the Turkish market which trends particularly come forward?

It is possible to say that Turkish market moves in line with the global trends. However it is also true that we remain loyal to a more traditional outlook. The cosmetics purchasing decisions of Turkish women are generally based on recommendations rather than their own ideas. The analysis of cosmetic trends in Turkey have shown that women pay more attention when choosing three main product groups: Foundation, mascara and lipstick. According to researchers the issue of finding the right color tone is more important than the price of the product. On the other hand, skin care is still an open field today where the number of Turkish brands are very few.

How would you comment on the beauty habits of Turkish women?

I think Turkish women are strong and willful yet at the same time they are open to innovations and learning new things. Especially the younger generations get the wind of and apply new trends and products as they happen thanks to digital platforms and technology. This is both challenging and motivating in terms of cosmetics brands.

What is your definition of beauty?

The definition of beauty is relative. It may have diverse definitions. As for my own understanding of beauty, an old Greek saying describes it very clearly: “Beauty comes from good behavior, not from a beautiful body.”

What qualities make a strong and essential product?

The most critical parameters are texture, color concentration and durability. If these three parameters are supported with a powerful brand and marketing strategy the product becomes an essential.

Life at the laboratory are among the issues many people are curious about. How is your work schedule and work pace?

It is very intense I must say... However my team is young and open to new developments and they have been a great support so far. We have a lot of fun while working and we interpret the beauty of this colorful world in our products using our know-how. The most critical and important factor among all this might be to balance our work and private lives.

Which Flormar products represent the brand the best?

I’m afraid you might not get a direct answer to this question but I believe the whole product range in itself is iconic. It is really difficult to distinguish between them. From the consumers’ point of view, Flormar’s nail polishes have been a staple in women’s makeup bags for quite a long time however in the past few seasons they began to show interest in our powders, foundations, blushes, mascaras and lipsticks. They like our products and use them faithfully.

What do you think is the most important element of success in color cosmetics?

Success builds upon a good education and an investigative spirit. Unfortunately there are very few institutions in our country that can provide some education on color cosmetics. Based on my more than 20 years of experience I can say that another important factor in exploring the world of colors and being creative is to work selflessly with the excitement of the very first day.

Do you remember your first day at Flormar?

Of course I do We were located in a four storey apartment building with a very limited technology insomuch that, most of the production and bottling had to be done manually. Today we have hi-tec premises at Gebze Organized Industrial Zone, which is the epicenter of Turkish cosmetic sector and we utilize state of the art cosmetic technologies in our production.

Can you tell us about your own beauty rituals and products you use?

A clean body is essential to me. I take a shower every morning no matter where I am. I use a revitalizing and moisturizing product after I shave. My weekly routine includes a peeling product, an anti aging mask and other skincare products developed for men. The most crucial rule is to change all products I use every three months.

You must be traveling a lot for business. What do you remember the best from your latest trip?

Yes I travel a lot to take part in trade shows and trainings within the year. Other than business trips, my family and I are also very fond of traveling abroad to experience different cultures and improve our own personal know how. I remember our latest Japan and Korea trip. Eastern cultures have a different richness to them. They have a different vision on traditions and respect. These two countries have shaped cosmetic trends in recent years and although they are very similar to one another in some ways, I realized that they are quite different too. While Japanese culture is more akin to colors that are firm, fixed and stable, Koreans underline a colorful diversity and a more modern understanding of social life. Such qualities have an impact on living spaces, lifestyles and even on the makeup habits.