LilianGuevara

Materials scientist, engineer and runner.

I studied materials science and engineering at MIT and have spent 10+ years developing skincare and haircare products. I turn new science into products people trust, and I test them with the people who use them.

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(you running)
Lilian running on a city street

Selected work

Three projects, from a first-of-its-kind sun care molecule to a track program. Each one is science turned into something people use.

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(Pavise products)
Pavise sun care products

Image: Pavise

Pavise

Co-founder and formulator, Pavise (subsidiary of B.A.I. Biosciences), 2021–2022

A first-of-its-kind molecule, taken from the lab to a full sun care line.

Result: sold at 1,200+ locations nationwide. The flagship SPF is the product in a peer-reviewed study and was covered by WWD. It won 2024 beauty awards from Cosmopolitan, Harper's Bazaar and Byrdie.

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The challenge

B.A.I. had developed DiamondCore®, a patent-protected, diamond-augmented zinc oxide designed to eradicate 80% of damaging reactive oxygen species (ROS). It needed to become finished products that feel good on all skin tones and hold up in real use.

What I did

  • Co-founded Pavise and formulated all 7 SKUs around DiamondCore®
  • Designed efficacy, dosage and compatibility experiments, including testing that supported the patent application
  • Led clinical and consumer testing, including sweat resistance and cosmetic performance across diverse skin tones
  • Presented roadmaps and results to executives and investors

Why it matters for sport

Athletes sweat, train outdoors and need protection that stays put. I've taken a new material from the lab to market and tested how it performs under sweat, the same work behind performance materials in footwear and apparel.

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(device or app, if allowed)
AI hair and scalp diagnostic device

AI hair and scalp diagnostics

R&D Chemist, John Paul Mitchell Systems, 2017–2021, and R&D Consultant, FitSkin, 2026–present

Teaching a device to see what an expert sees, then recommend what to use.

Result: the platform I helped start as the first salon pilot is now used by major beauty brands to recommend products and regimens.

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The challenge

Professionals wanted to recommend products based on what the science says a customer's hair and scalp need. The device works as a magnifying glass, enhancing the work of hair professionals.

What I did

  • Led R&D for Paul Mitchell's first AI hair and scalp diagnostic program, the first salon brand to pilot the device
  • Built the classification framework and recommendation logic that connected scan results to products
  • Today at FitSkin, I build classification matrices and annotate image data that train the device's machine learning models

Why it matters for sport

Sports brands increasingly personalize with data: gait analysis, fit scans, wearables. I know how to turn expert judgment into data a model can learn from, and data into a recommendation a person trusts.

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(track session)
Adult runners at a Summer of Fast track session

Summer of Fast

Founder, LTF Track Club, 2023

A 10-week sprint and speed program for adult runners, on a real track.

Result: a core group of about 10 athletes showed up at 6:30am every week for 10 weeks, forming a community of adult sprinters.

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The challenge

Most adult run clubs focused on distance. Runners who wanted sprint speed work had almost nowhere to go.

What I did

  • Designed a 10-week sprint and speed program
  • Coached weekly 6:30am track sessions in Austin, TX

Why it matters for sport

I design programs, test them with real athletes and learn what keeps people coming back. It's the same loop behind athlete insights, wear testing and community programs.

About

I co-founded Pavise and formulated its sun care line, ran the clinical studies behind claims on Sephora shelves and helped build an AI hair and scalp diagnostic platform now used by major beauty brands.

I'm also a Nike Running Ambassador, USATF Level 1 Coach and 3x Boston Marathon qualifier. Science and sport have always been the same thing to me: understand the body, test carefully and build what helps people perform.

Science

I have a Bachelor of Science in Materials Science and Engineering from MIT, a Master of Science in Cosmetic Science from the University of Cincinnati and a decade of formulating and developing products. I understand how ingredients and materials behave, and why.

Testing

I design clinical, consumer and athlete studies, from sweat resistance to perception research, and turn results into claims people can trust.

Community

As a Nike Running Ambassador, track club founder and run coach, I spend time with the people products are made for and bring what I learn back to the work.

Running and community

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(Pegasus relay, Greece)
Nike Pegasus 41 launch relay in Greece
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(TRE panel)
Panel at The Running Event
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(coaching or Hood to Coast)
Coaching runners on the track
  • 2024Nike Pegasus 41 launch relay, Greece. Selected as 1 of 41 runners worldwide; featured on Nike's Instagram.
  • 2024The Running Event. Hosted a women's event, interviewed pro athletes and spoke on a panel with an Olympian and a Nike coach.
  • 2024, 2025Hood to Coast captain. Built and led Nike-sponsored relay teams; 3rd among Nike teams in 2025.
  • 2025Nike After Dark Tour. Paced the 2:20 half-marathon group at the inaugural race.
  • 2025–nowRun coach. USATF Level 1 certified since 2019. Coached 5 first-time marathoners, with a 100% finish rate so far, including London and Chicago, and one runner nearly an hour faster in his second marathon. Now coaching 3 for the 2026 Chicago and New York City marathons.
  • 2020–2021GIRLAB and The Speed Project. Co-captain and strength coach for 40 women training for The Speed Project, the Los Angeles to Las Vegas relay. Raced it in 2021.
  • 2018–nowMarathoner. 8 marathons, including the Boston, Chicago and New York City World Marathon Majors. 3x Boston Marathon qualifier (best 3:15), self-coached.

Career

  • FitSkinR&D Consultant
    2026–now
  • Crown AffairSenior Product Development Manager
    2025
  • SOS Beauty GroupSenior Product Development Manager
    2023–2024
  • B.A.I. Biosciences and PaviseSenior Director of Product Development, Co-Founder
    2021–2022
  • John Paul Mitchell SystemsR&D Chemist
    2017–2021
  • Benefit CosmeticsLogistics Analyst and Procurement Planner
    2016–2017

Education

  • Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyB.S., Materials Science and Engineering
    2014
  • University of CincinnatiM.S., Cosmetic Science
    2020

Let's talk science and sport

I'd love to hear from teams working on product testing and innovation.