loreal-interns

[loreal-interns]

LUXE Town Hall!

Hey Everyone!

My Name is Andrew and I am a Supply Chain Retail Collaboration Intern for the Luxe Division. One of the best parts of this internship is working in the Hudson Yards location. I am absolutely falling in love with the city every day that I work here.

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to attend the LUXE Town Hall which discussed the last six month’s performance for the brands. Each brand got to showcase their most successful operation and how it sets them up to finish this year off strong! It was super neat to get a deeper look at the brands that we use every day at #lifeatloreal!

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Life Outside of L’Oreal – A Weekend Trip!

Hi everyone! My name is Sofia and I’m an undergraduate engineering intern working at the L’Oreal plant in Franklin this summer. I’m a rising senior at MIT studying materials science engineering with a focus in computer science and a minor in business management, so I’m really excited to be interning at L’Oreal this summer! Some of my favorite things include long hikes, spontaneous ice cream runs, and afternoon sunshine.

The Franklin plant manufactures for the consumer products division by processing and packaging lipstick, skincare, and liquid makeup. Some of the brands we produce include Garnier, Maybelline, L’Oreal Paris, and our newest acquisition, CeraVe! During my time here I’ve been fascinated by how the products we use on a daily basis are taken from concept to reality, and I’ve learned some pretty cool engineering knowledge along the way.

For this blog post, I want to talk about life outside of L’Oreal. On work nights, my roommates and I usually go to the gym, cook dinner, watch the Bachelorette, or hang by the pool. But on the weekends, we really get a chance to explore everything there is to do around us. So far, we have taken trips to New York (of course), Philadelphia, and many small towns in New Jersey. This past weekend, we decided to take a trip to Boston, since some of the interns have never visited.

Since I go to school in Boston, I was excited to be the personal tour guide for the group. We packed our bags, arranged our lodging (thanks MIT friends!), and off we went! The drive should have only taken five and a half hours, but thanks to rush hour traffic and a pit stop at Five Guys, we ended up being on the road for seven hours – big oof.

During our walk we kept seeing ads for L’Oreal products, such as Maybelline makeup and Garnier hair products. It was just another reminder of how broad L’Oreal’s scope is in the beauty industry and made us excited for the impact we have on the company as interns.

After going home to cool down from the heat of the day, we got dressed up and made our way to Top of the Hub, a restaurant on the 52nd floor of the Prudential Tower. This restaurant overlooks all of Boston and has a great atmosphere with live music. After a quick bite to eat, we returned to our apartment and got ready for the next day. We planned on going to brunch on Newbury Street, but we were pleasantly surprised by something else!

It turned out that the Sunday we were there it was Open Newbury Street, which meant that the road was blocked off for pedestrians and all the stores had tents and activities out for the public. It was such a beautiful day and we were happy to stroll the street looking at everything that was being offered.

After some free coffee, ice cream, and bubble tea, we stumbled across the best part – a Kiehl’s store! Not only was it as beautiful as they always are, but they had a sidewalk booth as well. We walked up to the representatives and explained how we were summer interns. They were very excited and let us try some Kiehl’s Blue Herbal Moisturizer while giving us advice on how to amp up our skincare routines for the summer. The interns that work at Piscataway were the most excited – the Piscataway plant is the one that manufactures almost all of the Kiehl’s that is distributed in America. Talk about #InternInsider! They loved seeing the products that they help manufacture on a day to day basis.

Overall, I’m very glad that our group of interns took a longer weekend trip to Boston. It was a great time to bond with my intern coworkers and get to know everyone a little better. #LifeAtLoreal is pretty sweet, and my new friends are just another example of that!

[loreal-interns]

Let’s get real @ L’Oréal

AHHHH- I can’t believe I’m already halfway through the internship! Let me tell you, it’s real when people tell you time flies when you’re at #lorealusa.

Hey everyone! My name is Moeka Yamamoto and I am an Operations intern working on the Corporate Supply Chain Physical Distributions team.

A little about myself- I’m from Orange County, California and a rising senior at Michigan State University (Go GREEN!) majoring in Supply Chain Management and minoring in Graphic Design. From California -> Michigan -> New Jersey, I can now say I’ve lived from the West to East Coast!

IT’s REAL

It blows my mind how I was reading through these intern blog posts when I was dreaming about working at L’Oréal, and here I am today writing a post. If L’Oréal is also your dream company, you are definitely ahead of the game by reading through the intern blog posts!

Don’t Judge a Book by its Cover

Depending on your placement, you could be working anywhere! I was placed in the HUB which is the Headquarters of Operations. I remember googling the location on Google Maps and judging the inside of the building by what it looks from the outside - an outdated building. Trust me, inside the “outdated building”, is the most beautiful, creative work space I have ever been in! There are four districts in the HUB, and because it is open seating you can sit wherever you want. The cool part about having no assigned seats is that you get to meet new people every day. You could be sitting with other interns one day, and be sitting with the Vice President on another day! My favorite is working in the cafeteria because they have amazing smoothies and a wide variety of snacks I can munch on occasionally.

