The way you style your hair, the shade your paint your nails, your moisturizer, your lipstick, and your scent of choice are all determined by 13 major companies. These conglomerates rule the beauty industry, employing thousands of people worldwide and determining the season's trends with hundreds of brands to their names.
Drag around and zoom into the knowledge graph below to explore the companies — COTY, Esteé Lauder, Johnson & Johnson, L'Oréal, Procter & Gamble, Shiseido, Unilever, Beiersdorf, AmorePacific, KAO Corporation, Revlon, LVMH, and KOSE — and their subsidiary brands.
Here are the 13 companies responsible for almost all of the products you'll find in the beauty aisle.
1. Coty
Founder: François Coty
CEO: Peter Harf
Total Brands: 49
The American multinational beauty company has been making headlines after scoring deals with Kim Kardashian West's KKW Beauty and Kylie Jenner's Kylie Cosmetics. But the beauty conglomerate has more than America's most famous family on its side. Coty counts 49 influential brands across the industry.
Coty's beauty brands, displayed in the knowledge graph above, include Covergirl, Clairol, Biocolor, Sally Hansen, Rimmel, OPI, Sassoon, Wella, Nioxin, Paixao, Nautica, Boujois, and 007 Fragrances.
2. Estée Lauder
Founder: Estée Lauder; Joseph Lauder
CEO: Fabrizio Freda
Total Brands: 29
Estée Lauder is behind some of the biggest brands in luxury skin care, makeup, fragrance, and hair.
Estée Lauder's beauty brands, displayed in the knowledge graph above, include Aveda, Becca, Bobbi Brown, Bumble and bumble, Clinique, Darphin, DKNY, Dr.Jart +, GLAMGLOW, La Mer, Lab Series, Le Labo, M·A·C, Michael Kors Beauty, Origins, Smashbox, Tom Ford Beauty, and Too Faced.
3. Johnson & Johnson
Founder: Robert Wood Johnson I; James Wood Johnson; Edward Mead Johnson
CEO: Alex Gorsky
Total Brands: 32
In addition to your first aid and household supplies, Johnson & Johnson owns the big name beauty and skin care brands you find at every drug store.
Johnson & Johnson's beauty brands, displayed in the knowledge graph above, include Neutrogena, Rogaine, Aveeno, Lubriderm, ROC, Clean and Clear, and Ogx.
4. L'Oréal
Founder: Eugène Schueller
CEO: Jean-Paul Agon
Total Brands: 36
L'Oréal brands are sold at your local drug store and your favorite beauty retailer, from everyday face wash to bold liquid eyeliner. The French cosmetics giant's range in price point and product offerings have made it a household name.
L'Oréal's beauty brands, displayed in the knowledge graph above, include La Roche Posay, Vichy, Skinceuticals, Cerave, L'Oreal Paris, Garnier, Maybelline, NYX, Essie, Lancome, Yves Saint Laurent, Kiehl's, Urban Decay, It Cosmetics, Ralph Lauren Fragrances, Redken, Kerastase, Pureology, and Matrix.
5. Procter & Gamble
Founder: James Gamble; William Procter
CEO: David S. Taylor
Total Brands: 28
P&G's brands are behind your classic drug store staples, and the corporation just keeps growing. Procter & Gamble's LinkedIn employee headcount has increased by 8% in just six months.
P&G's beauty brands, displayed in the knowledge graph above, include Olay, Pantene, Aussie, SK-II, Head & Shoulders, Herbal Essences, Gillette, and The Art Of Shaving.
6. Shiseido
Founder: Arinobu Fukuhara
CEO: Masahiko Uotani
Total Brands: 35
Products from the Japanese multinational personal care company can be found in cosmetic retailers and department stores alike.
Shiseido's beauty brands, displayed in the knowledge graph above, include Bare Minerals, Nars, Laura Mercier, Anessa, Aqualabel, Aupres, D-program, Elixir, Gracy, Haku, Integrate, Majolica-majorca, Maquillage, Prior, Puremild, Revital, Urara, and Za.
