Clarins

Clarins

Company type	Private
Industry	Cosmetics
Founded	1954; 72 years ago (1954)
Founder	Jacques Courtin-Clarins
Headquarters	Paris , France
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Jonathan Zrihen, CEO
Products	Makeup, skincare, perfumes
Owner	Courtin-Clarins Family
Number of employees	8,500[1]
Website	www.groupeclarins.com

Clarins is a global leader in luxury skincare and cosmetics, renowned for its pioneering fusion of science and nature. Founded in Paris in 1954 by Jacques Courtin‑Clarins,^[2] the brand revolutionized the beauty industry by being the first company to add plant extracts to skincare for their unique benefits.^[3]

With products crafted exclusively in France and exported to nearly 150 countries, the company's products are sold both online and at high-end department stores and retailers.^[4] The brand has been the number one luxury skincare brand in Europe since in 1990s,^[5] and its flagship Double Serum is ranked the bestselling serum worldwide, with one bottle sold every 3 seconds.^[6][7]

Clarins owns numerous brands including its eponymous brand Clarins, myBlend,^[8] ILIA Beauty,^[9] and was a major player in the fragrance industry through the Clarins Fragrance Group until it sold its fragrance division to L'Oréal in 2020.^[10]

Founding and Early History

Clarins was founded in 1954 by Jacques Courtin-Clarins, a former medical student, who opened the first Clarins Institute at 35 rue Tronchet in Paris.^[11] The Clarins Institute was a day spa that focused on a holistic vision for beauty, and Jacques created tailor-made formulations for his clients there.^[12] Courtin-Clarins said of his vision: "I wanted to make a connection between medicine and beauty, between science and the cosmetic world." ^[13] His early approach focused on using plant-based ingredients and promoting wellness as part of skincare, an approach that distinguished it from many competitors in the post-war French beauty industry.^[14]

The company’s early success was driven by demand for products such as its first product in 1962, the Masvelt Body Shaping Cream and Tonic Body Treatment Oil three years later in 1965.^[15] Clarins Body and Face Oils emphasized the use of pure plant extracts and was the first ever 100% plant derived beauty oil. ^[13]

One of Clarins' early bespoke clients included Queen Elizabeth II who commissioned Clarins to produce a custom red lipstick shade to match the red Robe of State for her royal coronation. The Queen requested that the lipstick should be “pink to red” or as a “deep, ruby red with soft undertones." The same lipstick is still sold today as the Joli Rogue Lipstick.^{[16] [17]} Since then, Clarins has remained a favorite within the British royal household, with its products regularly used by members of the royal family. In recognition of this long-standing relationship, the brand was granted a Royal Warrant in 2007, an honor awarded to only a select few beauty companies.^[18] Queen Elizabeth used the Hand and Nail Treatment Cream and Ever Matte Radiant Mattifying Powder, while Princess Kate Middleton uses Clarins Lip Perfector.^[19][20]

Expansion and Family Leadership

In the 1970s, Clarins began expanding internationally under the leadership of Jacques’ son, Christian Courtin-Clarins. The brand grew steadily, launching new product lines and entering department stores and duty-free channels globally.^[21] By 1971, Clarins was sold in almost 15 countries with multiple subsidiaries opening up from Europe to Asia. In 1980, Clarins became the leading luxury skin care brand in France. In 1981, it opened its first U.S. subsidiary, Clarins USA, based in New York City.^[22]

In 1984, Clarins became a public company and was listed on the Paris Stock Exchange, fueling major expansions including the opening of a new manufacturing facility in Pontoise.^[23]

In 1985, Clarins released its now-flagship Double Serum, combining water- and oil-soluble ingredients in a dual-chamber design.^[24] Since then, the product has been reformulated numerous times, keeping it at the forefront of skincare technology. Double Serum has won nearly 450 beauty awards, has been the number one selling anti-aging serum in the UK since 2013, and a bottle is sold every three seconds. ^[25][7]

In 1987, Clarins launched their first fragrance, Eau Dynamisante, which has since become a cult favorite and brought the company to further study the benefits of aromatherapy. ^[26] During that same year, Clarins made its mark on the future of the skincare industry, becoming the first French company and one of the first beauty companies worldwide to discontinue animal testing.^[27][28]

Clarins introduced its first makeup collection in 1991, alongside a line of products featuring an anti-pollution complex. ^[29] Since then, the brand’s makeup offerings have included several bestsellers, such as the Joli Rouge Lipstick and Lip Comfort Oil. Clarins is credited with pioneering the modern lip oil trend by creating the world first lip oil in 2014.^[30][31]

In 2002, Clarins unveiled its first line targeted towards men called ClarinsMen. The line features professional shave products, cleansers, moisturizers, eye creams, among other specialty men's skincare items. ^[32]

After nearly 25 years as a publicly traded company, in 2008, the Courtin-Clarins family made a €680 million buyout of minority shareholders to delist the company and bring it back to being a private, family-owned company.^[33] In 2010, Virginie, Claire, Prisca, Christian, and Jenna Courtin-Clarins became members of the Clarins Supervisory Board to ensure the company's mission kept with the original vision of founder Jacques Courtin-Clarins.

Recent Developments

In 2018, Clarins began producing its own plant-based ingredients at Domaine Clarins, an open-air laboratory located in a protected area of the French Alps near Serraval, dedicated to sustainable cultivation and research.^[34] This initiative was further expanded in 2024 when Clarins announced it acquired a vast natural area of 115 hectares located in the South of France near Nimes.Clarins calls this laboratory Domaine Clarins Sainte-Colombe.^[35] Domaine Clarins became the first-ever site in the cosmetics industry to receive Regenerative Organic Certified status in January 2025, recognizing its adherence to strict standards for soil health, animal welfare, and social fairness in regenerative agriculture.^[36]

In 2020, Clarins sold its fragrance division, Clarins Fragrance Group, as part of a strategy to focus on its core business of skincare and cosmetics.^[37] In 2018, the Clarins Fragrance Group alone generated nearly $400 million USD in sales.^[38] Fragrance brands sold included Thierry Mugler, Azzaro, David Yurman, Porsche Design and Swarovski perfumes.^[39] Clarins did not sell their eponymous aromatherapy focused fragrance line which includes Eau Dynamisante, Eau de Jardins, Eau Ressourçante, Eau Extraordinaire, and Eau Ensoleillante. ^[40]

Clarins has continued to introduce new product lines and innovations. In 2019, the company expanded its product offerings with the launch of MyClarins, a vegan and cruelty free skincare range targeted at women aged 18 to 29^[41]. In 2022, it relaunched myBlend, a personalized skincare brand first introduced in 2007, with new environmentally focused formulations and packaging.^[42] That same year, Clarins also acquired ILIA Beauty, an American brand known for its clean makeup products.^[43] In 2023, the company launched Clarins Precious, an ultra-luxury anti-aging skincare collection that utilizes a rare Moonlight Flower cryoextract.^[44]

Clarins was instrumental in introducing a plant-based retinol alternative, called Harungana. Numerous studies have shown it's as effective as retinol for anti-aging, while being significantly less irritating than retinol and bakuchiol.^[45][46][47]

References

External links

• Official website
• Clarins Group official website
• "Christian Courtin-Clarins". Time. November 29, 2005.