Avon

Avon originated in New York in 1886 when David H. McConnell, a door-to-door book salesman, shifted to selling perfumes after noticing greater interest in free fragrance samples than books. He founded the California Perfume Company, starting with the Little Dot Perfume Set featuring scents like White Rose, Heliotrope, Violet, Hyacinth, and Lily of the Valley. In 1887, he hired Mrs. P.F.E. Albee as the first female sales representative, launching the direct-selling model that defined the company. The name changed to Avon in 1928, inspired by Stratford-upon-Avon, William Shakespeare's birthplace, with the official rebranding to Avon Products, Inc. in 1939.

Headquartered initially in Manhattan on Chambers Street, Avon expanded rapidly through catalogs and a network of representatives, reaching $1 million in sales by 1920. The 1929 logo depicted Anne Hathaway's cottage. By 1902, it offered a full cosmetics range, and in 1989 became the first major cosmetics firm to end animal testing. Avon pioneered economic opportunities for women via its representative system over a century ago.

In fragrances, Avon focuses on accessible, everyday scents with floral and fresh profiles suited to mass direct sales. Early products emphasized simple extracts, evolving to include novelty decanters from the 1960s.