Valley cosmetics
It was under the reign of Louis XIV that France established its expertise in cosmetics and perfumery.
The Sun King's court, frivolous and coquettish, was a great consumer of refined toiletries, perfumes and cosmetic powders
cosmetic powders.
Perfumery and cosmetics are millennia-old arts.
Even the sweetest fragrances were used in ancient temples
in ancient temples to honor the gods.
Roman aristocrats could spend veritable fortunes on unguents,
powders and creams to which they attributed many
many virtues.
Know-how in the Loire Valley
Valley cosmetics in the Middle Ages and Renaissance
Cosmetics and perfumery evolved gradually during the Middle Ages
and the Renaissance.
These two activities were driven in particular by advances in distillation
distillation, and the discovery of new fragrances and raw materials
imported from the Orient, Asia, Africa and the Americas.
France's international influence in the luxury goods, fashion,
perfumery and cosmetics has spanned generations.
Cosmetic Valley is the heir to this centuries-old tradition.
Cosmetic Valley between 1970 and 2000
From the 1970s onwards, the development of the perfumery and cosmetics sector
prompted many of the world's leading brands and their suppliers to locate their factories an hour south and west of Paris.
An industrial fabric gradually developed.
Created in 1994 by Jean-Paul Guerlain, Cosmetic Valley was originally focused on areas with a high concentration of players in the cosmetics and perfumery sector.
Cosmetic Valley today
Now the beating heart of the global cosmetics industry, Cosmetic Valley
is a reminder of France's strength and industrial leadership in the perfume and cosmetics sector.
It is the world's leading cosmetics cluster.
The biggest names and brands in the sector belong to this competitive cluster: Guerlain, Dior, Hermès, Lolita Lempicka, Chanel, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Veet, Dove, L'Oréal (via its subsidiaries Gemey-Maybelline and Yves Saint Laurent Beauté), Shiseido (via Jean Paul Gaultier, Issey Miyake, Serge Lutens), Caudalie, etc.
This formidable ecosystem fosters both local synergies and collective initiatives to promote "made in France".
Looking to the future, Cosmetic Valley is committed to ethical projects
and sustainable development.
In 2025, the French luxury cosmetics brand Sisley will be part of the Vendôme landscape.