FUN in Operations

There will never be a dull moment during the internship. There have been many Operations intern events such as Lunch and Learns, Round Table Events, Manufacturing Tours, and visiting the Hudson Yards Office! My biggest recommendation is to network during these events. In my role, I work with all four divisions in L’Oréal and have had opportunities to tour Distributions Centers to understand and deep dive the back-end processes in Operations. The best part about L’Oréal is that Full-time employees make time to Coffee Chat with you and wants you to succeed!

Overall

There are so many driven, intelligent interns and employees at this company who are all willing to help you out. I’ve learned so much about Supply Chain in this past month and couldn’t be happier to work in the Corporate Supply Chain team with my amazing mentors. I can proudly say that working in the HUB of Operations is the most humbling experience I have had. I’m excited to continue my internship and embrace my #lifeatloreal!

[loreal-interns]

Hello…and Goodbye?

The debate over how to make the most meaningful impact during an internship is often accompanied by a great deal of opinions and recounts of previous intern’s mistakes. Expectations and pressures are raised for the incoming intern classes every summer as success stories of those moving on to high level positions leave the newbies wondering how they can create a legacy at their new company.

These were some of my biggest fears as I walked into the office on the first day of my internship on the e-commerce team of the LUXE division at L’Oreal. The e-commerce division is one of the newest and fastest growing sectors in the company. The only thing that was calming my nerves was knowing, or hoping, I would soon be sitting down with my manager and fellow intern teammates and getting settled into my own intimate little network within the office. Instead, I was greeted by my manager who informed me that it was just going to be the two of us in it for the long haul together for the summer. I also learned that for three out of the next ten weeks I would be on my own acting as the stand-in director of inventory replenishment and wishing my manager, and first friend at L’Oreal, a happy honeymoon.  

Instead of a relaxed transition period, we started running through my future responsibilities within the first hour. I was told my primary project would consist of gathering data from the previous year, tracking excess and obsolete inventory, and determining solutions on how to save money, time, and space in the warehouse. My new role as director of inventory replenishment, however, would require back and forth conversations with all of the brand representatives in the luxury division. In addition, I would be bouncing between resource planning software and forecast spreadsheets to process orders and measure their accuracy according to previous consumer demands and upcoming online promotions. My small bubble, with a previous occupancy of two, now included nine brands and many new high level directors within the supply chain operations and inventory management departments. In the weeks leading up to my farewell as an intern and induction to director, it was up to me to develop countless new relationships with people I had yet to meet, but would soon be relying on to seamlessly carry out the new position.  

Although my new focus leaned away from examining excess and obsolete inventory and toward weekly inventory replenishment, I realized my adjustment into the unfamiliar role was very similar to L’Oreal’s entrance into the world of e-commerce and capturing the growing power of the online consumer. As the online shopping landscape contains vast and largely untapped power to grow a company, so too does the action of expanding your network of people. As L’Oreal expands into an omni-channel company and diminishes the role of the middleman for its consumers, I saw the value in transforming myself into an omni-channel employee as well. As my manager, or middleman, was leaving and would soon no longer be able to introduce me to co-workers around the office, I needed to learn to not only expand my network but work cross functionally as well. As my time as director comes to an end this week, I am so thankful for the inside look I received at how e-commerce comes to life. I can now take this omni- channel perspective back to my primary project with countless new tools in my arsenal; the demand planners in marketing, the purchasing team in finance, and the brand representatives in inventory management, to name a few. I am so excited to continue my project using information I learned from the different divisions of the company, knowledge I never would have gained had I neglected the power of becoming a human omni-channel.  

While I was initially intimidated by how I needed to find a way to connect and network with so many new and influential people at L’Oreal, all it took was a new perspective to get me started.

One of L’Oreal’s special events to learn about all of the success each of the brands achieved throughout the year! So inspiring! #LifeatLOreal

[loreal-interns]

Cosmetics in Cranbury, NJ!

When you think about L'Oreal, you might think about the colorful lipsticks or sparkly eyeshadow that you see in stores. During my internship at the Cranbury Distribution Center, I've been able to see that there's so much more behind this process than just what's on the surface! As an industrial engineering student, one of my favorite things about working here is that the warehouse is kind of like a microcosm of a small city, with separate units all working together to push boxes of products out the doors to our customers. It's even complete with sidewalks, traffic lights, and skyscrapers of pallets.  

