We speak with Idoia Martikorena, General Manager of Idoia Beauté, to gain insight into the journey of a family business that has evolved while staying true to its essence, adapting to new consumer habits and focusing on delivering a distinctive customer experience.
In this interview, she shares how they have expanded their offering beyond traditional perfumery, the value of personalization and proximity in their business model, and the key challenges ahead in an increasingly competitive and digitalized sector. A conversation about evolution, experience, emotion, and the ability of beauty to connect with people.
Name, position and company
Idoia Martikorena, General Manager of Idoia Beauté.
Tell us about the company you work for. What is its story?
Idoia Beauté is a family business with a network of perfumeries located on the French–Navarre border, with more than 25 years of history. It was founded with the aim of offering a distinctive shopping experience, combining selective brands, expert advice and a close, personal approach.
Over the years, the company has evolved by expanding and enriching its offering, incorporating new areas such as parapharmacy and the Beauty Institute, where facial and body treatments are provided with a professional and personalized approach. At the same time, it has strengthened its ecommerce channel to adapt to new consumer habits and created Le Trésor, its niche perfumery concept, a unique space dedicated to the most exclusive and emotional side of fragrance. All of this while remaining true to its core values: proximity, excellence and a strong service mindset.
What does your day-to-day role involve?
My day-to-day work is very transversal, ranging from strategy and the development of new business lines to team management and customer experience. I am also highly focused on innovation, differentiation and identifying new opportunities that allow us to keep growing without losing our essence.
What is your key differentiating value?
Our main differentiating value lies in the combination of a carefully curated selection of brands and a highly personalized service.
In addition, we have unique spaces such as our niche perfumery, where we offer a more emotional and exclusive experience. All of this takes place in a very particular environment, the border, which is part of our DNA.
What challenges do you foresee in the coming years?
One of the main challenges is to continue differentiating ourselves in an increasingly competitive and digitalized market. In this context, we are strongly committed to specializing in niche perfumery, a growing segment that allows us to offer a more exclusive, emotional and distinctive proposition.
We are also in a phase of expansion, with new openings planned beyond the border area, moving into cities and new markets. This requires adapting our model without losing our essence.
Another key challenge is to coherently integrate the physical and online experience, as well as to continue innovating in personalized services that strengthen the bond with our customers.
What does being part of Beauty Cluster bring to the company and to you as a professional?
Being part of the Beauty Cluster allows us to stay connected to innovation in the sector, share knowledge and create synergies with other companies.
On a professional level, it is a constant source of learning and inspiration, helping us anticipate trends and continue evolving.
Turning back to you. How did you enter the beauty sector?
In my case, the beauty sector has always been part of my environment, as the company is family-owned.
However, joining it was also a personal choice, driven by my interest in the customer, the shopping experience and the ability of this sector to connect with emotions.
Speaking of “beauty”, how would you define it?
For me, beauty is wellbeing. It is about feeling good with oneself, and that goes far beyond aesthetics. It is related to confidence, attitude and the way you relate to yourself and to others.
Any hobby, hidden talent or passion you would like to share?
I live in an environment surrounded by mountains, so whenever I can, I go trekking to disconnect in nature. I also enjoy reading, as it allows me to pause, find inspiration and keep learning.
What is the last book you read or film you watched?
I recently finished El Último Secreto by Dan Brown, a novel that combines mystery, science and technology, inviting reflection on the limits of knowledge and the future of humanity.
Business is based on…
…people. On understanding them, listening to them and building long-term trust-based relationships. Without that, no project can truly succeed.
