L'Oréal Group was founded in 1909 by French chemist Eugène Schueller in Paris, beginning with a single hair dye formula he developed and sold to Parisian hairdressers before incorporating the company formally in 1919.
The company is now the world's largest cosmetics company by revenue, selling across more than 150 countries through 37 international brands including Lancôme, Maybelline, Garnier, and Kérastase, reaching approximately 82 million customers daily.
Headquartered in Clichy, France, L'Oréal trades on Euronext Paris under ticker OR today.
About L'Oréal Group
| Sector | Consumer Staples |
| Industry | Cosmetics & Personal Care |
| CEO | Nicolas Hieronimus |
| Website | loreal.com |
| Headquarters | Clichy, Hauts-de-Seine, France |
| Founded | 1909 |
| Status | Public (Euronext Paris: OR) |
L'Oréal Group Founders
Eugène Schueller
Founder; chemist who formulated the first safe synthetic hair dye in 1907 and established the Société Française de Teintures Inoffensives pour Cheveux in 1909
L'Oréal Group History
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1909
Eugène Schueller founds the company in Paris to commercialize his Auréale hair dye formula, selling directly to Parisian hairdressers and building the foundation of a global cosmetics business.
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1963
L'Oréal lists on the Paris Stock Exchange, raising public capital that accelerates its international expansion and the acquisition of brands such as Lancôme, which it had purchased in 1964.
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1973
Nestlé acquires a 26% stake in L'Oréal, forming a strategic cross-shareholding with the Bettencourt family that provides financial stability and supports the company's global expansion for decades.
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1996
L'Oréal acquires Maybelline for $758 million, gaining a powerful mass-market American makeup brand and significantly expanding its footprint in the US and Asian cosmetics markets.
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2023
L'Oréal reports record annual revenue of €41.2 billion, surpassing prior highs as demand for premium skincare and dermatological products drives growth across all divisions globally.
FAQs
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Who owns L'Oréal?
L'Oréal is publicly traded on Euronext Paris. The Bettencourt Meyers family — descendants of founder Eugène Schueller — holds approximately 34.7% of shares. Nestlé holds around 20.1%. The remainder trades freely on public markets. -
When did L'Oréal come out?
L'Oréal was founded in 1909 by Eugène Schueller in Paris. The company was formally incorporated as Société L'Oréal in 1919 and listed on the Paris Stock Exchange in 1963. -
Is L'Oréal an American company?
No. L'Oréal is a French company founded in Paris in 1909 and headquartered in Clichy, France. It trades on Euronext Paris. While it owns American brands like Maybelline, L'Oréal itself is French-owned and French-listed. -
Who made the L'Oréal logo?
L'Oréal's current wordmark logo uses a custom serif typeface and has been refined over decades in-house and through external brand agencies. The Paris motto tagline "Because You're Worth It" was created by McCann Erickson in 1973.