L'Oreal vs Plum Goodness: Founders, CEOs and History

Company facts

Founders

CEOs and their tenures

Timeline: L'Oreal and Plum Goodness side by side

1. 1909L'Oreal

   Company Founded

   Eugène Schueller registers the Société Française de Teintures Inoffensives pour Cheveux in Paris with 800 francs in capital, beginning commercial sale of his Oréale hair dye formula to Parisian hairdressers.

2. 1912L'Oreal

   First International Expansion

   L'Oréal hair dyes reach distribution in the Netherlands, Austria, and Italy, establishing the international distribution ambition that would eventually span 150 countries.

3. 1929L'Oreal

   Imédia First Consumer Hair Dye

   L'Oréal introduces Imédia, the world's first hair dye product formulated for home application by consumers, marking the company's pivot from purely professional B2B to consumer-facing distribution.

4. 1963L'Oreal

   Euronext Paris IPO

   L'Oréal lists on the Paris Stock Exchange, providing capital for accelerated international expansion and establishing the public shareholder structure that persists today alongside the Bettencourt family's controlling stake.

5. 1971L'Oreal

   'Because You're Worth It' Campaign Launched

   Copywriter Ilon Specht creates the 'Because You're Worth It' tagline for L'Oréal Paris one of the most enduring advertising phrases in consumer goods history, reframing beauty products as expressions of female self-worth rather than instruments of male approva…

6. 1991L'Oreal

   Acquisition of La Roche-Posay

   L'Oréal acquires La Roche-Posay, the French dermo-cosmetic brand founded in 1975, establishing its first significant presence in the pharmacy channel and laying groundwork for what would become the Dermatological Beauty division.

7. 1996L'Oreal

   Maybelline Acquisition

   L'Oréal acquires Maybelline New York from Wasserstein Perella for approximately $758 million, instantly becoming the global leader in mass-market color cosmetics and significantly expanding its North American market position.

8. 2000L'Oreal

   Matrix and Kiehl's Acquisitions

   L'Oréal acquires professional hair care brand Matrix and American apothecary brand Kiehl's Since 1851, broadening both the professional channel and the prestige specialty retail presence in the U.S. Market.

9. 2013Plum Goodness

   Pureplay Skin Sciences Incorporated in Thane: Shankar Prasad incorporates Pureplay Skin Sciences in Thane, Maharashtra, to launch Plum as India's first 100% vegan beauty brand.

10. 2014Plum Goodness

    Debut of the Green Tea Skincare Range: Plum introduces its well-known Green Tea Clear Face Wash and Alcohol-Free Toner for oily and acne-prone skin, which becomes an enduring cult bestseller.

11. 2017L'Oreal

    CeraVe Acquisition $1.3 Billion

    L'Oréal acquires CeraVe, AcneFree, and Ambi from Valeant Pharmaceuticals for $1.3 billion.

12. 2017Plum Goodness

    Launch of the Plum Empties Recycling Program: Pioneers an eco-friendly recycling initiative, collecting empty plastic bottles and tubs from consumers in exchange for shopping credits.

13. 2018L'Oreal

    ModiFace Acquisition Beauty Tech

    L'Oréal acquires ModiFace, a Toronto-based augmented reality and artificial intelligence beauty technology company, establishing a proprietary virtual try-on and skin diagnostic platform deployed across brand apps, retail partner websites, and social media pla…

14. 2018Plum Goodness

    Unilever Ventures Backs Plum: Unilever Ventures invests in Plum, later joining the 2020 Series B and 2022 Series C rounds.

15. 2020Plum Goodness

    Launch of Plum BodyLovin' Gourmand Fragrance Line: Introduces Plum BodyLovin', offering whimsical bath and body collections with dessert-inspired fragrances (Vanilla Vibes, Hawaiian Rumba).

16. 2021L'Oreal

    Nicolas Hieronimus Becomes CEO

    Nicolas Hieronimus, a 30-year L'Oréal veteran who led the Luxe division's transformation, succeeds Jean-Paul Agon as Chief Executive Officer, bringing strategic continuity while accelerating digital commerce and sustainability investment.

17. 2022Plum Goodness

    A91 Partners Leads $35 Million Series C: Raises $35 million in a Series C led by A91 Partners with Unilever Ventures and Faering Capital, valuing Plum at about $250 million.

18. 2023L'Oreal

    Aesop Acquisition $2.5 Billion

    L'Oréal completes the acquisition of Aesop, the Australian premium natural beauty brand, from Natura &Co for $2.525 billion the company's largest acquisition in over a decade and a strategic entry into the premium wellness and natural beauty segment.

19. 2025L'Oreal

    FY2025 Sales Reach 44.052 Billion

    LOral reported 44.052 billion in FY2025 sales, 4.0% like-for-like growth, 8.892 billion in operating profit, 6.127 billion in net profit after non-controlling interests, and more than 95,000 employees.

20. 2025Plum Goodness

    First Full-Year Profit: FY25 revenue rises 23.3% to ~$46.6 million (₹402 crore) and the company posts a ~$2.9 million (₹25 crore) profit after a ~$9.74 million (₹84 crore) FY24 loss.

21. 2026L'Oreal

    Kering Beauté Acquisition Completed

    L'Oréal closed the ~$4.52 billion (€4 billion) purchase of Kering Beauté, including Creed, with 50-year licences for Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga and, from July 2027, Gucci.

22. 2026L'Oreal

    Record First-Half Margin

    H1 2026 sales reached ~$26.9 billion (€23.77 billion), up 6.8% like-for-like, with a record 21.3% operating margin.

Acquisitions

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