Meet the scientist who is committed to making digital health trends a reality for consumers.
Innovative beginnings
Ever thought about the people behind iconic brands like BAND-AID® Brand? Well, look no further than scientist and trained engineer, Jenny Du-Soriano.
For Jenny—innovation has never not been the answer. From a young age, she always found herself interested in the inner workings of the world around her.
Currently, Jenny works as a research & development manager who specializes in product design. She studied engineering in college and began her career in Women’s Health—one of her many passions. During her more than 20-year career at Kenvue, what continues to fascinate Jenny most about consumer brands is that they touch so many lives, in so many ways. How incredible is it to think that her own innovations can help a child with their first cut?
Turning trends into reality
Jenny makes it a point to constantly challenge herself to innovate creatively. This sometimes means seeking inspiration in unusual places—from the people she meets and the places she visits in her everyday life, to videos she sees or hears about online.
In late 2020, for example, a trend popped up on social media where consumers used BAND-AID® Brand HYDRO SEAL® adhesive bandages for their pimples, gaining over 264 million views. Jenny and her team knew the HYDRO SEAL® bandage technology had been used by Kenvue for more than 20 years and that it was considered to be an advanced form of wound healing. So, they immediately got to work, asking themselves—how can we make this digital trend a reality?
Knowing how effective the HYDRO SEAL® bandage technology is at helping the body heal minor wounds, Jenny and her team had strong reason to believe it may provide healing to pimples overnight—so they ran a clinical trial. This trial led to the creation of BAND-AID® Brand HYDRO SEAL™ Acne Blemish Patches, which have been clinically tested to improve the smoothness of popped pimples, are specially shaped for different parts of the face, and optimally designed for overnight use.
Lessons from the lab
While Jenny says she and her team have had a number of successes in the lab, as with any innovation, many of their wins come with challenges.
“The biggest challenge we face in the lab is how to bring new innovation to a product that is widely accepted as it is,” said Jenny. “But as scientists, while a big part of our job is to keep up with scientific research, we also have to continue to stay inspired by the world around us. So, when we see digital trends involving our products, we consider it our duty to go to the lab and test it. Our team is proud to continue the Kenvue legacy of relentless innovation, even for what many may consider to be ‘simple’ products, like the BAND-AID® Brand bandages.”
So, what advice would Jenny give to other scientists following her footsteps?
“Don’t give up or give in,” said Jenny. “When faced with questions on ‘why things cannot be done’ I always ask, ‘how we might do it.’ I constantly push and persevere to challenge my team to get answers—always within the boundaries of Our Credo, enabling us to deliver the best possible product to our consumers. We’ve learned to keep going even though the challenges can be daunting.”
“Despite the obstacles we regularly face in research, our teams are willing to take a risk to make a difference in the lives of our consumers,” Jenny continued. “No matter how big or small.”