Avon
An international beauty and personal-care company built around direct selling and independent representatives.
Last updated October 7, 2026
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Overview
Avon Products Inc., commonly known as Avon, is an international beauty and personal-care company whose historic business model combines cosmetics, skin care, fragrance, toiletries, fashion accessories, and related products with direct selling through independent representatives. The company is associated with the phrase “Avon calling” and with a large network of representatives who traditionally sold products through personal visits, printed brochures, demonstrations, and later digital channels. The business began in New York in 1886, when David H. McConnell, originally a door-to-door book salesman, started offering perfume as an alternative to books. The enterprise was initially developed as the California Perfume Company. Alexander D. Henderson joined in 1894 and helped establish the company's organizational and operating structure. A laboratory was built in Suffern, New York, in 1897, and the company expanded beyond the United States, entering Canada in 1914. The Avon name began appearing on products in 1928, and the corporate name changed to Avon Products, Inc. in 1939. Avon's commercial identity rests on the relationship between the brand and its representatives. Representatives are generally independent sellers rather than employees, and historically earned income from product sales and, in some markets, from recruiting or supporting additional sellers. The model allowed Avon to reach customers in markets where conventional beauty retail was less developed, while also creating flexible income opportunities for sellers. Its product portfolio has included makeup, perfume, skin care, bath and body products, hair products, jewelry, apparel, and accessories. Recognized ranges and names have included Avon Color, Anew, Clearskin, Skin So Soft, Avon Care, Avon Senses, Imari, Far Away, Black Suede, and Today Tomorrow Always. The company became a major global beauty business, operating in more than 100 countries and generating most of its revenue outside the United States by the early 2010s. Brazil became its largest market during that period. Avon also entered China in 1990; after China's 1998 restrictions on direct selling, it used retail locations and other permitted channels before receiving a direct-selling license in 2006. In later years, the company faced weakening sales, pressure on its North American operations, changing consumer purchasing habits, regulatory scrutiny, and costly restructuring. North American operations were separated into New Avon LLC in 2016, while the international parent moved its global headquarters to London. Avon pursued several strategic transactions during this period. It acquired direct seller Silpada in 2010, received an investment from Cerberus Capital Management after separating its North American business, and sold its remaining United States factory in 2018. In 2019, Natura & Co. agreed to acquire Avon Products. The transaction closed in January 2020, making Avon a privately held business and removing its common stock from the NYSE. New Avon, the separately established North American company, was subsequently acquired by LG Household & Health Care in 2019 and changed its corporate name to The Avon Company in 2021. Avon remains a globally recognized beauty brand within Natura &Co.'s broader portfolio. Its continuing identity is shaped by its representative network, catalog and social-commerce heritage, broad mass-market beauty assortment, and long-standing emphasis on accessible products and entrepreneurship. The brand has also addressed major reputational issues, including a United States investigation into alleged bribery connected with its China operations and criticism over animal-testing requirements in certain markets. In 2019, Avon stated that it had ended regulatory-required animal testing across its brands by developing alternative approaches and reformulating products.
History
Avon's origins date to 1886, when David H. McConnell founded the California Perfume Company after discovering that perfume samples were more appealing to customers than the books he was selling. The company initially distributed fragrances through traveling sales representatives and gradually developed a direct-selling organization. This structure became the foundation of the brand's later commercial identity. The Avon name was introduced in the early twentieth century and became associated with a broad range of beauty products and a nationwide network of representatives. The company expanded from fragrance into cosmetics, skin care, toiletries and accessories, using printed brochures, personal demonstrations and door-to-door selling. Its sales force became culturally recognizable, and the opportunity to become an Avon representative was promoted as a flexible way to earn income. During the twentieth century Avon expanded internationally. Its direct-selling system was adapted to local markets, and the company built especially strong positions in Latin America and other regions where personal commerce and community-based selling were important. Avon also developed large-scale manufacturing, distribution and marketing capabilities to support frequent product cycles and localized catalogs. The company became a public multinational and was led for many years by executives including Andrea Jung. Under Jung, Avon emphasized brand modernization, international growth and a more contemporary image while retaining the representative channel. The business subsequently encountered declining sales in several markets, increasing competition from specialty retailers and online beauty sellers, operational complexity and investigations or compliance challenges connected with its international activities. In 2015, Avon Products sold its North American business to Cerberus Capital Management. The transaction separated the North American operations from the international Avon Products group, although the Avon brand continued in multiple markets under different corporate arrangements. Avon Products later pursued restructuring and cost-reduction measures as it attempted to stabilize the remaining international business. Natura &Co agreed to acquire Avon Products in 2019. The transaction was completed later that year and brought Avon into a beauty group that also included Natura, The Body Shop and Aesop. The combination gave Natura greater international scale while giving Avon access to a group with significant experience in direct selling and Latin American beauty markets. Natura &Co subsequently reviewed its portfolio and operating structure. In 2023, the group announced plans to separate the Aesop business through a sale to L'Oréal. In 2024, Natura &Co announced an agreement to sell Avon's international operations outside Latin America to an affiliate of Regent, while keeping the Latin American Avon business. This means that Avon's current corporate organization is territory-dependent and has changed materially from the unified multinational structure associated with Avon Products, Inc. Today Avon remains an active beauty brand. Its product categories include fragrance, makeup, skin care, bath and body care and accessories. The company continues to draw on its representative heritage while using websites, mobile tools, social media and online ordering to support representatives and consumers. Its historical significance lies in combining mass-market beauty branding with a large-scale distributed sales network and in making direct beauty selling a familiar form of commerce in many countries.
- 2024
Proposed sale of Avon international business
[3]Natura &Co announced an agreement to sell Avon operations outside Latin America to an affiliate of Regent.
