Claire Pascual and Yvonne Piamonte are reshaping beauty tech, driven not only by innovation but by a deeper sense of purpose and perspective as women in the field.

At a time when women still make up less than a third of the global engineering workforce, representation isn&rsquo;t just important&mdash;it&rsquo;s essential to building technology that works for more people. At <a href="https://www.dyson.ph/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dyson</a>, where innovation is rooted in design, women engineers aren&rsquo;t on the sidelines. They&rsquo;re leading the charge. Nowhere is that more visible than in beauty tech, where the brand continues to develop smarter, kinder tools that rethink how we care for ourselves.
That kind of innovation doesn&rsquo;t happen in isolation. It&rsquo;s driven by <a href="https://www.dyson.ph/en_ph/inside-dyson/corporate-social-responsibility/dyson-future-of-engineering" target="_blank" rel="noopener">engineers</a> like Claire Pascual and Yvonne Piamonte&mdash;two Filipinos working behind the scenes to shape some of Dyson&rsquo;s most advanced haircare solutions, including the new Supersonic Nural hair dryer. Pascual, a new product development manager, and Piamonte, a systems integration engineer, bring a unique perspective to the table, one that&rsquo;s grounded in both technical expertise and lived experience.
Their path into engineering wasn&rsquo;t linear, nor was it typical. But it&rsquo;s that mix of curiosity, cultural identity, and a clear sense of purpose that continues to guide their work. In this conversation with L&rsquo;Officiel, they talk about the early sparks that drew them into STEM, how being Filipino influences the way they approach design, and what it really means to help shape the future of beauty from within one of the world&rsquo;s most forward-thinking tech companies.

L&rsquo;Officiel Philippines (L&rsquo;O): What led each of you to engineering in the first place? Was it something you always saw yourselves doing?
Claire Pascual (CP): I&rsquo;ve always been a curious kid. I was really into following logic paths and challenges to rationalize concepts. That naturally led me to physics. There, I found comfort in using laws and logic to explain how the world worked and even create outcomes we wanted&mdash;no matter how seemingly impossible they were. I still remember writing an essay when I was 11 yo about how I wanted to invent a drill that would help us discover life in one of Jupiter&rsquo;s frozen moons! These days, my curiosity is more grounded in the products we use every day. But that desire to create and explore is still there.
Yvonne Piamonte (YP): Even when I was younger, I&rsquo;ve always been into science, both in academics and my extracurricular activities: I joined clubs and participated in competitions. I&rsquo;ve always been fascinated by how things work, especially the mechanical side of things. That curiosity led me to pursue mechanical engineering&mdash;I thought it had quite a range of fields I could get into when I graduate. I&rsquo;ve seen firsthand how important it is to have diverse perspectives in technology development. Innovation thrives when different voices are heard, and I&rsquo;ve been lucky to work in environments that recognize the value of inclusion.
L&rsquo;O: You both work on Dyson&rsquo;s Beauty category, which is such a fascinating space to be in as engineers. How do you approach a product that&rsquo;s meant to feel both intuitive to use and meaningful to people&rsquo;s personal routines?
CP: For me, the approach always starts with accepting that beauty routines are very personal. Hair is deeply tied to people&rsquo;s identities, confidence, and self-expression. I know this well since I, myself spend time styling and keeping my hair healthy. In Dyson&rsquo;s beauty category, there&rsquo;s so much potential for our products to have emotional relevance, that&rsquo;s why we obsess over every detail. We consider how a machine looks in someone&rsquo;s hand, how it responds to our users&rsquo; movements, and how it integrates into people&rsquo;s already existing routines. It's so exciting to see so much complex engineering&mdash;calculations, experiments, simulations&mdash;all done so when someone picks up one of our tools, it feels simple and effortless to use. It&rsquo;s not just designing tech&ndash;it&rsquo;s designing an experience!
YP: My approach involves integrating advanced technology with user-centric design principles. I ensure that the technology behind the product is sophisticated yet easy to use, allowing users to benefit from its features without any complexity. I also emphasize the importance of aesthetics and functionality, creating products that are not only effective but also visually appealing. By focusing on these aspects, I strive to develop beauty tech that feels intuitive and adds value to people's personal care routines. &nbsp;Additionally, as engineers in Dyson we have a very hands-on role in the development. Firsthand experience and feedback drive intuitive and effective product solutions. This is personally one of my favorite parts in being involved in the project development&ndash;that we get to test and experience them at every stage. It makes seeing them out in the market so much more rewarding.
L&rsquo;O:&nbsp;Claire, as design manager, how do you balance creativity with the practical side of product development?
CP: Balancing creativity and practicality really are difficult, but this is also where the best ideas take shape. At Dyson, we have design engineers and industrial designers working together and advocating for creativity not just in how the product works but also in how it looks and feels. At the same time, our manufacturing and logistics teams keep us grounded, constantly thinking about how feasible it is to make these ideas real at the scale Dyson operates. As a design manager, it&rsquo;s my responsibility to take in ideas from every angle, ask the right questions, and ultimately make decisions that shape our products. I make sure our creative ideas align with user needs by conducting thorough market research and user testing. I also opt for an iterative design process, continuously testing and improving prototypes to address challenges early. It's my job to ensure we&rsquo;re staying bold but also realistic in offering solutions to our product owners. That means combining insights, lot of collaboration, and often, instinct.
L&rsquo;O: Yvonne, with your work on the Supersonic Nural, how do you make sure the tech feels seamless and user-friendly?
YP: We focus on integrating various system components smoothly to create a cohesive user experience. This involves rigorous testing and validation to identify and resolve any potential issues early in the development process. I also prioritize user feedback, incorporating it into design iterations to enhance usability. By collaborating closely with the design and engineering teams, I ensure that the technology not only performs well but is also intuitive and easy to use for our customers. &nbsp;And for it to be user-friendly, the Dyson Supersonic Nural was designed with scalp protection in mind. Dyson&rsquo;s beauty machines have always been inclusive about the wide range of hair types, textures, and shapes, and at the same time, there has been a lot of products promoting hair health, but Dyson saw that gap where we can also promote scalp health. So, for those with sensitive scalps, they can get the same performance with the intelligent auto-adapting scalp-protect mode.