My projects for this summer involve improving certain processes within the DC, as well as directing my own training video that will be given to Cranbury DC workers when they're first starting! It has been so exciting to have such huge ownership of these projects, and to feel like I really have the opportunity to make an impact with the work I do this summer. While things get challenging at times, it helps that I am surrounded with people who are so kind, supportive, and excited about what they do.

On Tuesdays I come in early at 6:30am (it's not as bad as it sounds!) to join in the pre-shift meetings with the workers. During this meeting, everyone stands around in a circle, a few people give updates regarding safety and action items to improve performance for the coming week, and then we all start stretching. After this, I'll usually stick around to ask some of the workers questions, or to hear their perspective of a new idea for my projects. Then I usually come back to my desk upstairs and write down some notes and create some documents or plans. The rest of the day is a mix of going to the floor to do time studies, ask questions, and working on my laptop. This variable activity day to day keeps things exciting and I love being able to constantly be on the move all day!

In addition to the amazing working experience I've gotten, all of the events have made #lifeatloreal so fun! From making pillowcases for Volunteer Day to climbing up the Vessel at Hudson Yards to hearing inspiring stories from leaders at L'Oreal, it's hard to choose a favorite moment. I can say for sure though, that I couldn't have hoped for a better experience as a #lorealintern!

[loreal-interns]

Work Hard, Play Hard - Wilson

If you’re reading this, you’re most likely interested in interning at L’Oréal and are doing your due diligence to research. To help with your decision, I’m currently writing this only halfway through the internship, and I can already say that this comes close to being the best summer of my life so far.

A Lil About Me

The title of this blog is probably a saying you’ve heard people use to describe the ideal job or school environment. For me, “work hard, play hard” is my perception of the ideal environment. My name is Wilson and I come from a school that is known for their “work hard, play hard” culture – Georgia Tech. The “work hard” side of Tech is known to have incredible workloads coupled with a competitive atmosphere that stresses students to always do better. The “play hard” comes from being surrounded by the right people to effectively spend every bit of free time that’s available. My major in Industrial Engineering, minor in Computer Science, and different organization involvements keep me busy with work while my fraternity, friends, and love for food allow me to balance work with things I enjoy. Through long nights of studying to make the grades I want to long nights of dancing to 2000 throwbacks, I’ve learned to love the strenuous work coupled with stress relievers and strived to find a work place where I can learn lots while having time for fun. To my surprise, my experience as a Supply Chain intern for L’Oréal’s luxury brand Kiehl’s in Manhattan has been that way.

Work Shtuff

My role at Kiehl’s has me learning current processes with the ability to disrupt and challenge those processes in hopes of improving them. It also gives me an opportunity to provide direct impact to the business. For instance, my weekly task is to submit orders to replenish inventory in our Luxury Beauty Stores which are our outlet stores. I’m trusted as an intern to make decisions on how much product to ship based on sales data and inventory levels. I also have the opportunity to redesign how we handle our returns data giving us the ability to create pricing strategies to liquidate inventory. The ways the business and people work weren’t easy to learn and required a lot of studying business lingo, reading performance analyses, learning software, and shadowing my manager Pete to get to the level I am at now. However, the fact that it wasn’t easy makes the work that much more attractive. I think it’s important to leave work feeling like you accomplished something or learned something new, and that’s how I feel at the end of every day walking out of the office. To give some advice from what I learned over the years of interning and studying, if your work doesn’t make you feel uncomfortable then you’re doing it wrong. There’s no growth if you don’t have to worry about a deadline, last minute prep for a meeting with the supply chain VP, or present an idea to a room of upper management. Learn to love the hard work and you’ll feel much more accomplished.

Aside from the actual work, the people on my team and in the office have been extremely welcoming giving me exposure to other areas like demand planning, finance, and marketing. Being in a role that allows you to temporarily step away from your function to explore other ones is very freeing. On top of learning about different functions, other social and first-time opportunities have popped up as well. I’ve had the chance to model for the first time for a Kiehl’s advertisement with make-up artists, clothing specialists, and professional photographers and will be featured on Kiehl’s social media sometime later this year! I also walked in my first ever #PRIDE parade, recorded my first podcast with Talent Acquisition to speak about my experiences, and got selected to be featured on L’Oréal’s Instagram as a summer intern spotlight. The things you can do here are endless especially if you put in the effort to find them. Everyone here is willing to help if you are willing to ask for help and I love that about the culture.

Play Shtuff

L’Oréal was kind enough to put a large group of interns in company provided housing encouraging us to become friends with each other. The apartments and the entire complex is incredible. Groups of 4 interns share a 2 bed, 2 bath, and furnished apartment with walk-in closets, a balcony, and a full kitchen. The complex also hosts barbecues, pool parties, and workout classes that we can participate in for free! I love this because I now have a community much like my freshman year of college where like-minded people can live, cook, eat, swim, commute, and hang out together. We are also a short train ride away from NYC, so on weekends we typically find unique restaurants, rooftop bars, clubs, or concerts to go to. During my 5 weeks we’ve seen concerts on top of a Pier 17 overlooking the Brooklyn Bridge, on a Yacht making its way around the Hudson, and at a club called the Marquee. It’s been so much fun so far and we still have so much more planned for the rest of the summer.

