Creativity Is Also in the Formulas. Interview with Xènia Calzado, Lab Technician

What do you think working in a lab is like?
Developing and improving products—that’s the main mission of this department at MTN Basics. Xènia Calzado gives us a glimpse into the world of research and development, plus a few behind-the-scenes insights... Don’t miss it!

What does a typical workday look like for you?

First , I check my email and get to work on whatever is currently in progress. To develop a product, I start by creating a formula in Excel and then I produce a physical version. If it turns out well, I go on to the stability phase. If not, I keep researching.

But how does “making the product” actually work? 

Well, you are given some basic elements that the product needs to have, and from there, it is up to you to figure out how to create a formula that delivers the desired effect or properties...

So, there’s a creative element to it...

Absolutely. You need a solid understanding of the materials, but you also have to be inventive when it comes to combining them.
Out of 100 tests, maybe one works out. We run test after test until we land on the perfect product that makes it to market. That is what the research phase is all about.

Can you tell us about a product that was hard to launch?

I spent a lot of time working on a paint that ultimately didn’t make it to market. Three years on that product, and it never launched—but that’s just how it goes sometimes.

What about a product you are really proud of?

The Wrinkle paint, which has a super wrinkly texture. It was tricky to get it right. It’s a product made exclusively for the Australian market, so you won’t find it in the catalog or on the website.

Is there a part of the creation process that involves looking at other products on the market?

When we develop products that already exist, we conduct market studies.  But many of the products are innovative and we just have to create them from scratch.

Tell us about your career at MTN.

This year officially marks 10 years. I started as an intern after completing my higher degree in analysis and quality control, and I joined the quality department. But a former R&D manager brought me onto their team, and over time, I’ve gained a lot of experience. In the end, that’s what you need to really understand how to apply the ingredients used in different products.

How would you sum up the experience of working at MTN?

AWESOME. There has always been a good vibe—the atmosphere is just really cool. At least here in the lab.

Is there a coworker you enjoy working with the most?

That would be Sheila—she’s also my best friend outside of work.

So you share a lot of things...

We’re not a couple, or anything. I write the formula and hand it over to her... Outside of work, we do what friends do—go out to eat, take trips, stuff like that.

Just curious, and I won’t talk about the overalls... Why do you wear white sweatshirts?

We wear white in the lab so it’s easy to spot any chemicals that might spill on our clothes. The people who work in the MTN Basics warehouse wear red—probably for visibility reasons. And in manufacturing, they wear blue.

It seems colors are more important than we realize. Do you have an anecdote from work that you can remember?

When I first met Alberto Feás, I told him I was celiac, and he joked saying he was “Antoñíaco”. I called him that for years before I finally found out his real name.

This will probably come out in January. What’s your wish for the new year?

Lots of love, but not just the romantic kind—I mean good vibes between people in general. The kind of love you feel for your family, your friends, your pets. That’s what matters most.