7. Unilever
Founder: William Lever; James Darcy Lever; Samuel van den Bergh; Georgе Schicht; Singrose
CEO: Alan Jope
Total Brands: 60
The British-Dutch multinational company focuses on hygiene, personal care, and nutrition. Its products are popular all around the world.
Unilever's beauty brands, displayed in the knowledge graph above, include Axe, Clear, Dove, Sunsilk, Lux, Aviance, Pond's, Simple, St.Ives, Suave, TIGI, TRESemmé, VO5, Andrélon, Creamsilk, Dawn, Folicuré, Le Sancy, and Organics.
8. Beiersdorf
Founder: Paul Carl Beiersdorf
CEO: Stefan De Loecker
Total Brands: 12
Beiersdorf is an international company that owns some of the biggest brands in basic skin care. In 2020, its job postings have more than doubled.
Beiersdorf's beauty brands, displayed in the knowledge graph above, include NIVEA, Eucerin, La Prairie, Labello, Hansaplast, Florena, Coppertone, Skin Stories, FLORENA, Fermented Skincare, and tesa.
9. AmorePacific
Founder: Yoon Dok-jeong
CEO: Suh Kyung-Bae; An Se-hong
Total Brands: 43
AmorePacific Group is a South Korean beauty and cosmetics conglomerate, with 43 beauty, personal care, and health brands. It's the world's 12th largest cosmetics company.
AmorePacific's beauty brands, displayed in the knowledge graph above, include Sulwhasoo, LANEIGE, Mamonde, innisfree, ETUDE, SIENU, HOLITUAL, primera, IOPE, HANYUL, LIRIKOS, and RAREKIND.
10. KAO Corporation
Founder: Tomiro Nagase
CEO: Michitaka Sawada
Total Brands: 30
KAO Corporation is a chemical and cosmetics company headquartered in Tokyo with stores, products, and salons all over the world.
KAO's beauty brands, displayed in the knowledge graph above, include Oribe, Jergens, John Frieda, RMK, Sensai, Asience, Kao Sekken White, Liese, Merit, MyKirei, and Rerise.
11. Revlon
Founder: Charles Revson; Joseph Revson; Charles Lachman
CEO: Debra Perelman
Total Brands: 37
Revlon is an American-based multinational cosmetics, skin care, fragrance, and personal care company. According to a 2019 survey, millennials ranked Revlon their eighth-most loyal brand, beloved for its high quality, affordable products.
Revlon's beauty brands, displayed in the knowledge graph above, include Elizabeth Arden, Almay, American Crew, CND, Cutex, Mitchum, and Britney Spears Fragrances.
12. LVMH
Founder: Charles Revson; Joseph Revson; Charles Lachman
CEO: Debra Perelman
Total Brands: 42
The French multinational corporation and conglomerate is a leader in luxury goods and cosmetics. LVMH is the parent company of Sephora, which features early 3,000 beauty brands on its own, along with its private label.
LVMH's beauty brands, displayed in the knowledge graph above, include Elizabeth Arden, Almay, American Crew, CND, Cutex, Mitchum, Benefit, Sephora, Guerlain, and Fenty by Rihanna.
13. KOSE
Founder: Kozaburo Kobayashi
CEO: Kazutoshi Kobayashi
Total Brands: 33
You may not have heard of the Tokyo-based conglomerate, but it owns some of the hottest brands at your favorite beauty retailer.
KOSE's beauty brands, displayed in the knowledge graph above, include Tarte, Nailholic, Fasio, Elsia, Sekkisei, Awake, Infinity, ACNEO by Dr. Phil Cosmetics, and Jill Stuart.
Flip through the interactive knowledge graphs to explore each conglomerate below.
About the Data:
Thinknum tracks companies using the information they post online, jobs, social and web traffic, product sales, and app ratings, and creates data sets that measure factors like hiring, revenue, and foot traffic. Data sets may not be fully comprehensive (they only account for what is available on the web), but they can be used to gauge performance factors like staffing and sales.