On top of loving night life, I also love eating. I was raised eating all kinds of ethnic foods. To name a few favorites I love Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, Thai, Chinese, Indian, Mediterranean, Peruvian and so many other cuisines. And as many know, New York City is a hub of all kinds of food. My love for grub along with videos on social media highlighting unique foods such as the famous ramen burger, personal rotating shawarma machine, or 2” high fluffy Japanese pancakes caused me to make a personal effort to eat at as many restaurants as I can while in the city. Luckily, I’m working near West Village and have the opportunity to go out every day for lunch to places like Mamoun’s Falafel, Xi’an Famous Foods, Fiacco’s Italian, and other renowned restaurants. The location, and the opportunity for delicious eateries makes internship have the best lunch break out of any other internship I’ve had.

End Blog Scene

To wrap it all up, I wanted to show that interning here is one of the best things that I have decided to do during my college years. Hard work is important as I’ve noticed real happiness comes with feeling accomplished by overcoming challenges and feeling accomplished. It’s important though to not overwork and burn yourself out. So, be sure to put time away to let off any steam by doing the things you enjoy most. For me it’s food, music, and friends, but for you it may be going on a jog, baking, or reading. Whatever it is, be sure to pair it with your hard work. This internship has been more than incredible so far and I couldn’t ask for a better experience.

If you’re interested in following my food adventures, check out my highlight on my Instagram @thelifeofpu

[loreal-interns]

#FAMILYATLOREAL

Hi! My name is Julia, and I’m here to give you an #interninsider look into manufacturing at L’Oréal. I’m a Performance Improvement intern on the production floor at the Piscataway plant. In the Fall, I’ll embark upon my fifth year as a Mechanical Engineering major at Georgia Tech (let’s call it a victory lap). In my five years, I’ve squeezed in some pretty valuable experiences like cheerleading for the Yellow Jackets, studying abroad in France, and co-oping in oil and gas. This summer, I switched gears entirely and dove into a new industry that’s just a little bit more glamorous than petroleum refining: beauty.

With an open and excited mind, I left my home in the South for the bustling Northeast. I was optimistic but also anxious to start a new position at a new company in a new place. The nervous jitters didn’t stick around long because I was welcomed into the plant with open arms. The interactions with my new coworkers quickly shifted from formal introductions to friendly, engaging conversations, and I began to develop working relationships just in the first few days. By the end of the first week, my original anxiety was converted into a drive to deliver for myself, for my team, and for the company.

It’s easy to love what you do when you’re surrounded by people who not only want you to find success but are eager to help you achieve it. In my short time at L’Oréal, I’ve been embraced by a group of hardworking, steadfast individuals who are passionate about unlocking capacity within one another. Members of the team push one another to access their personal potential, ultimately cultivating a strong team that works collaboratively to accomplish shared goals. This is in pursuit of achieving excellence as a team and enriching team members individually.

In my mere six weeks of being a part of this plant, I’ve developed countless positive relationships both within my group and throughout the plant. Although I’m only here for the summer, I’ve been accepted and treated as a member of the team since my first day. As L’Oréal interns, we don’t just make copies and get coffee; we work on meaningful projects that impact the company in big ways. This requires us to work with employees that span all departments and all levels. This can seem daunting at first, but my internship experience has taught me that nobody (not even a summer intern) is at the bottom of the food chain. We’re all teammates, working with one another and for one another. The plant culture is supported by a foundation of mutual respect, collaboration, and a shared drive for greatness.

At the beginning of the summer, my supervisor told me that the plant begins to feel more like a family as you work with many people. And you work with them often. As I’ve developed relationships through my work, I’ve gained mentors, role models, and friends who set high expectations, push me to succeed, and support me when I need it. To me, that’s what a family does! I’m so grateful that I found a family-away-from-home at L’Oréal, and I feel proud to be a part of it. #lifeatloreal is great because I have a #familyatloreal that encourages me, challenges me, teaches me, and inspires me.

[loreal-interns]

Life in L’Operations

Hi, I’m Dhruv, and I’m a chemical engineering student from UT Austin currently interning at the Piscataway plant and helping make Kiehl’s!

So far, most of my college education has been taught through the lens of large process industries. My courses have often revolved around huge refineries with tall distillation towers and expensive heat exchangers. And it makes sense; Texas is a huge regional hub for oil and gas. Nonetheless, I have also learned that, at its core, chemical engineering is about transforming raw chemicals into useful products on a mass scale. And that is exactly what I have been able to do in L’Oréal Operations so far.

