Clarins

Clarins was founded in Paris in 1954 by Jacques Courtin, a former medical student who opened the first Clarins Institute beauty spa at 35 Rue Tronchet. He drew the brand name from a school play character and legally adopted Courtin-Clarins in 1978. Early products included the 1962 Masvelt Body Shaping Cream and 1965 Tonic Body Treatment Oil, the first 100% pure plant extract oils sold in perfume stores. In 1968, Clarins pioneered commercializing these plant-based oils for home aromatherapy use.

The brand entered fragrances in 1987 with Eau Dynamisante, blending perfume and skincare benefits via plant extracts, creating the 'skinification' trend. A 1990 partnership with Thierry Mugler led to the 1992 launch of Angel, the first modern gourmand fragrance featuring ethyl maltol for praline and caramel notes, plus a blue-tinted liquid. Clarins expanded into the Clarins Fragrance Group, handling Mugler, Azzaro, and others. Jacques emphasized plant science, stating 'I wanted to make a connection between medicine and beauty, between science and the cosmetic world.'

Headquartered in Paris, Clarins grew from spa treatments to Europe's top luxury skincare brand by 1990, with global reach in 150 countries. Flagship Double Serum sells one bottle every 3 seconds worldwide.