Rimmel London is nothing short of a beauty category definer, having built a mascara empire that not only changed the game format-wise, but has lasted for an impressive 166 years.
The Coty-owned make-up player debuted its first lash darkener, Cosmétique Superfin, in 1860 to meet consumer needs for a safer way to define lashes, and from there it has built a mascara empire that has repeatedly pushed forward innovation to make application and results better.
From the early days of solid block (known as ‘cakes’), to the cream-based and brush-on wand formats and formulas we know today, the heritage player’s influence in the mascara category can not be disputed.
Rimmel London is to mascara what Hoover is to vacuum cleaners
“We believe heritage gives us that credibility, but innovation and constant evolution keeps us competitive,” says Janine Fernandes, VP Rimmel London and Max Factor.
“Our current best-selling mascaras still have deep heritage – our 100% waterproof Scandaleyes Mascara is still among our bestsellers – but then Thrill Seeker, our newest evolution, has done incredibly well.
“This will be how we continue to define the future of the Rimmel London mascara category.”
Fernandes lifts the lid on Rimmel London’s mascara origin story and how it has remained a successful beauty franchise in Cosmetics Business ‘Untold Story’ series.
Rimmel London's first lash darkener, Cosmétique Superfin, launched in 1860
How Rimmel’s mascara franchise came to be…
Rimmel London began as a fragrance house in London, UK, in 1834, but quickly expanded its remit into other hygiene and beauty products by the 1850s.
One of the company’s earliest debut’s into this category was Cosmétique Superfin in 1860 – a hair darkener for everything from eyelashes and brows, to moustaches and gray hairs.
It is generally considered to be one, if not the first, non-toxic commercial mascara.
“It was created to replace dangerous, homemade lash darkeners with a safe, affordable and non-toxic alternative,” explains Fernandes.
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“[At the time], people were darkening their lashes using lamp black – an oily soot from
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