Magdalena Stoytcheva (L’Oréal): The Future is in Beauty Tech

Under the leadership of Magdalena Stoytcheva, General Director of L’Oréal’s Dermocosmetics Division for the Adria-Balkan region, which includes Croatia, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and other markets in the Western Balkans, the dermocosmetics business area is experiencing strong growth.

Stoytcheva has found the right answer for business expansion by strengthening collaboration with the medical community and focusing on sustainability and social responsibility.

How do you approach the Adria-Balkan markets?

– The desire for beauty has traditionally been present in the region, but today individual skin needs are understood much deeper and approached holistically and scientifically. In our region, countries have differently developed markets and cultural and physiological specificities. For example, a certain skin condition that is more common in one country due to climate, demographics, or lifestyle may appear less frequently in another. To be locally relevant for consumers in pharmacies, which are our channel, as well as for dermocosmetics users in each country, we take all these specificities into account when shaping our business model across our nine markets.

Skin care products and those for acne and dandruff are equally important for consumers in all markets. However, in Croatia, attention is paid to the prevention and correction of skin hyperpigmentation, in Bulgaria consumers lean more towards photo protection, and in Serbia, consumers tend to seek advice on skin conditions such as atopy or eczema.

How do you adapt to them?

– What works excellently in Zagreb may not yield the same results in Sofia. Markets are at different levels of development: some are highly digital, expect and quickly adopt technological innovations, while others are more conservative and require a more traditional approach. Nevertheless, this is where the greatest opportunities lie. The wealth of different perspectives within teams is an invaluable advantage. Our strength comes from being a global company that knows how to think and act locally.

How do new technologies affect the dermocosmetic industry? Is the future in the concept of beauty tech?

– New technologies, driven by artificial intelligence and data science, are fundamentally changing the dermocosmetic industry. They emphasize holistic and long-term skin care by ensuring treatment is tailored to individual needs throughout a lifetime and highlighting longevity as a new social paradigm.

We are moving from correcting symptoms to intervening in root causes. The future is in beauty tech, which allows us to analyze complex biological data, predict skin needs, and create precisely tailored formulas.

How was the #SaveYourSkin campaign launched?

– The initiative #SaveYourSkin was created to raise awareness about the importance of skin cancer prevention through education and consultations. It started in Croatia and Slovenia and soon grew into a project that is now being implemented in five countries in the Adria-Balkan region. In 2025, 7,797 citizens underwent free dermatological examinations during which 387 suspicious moles were discovered, including 79 potential cases of melanoma.

It is particularly important that 58 percent of participants had never visited a dermatologist before, and 23 percent rarely or never use sun protection. This project demonstrates how collaboration between science, health professionals, and the beauty industry can bring real results to communities and raise awareness about the importance of regular check-ups. I would also highlight Vichy’s project ‘Menopause is Not a Pause’ which empowers women to better understand and care for their skin during menopause, as well as to better understand hormonal changes at every stage of life.

In Zagreb, for two consecutive years, together with the French Institute on October 18, World Menopause Day, we open our doors to provide women with information and advice from various health professionals.

What challenges do businesswomen face?

– Women in the business world today often face the challenges of multiple roles, professional, personal, and family, while maintaining a strong sense of purpose and authenticity. This is not a simple equation; it requires discipline, dedication, and maturity.

I believe that I manage this challenge better today than I did fifteen or twenty years ago. You cannot achieve top results, lead a business, and inspire your teams without happy, quality time for yourself and your loved ones. The most powerful changes occur when women support and inspire each other, creating an environment where every talent can flourish.

Content created in collaboration with L’Oréal.