Why Yves Rocher Is The Real Deal And Original Botanical Beauty Expert

Yves Rocher has been plant-based before it even became trendy

Botanist, harvester, manufacturer and distributer, the Yves Rocher brand is named for its founder, a French entrepreneur.

In 1959 he made his first cream, using a local perennial plant, in the attic of his house in the small village of La Gacilly in the Brittany region of France, where he later served as mayor for 40 years. Rocher was one of the first to use what was then a groundbreaking sales method in the world of cosmetics: He sold through catalogue and mail order to consumers all around France. (This French brand also taught us how French women always seem to have everything pulled together.)

Over the next five decades, Rocher, who passed away in 2009, earned awards for both his leadership and his efforts to give back. In 1991, the Yves Rocher Foundation was created to support nature-preservation and environmental-education initiatives in more than 50 countries.

The Yves Rocher family tree

Yves Rocher is still a family-run company: Grandson Bris Rocher became CEO in 2009. The company controls the entire life cycle of its fragrances, skincare and makeup products, says Annie-Claude Lachance, communications and public relations manager for Yves Rocher North America Inc., which is based in Longueuil, Que. “This allows us to lower our environmental impact, guarantee where our botanical ingredients come from and offer quality at an accessible price.”

The brand boasts 30 million customers and operates stores in 88 countries, including Russia and China and Canada. And it is still a mail-order company, too. (Check out our favourite French products!)

What’s new: The Pure Calmille line is made with the key ingredient camomile essential oil. Your favourite sleepy time tea has soothing benefits, which makes this skincare collection lightweight and great for most skin types.

Inspired to take a trip to France? Check out our healthy guide to Paris.