One of the first things I learned after stepping onto the UP (the area of the plant where products are filled and packaged) was that L’Oréal functions very similarly to conventional engineering companies. As it should be, safety is the top priority, and this is exemplified in the “Why Safety Matters to Me” board where employees put pictures of family, friends, pets, and hobbies that motivate them to prioritize personal safety at work. Additionally, L’Oréal is truly ahead of the curve in sustainability, which is at the forefront of all operations.

Lastly, if you are like me, you will be glad to hear that a day in the UP is not any less intense than a day on a chemical plant. In fact, I have found that the fast-paced nature of the consumer goods industry creates a positive pressure to perform and makes every day at work challenging and interesting.

Now that I have found my rhythm in the plant, I can give an #interninsider look at the many perks of working in L’Oréal Operations. For one, you get to utilize your engineering skill set in a much safer and cleaner environment! I’m not kidding – there are bulk labels that literally say “Not Hazardous” and the plant perpetually has fruity aromas. Additionally, you get to see the result of your hard work right in front of you! Unlike chemical products that are pipelined or trucked to clients, you get to see the final jars and tubes come out of the production lines that you work on, and that is very rewarding. As a result, you quickly develop a sense of pride for the products you help create. For me, my L’Oréal spirit brand has become Kiehl’s.

This sense of attachment is hard to find in the larger process industries.

These are just a few of my highlights from working in L’Operations so far this summer, and there are countless others related to the work culture, intern program, exploring the Northeast, and more.

To most people I know back home, cosmetics is considered a “nontraditional” engineering industry. But I am extremely glad I dedicated this summer to learning about a career in consumer goods and, most importantly, a career at L’Oréal. If you are an engineering student wanting to explore your options, I highly recommend working at L’Oréal! Chances are, you will find that #lifeatloreal is the life for you.

[loreal-interns]

(SUMMER)set BBQ

Hey everyone! My name is Jordana, and I am a rising senior at Penn State University pursuing a degree in Supply Chain Management & Information Systems. This summer, I am interning with the Account Supply Chain team in Cranbury, NJ. #LifeatLOreal has already given me countless amazing experiences in the few short weeks I have been here. 

Moving to Somerset was both nerve racking and exciting. Interns were moving to New Jersey from all over the country without knowing anyone. Luckily, after the first day of meeting one another, my roommates and I became good friends. After that, we began to meet the rest of the Somerset interns and all started hanging out in our free time.  

A little #interninsider for future interns, if you get to live in AVE Somerset for the summer, you’re in luck. The AVE has done a wonderful job of making the community feel like home. Last week they hosted a huge summer BBQ that all the interns living there attended. They had unlimited food, pool and lawn games, a DJ, and photo booth! We got to meet interns at other companies living in the AVE as well as some of the families in the community.

One of my favorite parts about working at L’Oreal so far is the relationships I have made both personally and professionally. At one of our intern events, an employee gave us a piece of advice that has stuck with me. He said “remember to have fun while you are here.” This summer BBQ was the perfect way to do just that.

I cherish the people I have met these past few months at L’Oreal and I can’t wait to continue building relationships that will last far beyond this summer!

[loreal-interns]

#LifeatLOreal as an Operations Intern

Hi guys!

My name is Spencer. I am a rising senior at The University of Tennessee at Knoxville majoring in Supply Chain Management and Marketing. I am originally from East Tennessee and Dallas, Texas. I split time on the Central Operations Corporate Supply Chain team at The Hub in Clark, New Jersey, and on the Corporate Retail Office team at Terminal Stores in New York City, New York.

If you are reading this blog trying to decide if L’Oréal is the place for you, it’s okay not to know! That’s what I am here for.

If your professional background isn’t in cosmetics that’s okay at L’Oréal. If you have no professional background at all that’s okay at L’Oréal. If you have never lived in a big city or in the North before, that’s okay at L’Oréal!

My professional background is solely in the Petroleum Industry, yes, a huge change. However, if you are looking to a make a change or diversify your experiences, L’Oréal is the place for you. L’Oréal, being a market leader, is an exceptionally high performing organization, but my team has taken every opportunity to teach me more about the organization and the industry. This company genuinely wants YOU to succeed, don’t be afraid to ask for help.

As a result of this summer, I know more about cosmetics than I ever thought I would. It is a really great feeling to leave work every day knowing that you were challenged and learned something every day. L’Oréal will definitely challenge you to perform and grow in every way, but they will help cultivate the growth and results they expect.

My summer at L’Oréal has been filled with some of the most gratifying experiences of my professional life. #LifeatLOreal as an #interninsider has been incredible, now its time to get back to work!

