Lancôme heads back to floral beginnings with rose farm acquisition

By Sarah Parsons | Published: 5-Oct-2020

The L'Oréal brand and maker of La Vie Est Belle plans to expand into sourcing organic ingredients

L'Oréal-owned luxury perfume and cosmetics house Lancôme is now the owner of a 500-year-old rose and aromatic flower estate in Grasse, France.

Called Domaine de la Rose by Lancôme, according to the brand, the 4-acre farmland enables the prestige company to pursue Ecocert organic and sustainable ingredient sourcing.

Since the 18th century, the Grasse region of France is best known as the 'world's capital of perfumery' due to its particular microclimate that is suitable for flower farming.

"Thanks to this exceptional estate, Lancôme becomes an owner and producer of organic roses that will be used in our fragrances," said Françoise Lehmann, Lancôme's Global Brand President.

"The brand, which is already established in the region, via the use of roses produced in Valensole, will continue to cultivate flowers as part of its sustainable sourcing approach.

"Lancôme is also keen on sharing know-how around the rose to internal and external audiences in a spirit of learning and transmission."

The maker of La Vie Est Belle parfum reported that its "ultimate ambition" is to develop a zero waste approach, to use all parts of the rose bush, and develop new active ingredients.

Aside from rose production, Lancôme has plans to begin beekeeping and grow iris, jasmine, lavender, bitter orange, tuberose and osmanthus, as well as aromatic plants including immortelle, verbena and Madonna lily.

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