&ldquo;Throughout history, women in STEM have proven that there&rsquo;s no boundary when it comes to being inventive and innovative and changing the world.&rdquo;

L&rsquo;O: Do you find that being Filipino shapes the way you approach your work or how you view innovation? Are there any values or ways of thinking that you carry with you from home?
CP: When I was an intern abroad, my supervisor told me that I achieved more than he thought possible with the tools that I had. And to be fair, he was right. A lot of the equipment I needed weren&rsquo;t scheduled to arrive in the time I was staying there, so I had to make a lot of makeshift tools just to get things done. I believe this resourcefulness comes from my state university experience, where we didn&rsquo;t have the most specialized equipment. In my first two years at Dyson, I believe I saw the same thing among my colleagues. The Philippines office was a new site then, and we had to be creative in our ways of working, and that came naturally to us Filipinos.
It&rsquo;s safe to say that Filipinos&rsquo; desire to form communities is strong. I experience this the most when travelling for work. I immediately get welcomed by my Filipino colleagues working in other Dyson sites. It doesn&rsquo;t matter that we never worked or knew each other before the business trip. Us being both Filipinos is enough to make connections!
YP: First is resilience and resourcefulness. These values guide me in finding creative solutions to challenges. During the development of the Dyson Supersonic Nural, RDD capabilities in the Philippines was ramping up so there were gaps, but with the support of the whole team as well as other Dyson sites, we were able to achieve our goals and share the Dyson Supersonic Nural to the world. Second, community and collaboration as I work closely with my team and stakeholders to achieve common goals. The environment and culture of collaboration that Dyson wants to uphold is not so different from how Filipinos typically interact&ndash;a lot of us are social in nature. Even those who are not so social do not have problems, as we are all surrounded by like-minded people with a common goal. Lastly, optimism and positivity. I stay motivated and open to new ideas, driving innovation in my projects. At Dyson, we value failures as opportunities to learn and discover new things.
L&rsquo;O:&nbsp;What&rsquo;s it like being a woman in this field&mdash;not just in engineering, but in a global tech company like Dyson?
CP: I was a fresh grad when I joined Dyson. Coming out of the pandemic with little to no people interaction, I was suddenly in a global company collaborating with experts all around the world. My world instantly grew so much bigger, and with that, it was hard not to feel small. Luckily, I never had a shortage of mentors&mdash;women whom I regularly think, &ldquo;I want to be like her.&rdquo; On my first project, my lead was a woman who had a track record of delivering projects early without any compromises. She encouraged me to take ownership of design tasks, but was there to help me manage if I made mistakes. Once we completed the project, she even gave me an empowering one-on-one that made me feel confident in advocating for my own career growth. Now, as a design manager, it is easy to feel out of place leading teams of industry experts. &nbsp;Among the most memorable advice I&rsquo;ve gotten from one of my leads was &ldquo;You&rsquo;re here for a reason. Do not be afraid to shake the apple cart.&rdquo;
YP: Inclusive and merit-based culture. Ideas and contributions are valued regardless of gender or background. There&rsquo;s no bias when it comes to work, and the expectations are the same. There are a lot of impressive women who have gone so up the ranks, and their leadership and expertise really show up for it. Collaborative and fast-paced environment. The environment encourages teamwork, innovation, and continuous learning. And it feels empowering to be surrounded by high performers who are so good at what they do. Even outside of work, a lot of my colleagues are really disciplined and passionate people who challenge themselves to be their better versions. Strong mentorship and support. Dyson has a lot of other engineers who are always willing to provide insights when you have problems. The important catch: I realized majority of them will only pave a way for you&ndash;they will still let you solve it on your own, to help you grow. Ownership and impact. Employees are empowered to take the initiative and see their work directly influence Dyson&rsquo;s products. As I took the systems integration engineering role, I became accountable for bigger things, and in the end, the magnitude of fulfillment is just as big, if not bigger.