Spencer

[loreal-interns]

The Truth About Working @ Hudson Yards

Hi everyone! My name is Ashton and I am a current Marketing MBA intern working with the Garnier brand (specifically the haircare team, Fructis and Whole Blends!) for the summer. I am pursuing my MBA at Columbia Business School, and am a native New Yorker so some of my favorite things include bagels, pizza, waterfront bars and restaurants, and bagels.

While there have been countless experiences in my day-to-day at L’Oréal this summer that I would consider blog-worthy, I thought I’d chat a bit about what it’s liking working at Hudson Yards (L’Oréal’s NYC headquarters), as it’s a relatively new fixture to the New York City skyline and I am very passionate about what it has to offer!

1)      Unpopular Opinion – I <3 the 7 Train

The 7 train (subway) has historically gotten negative reviews for running pretty unregularly and being a crowded way to get to Mets games or the US Open in Queens. I take the 7 train every morning, and have become a tremendous fan (especially compared to its commuting predecessor, the 1 train). I like that its color association is purple, I like how peaceful it is (the Hudson Yards station is NEVER crowded, even at very peak commuting times), and I like the enthusiastic salutation that plays as you disembark (“this is the last stop on this train! Thank you for riding New York City transit!”). Every other subway station is a zoo between 7:30-9:30am on weekday mornings – the 7 station is an oasis. Photo time-stamp: 8:17am on a Thursday morning.

 2)      Popular Opinion – I <3 Avocado Toast

Following my commute, one of my first stops is up to the Le Café, L’Oreal’s cafeteria, on the 36th floor for my [almost] daily avocado toast from the avocado toast bar. I will say that again – avocado toast bar. Could I make my own avocado toast at home? Probably. But would it be as satisfying as getting it from an avocado bar? Probably not.

3)      My Team Room – 10/10 City Views

I am lucky enough to share a fabulous team room with several of my fellow MBA interns (hi Ijeoma, Matt, Dru!). I have been to many scenic outlooks in NYC – top of the Empire State Building (not recommended), Top of the Rock (recommended), and have to say the view that’s in front of me [literally right now], gives them a run for their money. Plus, we’re surrounded in the room by colorful Maybelline and Essie products. I may have done my nails one day after work in the room (unclear if that’s advisable, but there I’ve gone and owned it). I’d also like to take this time to thank my conference room-ates for putting up with my singing while making slides, and daily drama of whether I love or hate bananas as an afternoon snack option. I appreciate you.

4)      I Just Ordered Sushi from Japan L’Oréal Café

Second only to my love of the bfast avocado bar is L’Oréal’s sushi bar at lunch every day. Lines can get long around peak lunch hours (I recommend jumping on line at 11:55am), but totally worth any wait. Here is a picture of my lunch yesterday in portrait mode for your enjoyment. The thought of cafeteria lunch sushi would have frightened me previously in life. Now, the sushi train has left the station and I am on board.

5)      Company Store, When You’re Here You’re Family

Another benefit to working in the Hudson Yards office is proximity to the company story, selling a fabulous slew of L’Oréal products on major discount. I became much more popular with family and friends (including my mom) when I became eligible for the corporate discount. It’s also very good if you’re in the mood for some ‘90s nostalgia – I see you L’Oréal Kids fish bottles. Welcome to 1998; it’s good to be back.

6)      One Time for My City

Has your family taken a photo with the new landmark Vessel (featured below in both regular photo mode and portrait mode)? Then I am probably in the background of it. New York’s hottest new tourist attraction brings in people from all over and we’re lucky enough to see it every day. And that’s the thing about being located in building with views of the Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, One World Trade – as a native New Yorker it still takes my breath away.

[loreal-interns]

A Day in the Life of a Marketing Intern at L’Oreal

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A Sales Summer in Bentonville

Heyo! My name is Meritt and I am the Walmart Field Sales Intern in Bentonville, Arkansas. I am originally from Milwaukee studying Strategic Communications and Digital Studies at the University of Wisconsin. Roll Badge! My time in the Bentonville office has been incredible so I thought it was my duty to write about it. You may be asking yourself why L’Oréal even has an office in Northwest Arkansas. Well, L’Oréal, like many other suppliers, has offices close to major retailers. In my case, Walmart headquarters are located literally across the street from our office. Walmart is L’Oréal USA’s largest account making this experience even cooler. It is so valuable to be here and learn the interactions between the company and the world's largest retailer.

I’ve done many wonderful things this summer some highlights being modular resets in Walmart, shareholders week, sales strategy meetings and various after work events. I think the most important thing to note are the people in this office. They are truly wonderful. The people in the Bentonville office genuinely want the best for you and uphold an uplifting and empowering work environment. I have never once felt out of place or unwelcomed. In fact, many of them have taken me under their wing and helped me figure out the area. There is so much collaboration in the office and lots of laughs too.

