Scottish Skin-tech company Cutitronics has secured a foothold in Europe with the appointment of Virginie Darteyre to reach beauty counters, spas and salons across the continent.
She brings more than 15 years’ experience in international sales, previously working in the fashion and retail industry with household names including Fruit of the Loom and Firetrap.
Now she says the firm’s suite of skin analysis tools – which blend medical technology know how with skincare industry insights – can help beauty brands to overcome the challenges posed by the global Coronavirus crisis.
Ms Darteyre, who has been appointed as Country Sales Manager in France, said: “It has never been more important for beauty brands to incorporate new technological solutions into their strategies to meet the challenges presented by the pandemic.
“Beauty counters will be unable to operate as before, and spas and salons must overhaul their processes and systems to survive.
“The potential of these technologies to support independent and corporate brands is unprecedented. Demand for this is only going to increase as consumers change the way they interact with skincare, and brands look to find new ways to engage with consumers.
“I’m looking forward to taking this innovative technology into my home market of France. I want to identify new opportunities for this one-of-a-kind product where technology and wellbeing collide.”
Cutitronics has developed a patented suite of technologies that analyses skin condition in real time, enabling personalised advice based on specific requirements of the individual and environment.
Its latest prototypes feature a hand held sensor which scans the skin while the accompanying mobile app examines factors such as weather and age, to determine how best to use skincare products for best results.
This allows skincare brands to engage with the consumer at home, a challenge highlighted by the current global pandemic which has left many people without access to beauty counter experts.
As the birthplace of many leading global beauty brands such as Chanel and L’Oreal, Paris was the obvious choice for Cutitronics’ first international base to meet growing industry interest from Europe.
Dr David Heath, founder and CEO of Cutitronics said: “It feels fitting that this is our first international presence as we unveiled one of our first Cutitron technology prototypes and accompanying software in 2019 at In-Cosmetics Global in Paris.
“We look forward to being able to support brands with a permanent team member based in Paris who will be able to spearhead enquiries and business opportunities, who understands the market and has a proven track record in driving international sales.
“We pride ourselves on having built a strong team from a diverse range of backgrounds and Virginie complements this with her proven track record and strong skillset. We will continue to build our team throughout 2020.”
As well as expanding international operations, Cutitronics has made several senior appointments within the UK, including Chris Freel, who brings experience from his time at Dyson to his role as Senior Mechanical Project Engineer, Louise Macpherson as Client Relationship Manager and Mandy Smith-Barr as Senior Project Manager.
