Luxury Cosmetics Brand: Clarins

The French cosmetics industry is renowned for its luxurious and rare products, including many innovative offerings that people have become obsessed with. One of the earliest luxury cosmetic brands to emerge from this industry was Clarins, a Parisian company founded in 1954. Clarins was designed to be responsive to people’s needs and rely solely on natural ingredients rather than chemicals. These principles have been integral to the brand’s continued worldwide popularity and growing demand for nearly 70 years. 

Founding and Early History of Clarins: From Massages to Essential Oils

Jacques Courtin, a French chiropractor, founded the Clarins brand in 1954 when he opened a beauty spa in Paris. The goal was to offer people products that felt authentic and relatable, starting with body massages that tightened and improved circulation in the skin. The brand name “Clarins” originated from a character Courtin played in school. Courtin used essential oils, which he formulated himself, initially only for massages but later as some of the company’s first products. During the 1960s, the fashion industry experienced a rise in modeling. Courtin saw this as an opportunity to showcase the benefits of herbal products to a wider audience.

Since its introduction in 1962, Clarins’ “Body Shaping Cream” has helped countless women achieve their ideal body shape and reduce the appearance of cellulite. The company improved the quality of all of its products and introduced loyalty cards to go along with its best sellers to meet the needs of its growing customer base. In 1968, the company started stocking its fragrance shops with 100% pure plant extract oils in response to customer demand.

 

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Clarins’ Global Expansion and Transition to Family Business

In 1974, Jacques Courtin made Clarins a family business by hiring his son, Christian Courtin, as Director of Exports and international spokesperson. The company also expanded to 128 countries that year, resulting in a significant increase in sales and making the Courtins a wealthy family.

Serge Rosinoer, Clarins’ Vice-President in the late 1970s, played a significant role in the company’s global success. He later served on the Supervisory Board for a time. His efforts contributed to Clarins’ listing on the Paris Stock Exchange in 1984, which led to significant growth for the company.

In the 1980s, the company also saw an expansion of its American branches, indicating its growing success in the region. In 1987, Clarins became the first modern company to stop using animals in any phase of product development or research. In 1990, it was recognized as the top luxury skincare brand in Europe.

Environmental Responsibility and Expansion into Perfumes

In the 1990s, Clarins launched several innovative makeup collections, including the “You, even more beautiful” collection in 1991. The brand also released its first exclusive anti-pollution range that year in response to concerns about the environmental impacts of skincare products. 

At roughly the same time, Clarins started investing in perfumes, creating the Clarins Group and acquiring Mugler Perfumes. In 1995, the rapidly expanding company also added Azzaro Parfums.

Clarins’ Continuous Expansion and Broadening its Target Audience

While Clarins’ original products were aimed at women, in 2002, they launched ClarinsMen, a line designed with men in mind. In 2005, Clarins Group had 19 international subsidiaries spread across more than 150 locations. Christian Courtin, Jacques’s son, served as President of the Supervisory Board in 2010. His brother Olivier Courtin ran Clarins as its Managing Director. In 2013, Jacques Courtin’s granddaughters Prisca and Virginie Courtin were promoted to Marketing & Communication Director for Mugler Fashion and Retail Director.

In order to return its attention to its core business—beauty—Clarins sold its fragrance brands and launched Clarins and My Blend. Both the Azzaro Parfum and the Mugler Perfume lines were handed over to L’Oréal in 2018. This acquisition was finalized in 2019. My Clarins, a line of cosmetics aimed at women aged 18 to 29, was released that same year as Clarins’s broader expansion.

 

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Why Clarins is One of the Top Beauty Brands

Clarins is considered a top beauty brand for several reasons. One reason is the company’s long history and experience in the beauty industry. Founded in 1954, Clarins has over 70 years of expertise in creating high-quality skincare and beauty products. Clarins has always used natural ingredients like plant extracts and essential oils instead of synthetic ones like fragrances and preservatives. This has helped it attract a devoted following of people who care about the environment and want to support sustainable businesses.

In addition to its natural ingredients, Clarins is known for its innovative and effective products. The brand has a wide range of skincare, makeup, and fragrance products designed to meet its customers’ diverse needs and preferences. Clarins also invests in research and development to continually improve its products and stay at the forefront of the beauty industry.

Clarins’ global reach and popularity also contribute to the brand’s prominence. The company is well-established in a wide range of international markets. It is known for its luxury products, which have a loyal customer base. Clarins’ combination of experience, natural ingredients, innovative products, and global popularity has helped it earn its reputation as a top beauty brand.

 

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The Types of Products You Can Buy Under Clarins

Clarins is a luxury skincare and beauty brand that offers a wide range of products across various categories. Some of the types of products that Clarins sells include:

  • Skincare: Clarins offers multiple skincare options to address individual concerns and skin types. Products like cleansers, toners, serums, moisturizers, eye creams, facial oils, and face masks fall into this category. The line of skincare products was developed to nourish, hydrate, and revitalize the skin using only natural ingredients like plant extracts and essential oils.
  • Makeup: Among the many cosmetics available from Clarins are concealers, powders, blushes, eye shadows, mascaras, and lipsticks. The makeup line is well-known for its high-quality formulations, which are meant to highlight the skin’s inherent attractiveness.
  • Fragrances: There is a selection of fragrances for both men and women available from Clarins. Eau de toilettes, perfumes, and scented body products like lotions and creams fall into this category. Because of their unique blend of essential oils and plant extracts, the brand’s perfumes are widely regarded as among the most luxurious and sophisticated in the world.
  • Men’s products: Clarins offers men’s skincare, grooming, and fragrance products. These include cleansers, moisturizers, aftershaves, and colognes. Natural ingredients are used to create this line of men’s products, tailored to the specific needs of male skin.
  • Body care: Lotions, creams, oils, and treatments are just a few of the many body care items available from Clarins. The skin will be nourished, hydrated, and revitalized by using these items because of the natural ingredients used in their production.

 

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Before Japanese and Korean brands entered the cosmetics industry, many beauty enthusiasts dreamed of emulating the classic French approach to makeup. Clarins is one of the trailblazers when it comes to the French cosmetics industry. To this day, Clarins is a well-respected and highly regarded beauty brand with a long history of creating innovative and effective skincare, makeup, and fragrance products. Its long history of success and commitment to innovation and natural ingredients have helped it earn its reputation as a top beauty brand.