If you are hesitant to move here, don’t be. Northwest Arkansas is a hidden gem and you will be lucky to enjoy the summer here. So, before you say no way to Arkansas, here are a few things you must know about AR (not AK) and the L’Oréal office.

1) There are so many college students here. Walmart and most companies that sell to Walmart have offices here which means there are many interns. Different sponsors and companies host events throughout the summer specifically for interns. These events are really fun and it is where you can meet and mingle with other interns.

2) IF YOU LIKE TO HIKE, BIKE and KAYAK THIS PLACE IS FOR YOU! There are so many trails and national parks about 20 to 60 minutes from you. Get out there and explore!

3) FAYETTEVILLE. This is where, I think, you should live. It is a hipster college town that is about 30-minutes from the office. There are many farm-to-table restaurants and coffee shops. The people here love their college team (go Hogs), so Fayetteville is always lively during games and at night.

4) People are nice here… like super nice.

5) Cost of living. The cost of living here is low so if you are concerned with saving money Arkansas is the place for you!

6) The office is filled with amazing people. You will get a view of the business that few people get. This information is invaluable. Your mentorship will be incredible and they will push you to think outside of the box. A tiny side note: the office fridge is dangerously filled with any and all types of candy and drinks.

If you can’t tell already, I really love it down here. I had many misconceptions about the area, so I hope this blog post is informative. Northwest Arkansas is a beauty. It is a diverse, emerging area that is rich in natural beauty and friendliness.

[loreal-interns]

Hi everyone, my name is Caroline and I’m a summer marketing intern at L’Oréal’s Hudson Yards location, working with the Matrix brand in the Professional Products Division (PPD). A little about myself – This fall I’ll be a senior at Syracuse University where I am dual majoring in Marketing and Retail Management, and I’m originally from Burlington, Vermont.

Matrix’s products used and sold in professional salons, like shampoo, conditioner, hair color, styling products, and more! There’s a lot that goes into our products before launching them. After the formulas are perfected and tested by our operations teams for use, the marketing team then runs our own tests to see how the products work and perform in a salon setting.

Currently, my team is working on the marketing campaign for a new product that will launch in 2020, but we are already hard at work preparing. This week, we went to L’Oréal’s very own Professional Testing Center. This is a full service salon that works with every L’Oréal PPD brand.

For our testing, we brought in a range of people to have their hair done with our new products by our professional stylists. This allows our team to see and feel first-hand how the products perform so we can market them accordingly. It’s an experience I never thought I’d get to have as a marketing intern, but it was one of the most interesting and informative experiences yet!

Here’s an #InternInsider view into a day at the Professional Testing Center!

First, our stylists consult the clients about their hair type, texture, and previous services they’ve had done. Then, we take before pictures so we can marvel at the after’s!

Once the services are completed, the clients get a beautiful blowout, and we look to see the effect our products had, along with “after” pictures. And of course, we have a lot of fun interacting with our stylists, consumers, and products.

Spending the day at the testing center is an amazing way to see our products in action, and see first-hand how they perform. It really helps to conceptualize the work were doing in a real way. #LifeAtL’Oreal is truly a hands-on experience like no other! I’ve learned so much about professional beauty in just a matter of weeks, and I couldn’t be happier at L’Oréal, and especially with the Matrix team!

[loreal-interns]

My Day as a Mad Scientist

I think most people know from a young age whether they are a “science person” or not and I for one am not. Trust me, I tried to make myself one especially when it came to chemistry but no matter the concentration it just never clicked. My childhood dreams of becoming a mad scientist mixing chemicals like Dexter from Dexters laboratory would never become a reality. But that all changed this past week. Earlier during the week my team and I took a trip to the labs in Clark for a meeting. During this meeting we were able to collaborate with the team at the labs on different formulas for a project we were working on that involved creating new products. I never thought I would be able to do exciting hands on work like this with actual products but I’ve learned that at L’Oreal this is commonplace. Not only was the experience of working with amazing innovators incredible but it gave me the opportunity to see something I have created with my team in concept form come to life. But that isn’t where my Dexters laboratory dream ended because two days later was Product in Motion day for the summer interns.

It was finally time for me to become Dexter. I looked the part too dressed in a white lab coat and goggles. During that day all the interns were able to enter the labs and see how the magic really happens. I was able to go into the haircare and styling lab and they broke down the entire process of creating all of the innovative formulas for our products. In the styling lab we were shown how to make a hair gel which was any “oddly satisfying” trend followers dream. We were even able to get a sneak peak of upcoming launches and test some out! After that we went to Franklin to learn how these formulas are produced on a mass level and then distributed. As a Political Science and Communication Rhetoric major I didn’t think I would see the inside of a lab other than on TV but L’Oréal gave me the opportunity to see where the products I work with every day during my internship come from. Not only did I get to fulfill a childhood dream and have an amazing day with my fellow interns, I also gained a better understanding of the process and work it takes from every part of the company to make the very best products.

