10.Lancôme – Value in 2015: $3.98 billion
Lancôme is a French luxury perfumes and cosmetics house that distributes products internationally.Lancôme is part of the L’oreal Luxury Products division, which is its parent company and offers skin care, fragrances, and makeup at higher-end prices.Founded in 1935 by Armand Petitjean in France, as originally an fragrance house. The name “Lancôme” was inspired by the ruins of a castle, Le Château de Lancosme, while the roses in the area inspired the company’s symbol of the single golden rose.Lancôme launched its first five fragrances in 1935 at the World’s Fair in Brussels: Tendre Nuit, Bocages, Conquete, Kypre and Tropiques. Petitjean entered into the luxury skincare market, launching Nutrix, his first “all-purpose repair cream” in 1936, followed by make-up, cosmetics, and skincare products. Lancôme was acquired by L’oreal in 1964, and quickly became part of its luxury products division.
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