Clarins is a French, family-owned multinational cosmetics company founded in Paris in 1954, who opened the first Clarins beauty institute on Rue Tronchet.[1] Clarins subsequently expanded into product development. Although more than 95% of its products are exported worldwide, they remain formulated and designed in Clarins Laboratories in France. The Clarins and My Blend brands[2] are available at high-end department stores and selected retailers; it operates in over 150 countries[3] and is a major luxury skincare brand in Europe.[2]
Early development emphasized plant-based formulations and skincare treatments offered at the original institute.[4]
The brand has a strong presence all around the world, recognized for its expertise in plant-based ingredients and scientific research, and is frequently cited among the leading premium skincare companies in Europe.[5]
Clarins also own two research laboratories, one in Pontoise, France, and another in Shanghai, China.[6] Its skincare products are formulated, developed, and manufactured in France, where the group owns two production sites, in Pontoise and in Troyes.
History
Significant milestones in the history of Clarins:
1954: Jacques Courtin-Clarins opens his first Beauty Institute on Rue Tronchet in Paris.[7]
1968: Clarins creates its Client Card,[8] which is included in the packaging of Clarins skincare products.
1974: Christian Courtin-Clarins joins the company as Director of Exports.[9]
1984: Clarins is listed on the secondary market of the Paris stock exchange, which is a real development opportunity for the company.[10]
1994: Olivier Courtin-Clarins joins Clarins as a board member after a successful medical career.[11]
2002: Clarins launches the ClarinsMen range for men.[12]
2008: Clarins is delisted from the Paris stock exchange.[10]
2010: Virginie, Claire, Prisca and Jenna Courtin-Clarins become members of the Supervisory Board.[13]
2011: After having held the position of Chairman of the Board since 2000, Christian Courtin-Clarins is named President of the Supervisory Board.
2015: After more than 25 years of experience working for Clarins, Jonathan Zrihen is appointed President & CEO.[14]
2017: After her role as Head of Development and New Concepts, Jenna Courtin-Clarins becomes an ambassador for the brand.
2018: After her time as Managing Director at Mugler Mode, Virginie Courtin-Clarins is appointed Deputy CEO.[15]
2018: After working as Clarins' Director of Spas, Retail & My Blend, Prisca Courtin-Clarins becomes a member of the Supervisory Board as a representative of Famille C, the holding company of the Courtin-Clarins family.[16]
2018: Clarins researches and produces its first ingredients at Domaine Clarins,[17] an outdoor laboratory in the heart of a protected area in the Alps
2020: Clarins hands over Mugler & Azzaro to L'Oréal to refocus on beauty, its core business, with Clarins and My Blend.[18][19][20]
2022: Clarins launches a traceability platform for its products called the Clarins T.R.U.S.T. that utilizes blockchain technology.[22]
2022: Clarins relaunches its personalized skincare brand, MyBlend. It was first introduced in 2007 and relaunched in 2022 with an environmentally-friendly reformulation.[23]
2022: Clarins acquires ILIA, an American clean beauty brand specializing in make-up.[24]
2023: Clarins introduces Precious, a luxurious anti-aging skincare line.[25][26]
2024: Clarins acquires a new estate in the Gard region of France, with the aim of turning it into a resource site for sourcing exceptional raw materials.[27]
2025: Virginie Courtin, Managing Director of Clarins Group, ranks 1st in the prestigious Institut Choiseul 100 2025 ranking.[28]
2025: Clarins partners with the ILO (International Labour Organization), the specialized agency of the United Nations to promote disability inclusion.[29]
Groupe Clarins is a privately held, family-owned company, taken private in 2008,[31] whose governance combines a family-controlled supervisory board with professional management. In 2022, third‑generation family member Prisca Courtin was appointed chair of the Supervisory Board and Virginie Courtin became managing director, while longtime executive Jonathan Zrihen serves as President and Chief Executive Officer since 2015. This structure is frequently cited as balancing continuity of the founding vision with modern managerial practices: “For 70 years, Clarins has benefited from its independent family model to build a long-term vision and make a real commitment to sustainable development”.[32]
NPD Beauty Trends®, marché sélectif du Soin marques prestige, ventes en valeur, sur la période cumulée de Janvier à Décembre 2020, total 3 pays (France, Italie, UK).
The Clarins brand is globally recognized for high-end skincare and known for incorporating its skincare expertise into its formulations.[1] Its formulations emphasize plant science ingredients and green formulation principles, combining botanical research with skin dermatological discoveries. Product development often integrates scientific innovation, and the brand has received awards for its efficacy and quality.[2]
The skincare range covers anti-aging, hydration, and firming treatments,[3] while the makeup line focuses on natural looks enhanced by plant-based ingredients.
The company regularly updates its formulas[4] to integrate advances in plant science and dermatology, maintaining a focus on ongoing innovation, efficacy, safety, and sensory qualities.
Products
The company began in the 1950s with plant-based oils made from 100% plant extracts, which supported its expansion from the original Beauty Institute in Paris into product development and retail. In 1985, Clarins introduced the Double Serum, considered one of its best-selling skincare products[5]. The brand expanded into makeupin 1991[6]and launched ClarinsMen in 2002[7], followed by My Clarins in 2019[8] and the Precious line in 2023[9], its most premium skincare range.
Double Serum considered one of its best-selling skincare products. The serum was notable for combining water- and oil-soluble active ingredients in a single formulation, allowing it to address multiple signs of aging simultaneously[10]. The formula has been updated over time and is now in its ninth generation, incorporating research in areas such longevity and epigenetics[11][12].
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