Behind the scenes at your favorite companies.

In 1976, inspired by the scents of his native Provence, 23-year-old Olivier Baussan purchased an old-fashioned steam distiller and began mixing up his own fragrances to sell at local markets. Equally intrigued by the soap-making tradition of Marseille, he soon discovered an old soap-making factory and reintroduced the use of vegetable fat as a moisturizing ingredient. Today, the humble company Baussan founded, L’Occitane, has grown to encompass more than 500 stores, hundreds of employees, and a loyal customer base worldwide.

L’Occitane—meaning “the woman from Occitania,” a region that once joined the south of France, northern Italy, and northeastern Spain, which is best known today as Provence—celebrates the richness of its Mediterranean roots not only with products that evoke the area’s lush beauty, but also by using locally grown ingredients and time-honored manufacturing methods. “Partnerships with producers all over the Mediterranean assure that the best ingredients are harvested, including the finest olive oil, essential oils, and verbena extracts,” says the brand’s public-relations manager, Corinne Zadigan.

What’s more, L’Occitane lovers can count on their cosmetics containing only the purest shea butter. In keeping with its commitment to produce products with traceable and natural ingredients, in 1981 the brand established a fair-trade agreement with a women’s cooperative in Burkina Faso, West Africa, where its shea fruit is harvested. As part of the agreement, L’Occitane contributes to the financial independence of the 3,500-member cooperative. The company’s sense of responsibility also extends to its packaging. “All L’Occitane paper bags are manufactured with paper from windfall and eco-clearing from the Landaise Forest in Provence,” Zadigan says. In addition, the products are never tested on animals and contain no animal by-products, other than honey.

The brand’s overarching mission, Zadigan explains, is “to create a harmony between one’s inner well being and the pleasures of the senses.” And Provence dans tous les sens—“all the senses of Provence”—is not only L’Occitane’s raison d'être; it’s also an association the company’s employees founded to inspire poorly sighted children and young adults through fragrance. Along these lines, most of the brand’s packaging includes braille labeling.

L’Occitane best-selling products currently include its Shea Butter Hand Cream, Ultra Rich Body Cream, and Body Lotion; the Verbena Harvest Shower Gel, Body Milk, and Eau de Toilette; and the Olive Oil Tress Distresser, Extra-Gentle Shampoo, and Face Toner. And although the company has several new launches on the horizon, don’t expect to see glitz or glam anytime soon. As Zadigan concludes, “L’Occitane has always remained true to its founder’s values of sensorality, authenticity, and respect.”

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