[loreal-interns]

When the Small-Town Girl Takes on NY and L'Oréal

The time I have been waiting for since my acceptance in November of 2018 is officially here! From a warm L’Oreal style welcome to meeting other interns and my teammates and getting lost inside our vastly big, bold, and beautiful headquarters, I can honestly say I’m living a dream.

My name is Fatema and welcome to my blog post where I give you the inside scoop on our L’Orientation and my first week as a Marketing Intern for Atelier Cologne! Originally from Michigan, I grew up in a small town 40 minutes north of Ann Arbor where I attend the Business School at University of Michigan and have become accustomed to a small-town lifestyle. However, coming to New York, I’ve learned to quickly adapt to the city lifestyle and culture with the help of fellow interns, employees, and the incredible team I work alongside. #L’OrealInsider

#L’Orientation:

We had our L’Orientation in New Jersey where all of us interns networked with each other. The first day was well spent learning about the Company, our 36 brands, and the various functions and divisions that reside under one L'Oréal family. During the second day, the Marketing Interns were introduced to the Pepiniere program which is a 12-month Marketing role with L'Oréal featuring on-site marketing and world-class marketing training. Furthermore, we were given a much needed excel basics training which focused on excel shortcuts! Yes, of course saving 15 minutes a day using excel shortcuts is very much appreciated.

First Week:

Walking into headquarters on my first day, I was nervous and anxious. However, that feeling immediately dissipated as soon as I met my Atelier team. My managers welcomed me to the brand and introduced me to the whole team. They are an incredible group of people with creative minds and warm hearts.  

Additionally, many interns were placed into intern team rooms where we have our desk and sit alongside other interns from the same division. This experience has made such a huge positive impact on my journey here thus far because we’re all able to connect, get our work done, and lean on each other during the most overwhelming of days and the days where we’re just focusing on our projects.  

Furthermore, let me tell you, swiping myself into the building every morning – that simple little gesture brings about the greatest joy to my morning. If you ever watch the Bold Type, Season 1, Episode 1, Scene 01:22-02:10 on Hulu will show you the exact feeling.

My Advice to future Interns:

Metaphorically speaking, like our grandiose city, L'Oréal is a place of countless opportunities. Seek them out, network as much as you can, and enjoy every minute of this fast-paced internship. Remember to continue to dream big, work hard, and enjoy the presence of people, help them, and make their day worthwhile, because it’ll make yours in return.

My L’Oreal roommate and I sightseeing after work.  

[loreal-interns]

No Such Thing as a Typical Day

Hi everyone! My name is Naomi and I am a Marketing Intern for Baxter of California this summer. I am a rising senior at Bentley University, pursuing a Marketing major and a double minor in International Relations and Information Design and Corporate Communication.

One of the many perks working for a small brand at L’Oréal is the diversity of tasks assigned throughout the day. I have been a marketing intern at Baxter of California for three weeks and every day consists of something different than the day before.

Baxter of California

Baxter of California is one of L’Oréal’s smaller brands and is based out of West Hollywood, California. Operating in the men’s grooming industry and the Professional Products Division at L’Oréal, Baxter of California has been a Los Angeles-based business for over 50 years. The products are divided into five categories: Hair, Skin, Shave, Shower, and Lifestyle. Located a few streets over is the Baxter Finley Barber Shop. This shop is an LA staple and has provided haircuts to loyal locals, visiting athletes, and major celebrities, like David Beckham. The shop and marketing team work closely to unify the brand story and prioritize consistency for the consumers.

A Summer of Atypical Days

Every day at the office is full of surprises. From evolving projects to team meetings, there is no “typical” day here. This is one of my favorite aspects of the internship: the opportunity to learn and witness first-hand how a team like this operates. With a small marketing team, I am exposed to all areas of the marketing strategy for Baxter of California. Despite my internship concentration on social media, I have worked on projects relating to PR, E-Commerce, and Amazon sales.

This has allowed me to expand my skills and understanding of the overall structure of the company. But the work is not limited to the office. We recently visited the Baxter Finley Barber Shop to better understand the relationship between the shop and the brand. The shop operates almost daily, exclusively using Baxter of California products. One of the most unique qualities of this relationship is the role the shop plays in product development. All hair and shave products are tested at the Baxter Finley Barber Shop to ensure that the products provide the best results possible.

Looking Forward

These past three weeks have flown by faster than I could ever imagine. I have learned so much in the short time I have been here and cannot wait to see what the rest of the summer has in store for me!