L&rsquo;O: Engineering is often seen as purely technical. How do you both bring creativity into your roles?
CP: There is so much room for creativity in engineering! I would even say creativity is a requisite. There are so many ways to solve a problem. Creativity is what leads us to the most elegant one. &nbsp;As an NPD design manager, I am constantly exploring new design concepts and innovative solutions. I encourage brainstorming sessions and collaborative workshops with my team to foster a creative environment. Additionally, I draw inspiration from various art forms and trends, integrating them into our product designs to make them unique and appealing.
YP: As a systems integration engineer, I infuse creativity into my work by thinking outside the box when solving technical challenges. I experiment with different approaches and technologies to find the best solutions. I also prioritize user experience, ensuring that our products are not only technically sound but also intuitive and enjoyable to use. Collaboration with other departments allows me to incorporate diverse perspectives and creative ideas into our projects.
L&rsquo;O: What advice would you give to young women back in the Philippines who are curious about STEM but don&rsquo;t know where to start&mdash;or don&rsquo;t see themselves represented in the field yet?
CP: Have a mindset for success, as well as the confidence, resilience, and willingness to challenge the status quo. At Dyson, we always have clear goals. Apart from that, we also have established methods to achieve them. There are times that we need to be innovative and make new methods, which introduces the challenges. But getting to where we want, and need is never always easy. Remember that collaboration matters, too. Working well with others is essential for growth and innovation. It&rsquo;s a big loss to disregard perspectives when our goal is to design solutions for diverse needs.
YP: I want to encourage more women in engineering. Throughout history, women in STEM have proven that there&rsquo;s no boundary when it comes to being inventive and innovative and changing the world. There are key skills to develop. Apart from the strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, the soft skills, as they&rsquo;re called, are also indispensable, like adaptability, continuous learning, and what I think is also very important is accepting failures and learning from them. Because in engineering, it&rsquo;s very rare to get things right on the first try.
L&rsquo;O: What&rsquo;s next for beauty tech, and what are you both excited to see evolve in the future?
CP: I'm excited to see advancements in personalized beauty solutions. At Dyson, we&rsquo;ve already offer personalization options with our hair profile on the MyDyson app as well as a personalized curling sequence with the <a href="https://www.lofficielph.com/beauty/transform-your-hair-routine-with-dyson-s-airwrap-i-d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Airwrap i.d</a>. I&rsquo;m looking forward to the development of smart beauty devices integrating the latest in technology.
YP: I&rsquo;m excited to see more evolution of designs that took decades to change. Like how the Supersonic has redefined the usual hairdryer design, which has been here for decades. I am also looking forward to solving problems that people typically just live with, and per the Dyson principle&ndash;solving problems that others ignore.

Meet the Filipino Engineers Behind Dyson's Groundbreaking Beauty Tech

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