- 2019
Natura &Co acquisition completed
[2]Avon Products became part of Natura &Co through an all-share combination.
- 2015
North American business sold
[1]Avon Products sold its North American operations to an affiliate of Cerberus Capital Management.
- 1939
Avon name adopted
[1]The company adopted the Avon name, linking the business to Stratford-upon-Avon and beginning the modern brand identity.
- 1886
California Perfume Company founded
[1]David H. McConnell established the business that became the foundation of Avon after identifying strong demand for perfume samples.
Products and positioning
Accessible, relationship-led beauty sold through independent representatives, catalogs and digital social commerce, with a strong history of supporting women's entrepreneurship and community causes.
Fragrance · 1886
Avon Fragrance
Fragrance has been central to Avon since the company's origins in perfume sampling. The range has included women's and men's eau de parfum, eau de toilette, body sprays and gift sets. Avon has used both standalone scents and recurring franchises, with Far Away among its best-known fragrance lines. Fragrance is also suited to Avon's representative and catalog model because it supports sampling, seasonal gifting and frequent promotional campaigns.
Skin care · 1992
Anew
Anew is Avon's principal anti-aging and advanced skin-care franchise. Its products have included cleansers, serums, moisturizers, eye treatments and targeted formulas organized around concerns such as firmness, lines, radiance and hydration. The line has helped Avon compete in a more specialized skin-care segment while retaining the accessibility and consultation benefits of representative selling.
Color cosmetics
Avon Color
Avon Color covers makeup products such as foundation, concealer, powder, blush, eye makeup, lipstick and nail products. The line has historically been refreshed through seasonal shades, beauty trends and promotional catalog collections. It represents one of the brand's broadest everyday beauty categories and is commonly sold alongside fragrance and skin-care products.
Fragrance · 1994
Far Away
Far Away is a long-running Avon fragrance franchise. It has expanded through flankers, limited editions, gift sets and complementary body products. The franchise illustrates Avon's practice of building recognizable scent families that can be marketed repeatedly through representatives, catalogs and seasonal promotions.
Bath and body care
Avon Bath and Body
Avon's bath and body assortment has included shower products, body lotions, hand care, deodorants, body sprays and related personal-care items. These products broaden the brand beyond prestige beauty and support routine replenishment, bundles and affordable gifts. Availability and exact product architecture differ across national Avon businesses.
Controversies
Marketing campaigns
- 2004Avon Walk around the World for Breast Cancer
International
Avon promoted an international fundraising and awareness initiative focused on breast cancer.
Outcome. The initiative extended Avon's cause platform beyond product sales and representative recruitment.
- 1992Avon Breast Cancer Crusade
United States · International
Avon launched a major cause-marketing and fundraising program supporting breast-cancer awareness, screening and research.
Outcome. The program became one of the most visible cause initiatives linked to a beauty direct-selling company.
- 1955Avon Foundation for Women
United States · International
Avon established a philanthropic foundation that later supported causes connected with breast cancer, domestic violence and women's empowerment.
Outcome. The foundation became a long-term platform for corporate philanthropy associated with the Avon brand.
Brand decisions
2024
Agreement to sell Avon international operations outside Latin AmericaM&ABackground
Natura &Co began simplifying its portfolio and focusing its capital and management attention on strategic markets, particularly Latin America.
Action taken
Natura &Co announced an agreement to sell Avon's international operations outside Latin America to an affiliate of Regent while retaining Avon operations in Latin America.
Aftermath
The announcement reinforced the territory-specific nature of Avon's ownership and operating structure.
2019
Combination with NaturaM&ABackground
Avon sought greater scale and a stronger platform for international beauty and direct selling.
Action taken
Natura &Co acquired Avon Products through an all-share transaction.
Aftermath
Avon became part of Natura &Co, alongside Natura and other beauty businesses.
2015
Sale of North American operationsM&ABackground
Avon Products was under pressure from declining sales and restructuring needs and sought to focus on its international operations.
Action taken
The company sold its North American business to an affiliate of Cerberus Capital Management.
Aftermath
The transaction separated the North American Avon business from the international Avon Products group.
Recent events
- 2024
Natura &Co announces agreement to sell Avon international operations to Regent[3]
M&A
Natura &Co announced a proposed sale of Avon's international operations outside Latin America to an affiliate of Regent, subject to applicable conditions.
- 2023
Avon announces plans for United Kingdom retail stores[6]
Product launch
Avon announced plans to open retail stores in the United Kingdom, expanding beyond its traditional representative-led model; it already operated stores in Turkey.
- 2021
New Avon changes its corporate name to The Avon Company[6]
Other
New Avon Company, the separated North American business, adopted The Avon Company as its corporate name.
- 2020
Natura & Co. completes Avon acquisition[6]
M&A
The acquisition closed, Avon became privately held, and its common stock ceased trading on the New York Stock Exchange.
- 2019
Natura agrees to acquire Avon Products[2]
M&A
Natura &Co announced an all-share transaction to combine with Avon Products, creating a larger global beauty group.
- 2019
Avon Products recalls talc-containing cosmetic products in Canada[5]
Recall · Regulation
Avon Products Canada recalled certain talc-containing cosmetic products after Health Canada identified potential asbestos contamination concerns involving talc supply chains.
- 2019
Natura & Co. agrees to acquire Avon Products[6]
M&A
Natura & Co. agreed to acquire Avon Products in a transaction that would combine Avon with Natura, Aesop, and The Body Shop.
- 2019
Avon announces an end to regulatory-required animal testing[6]
Regulation · Other
Avon said it had developed alternative methods and reformulated products so that its brands no longer required regulatory animal testing.
- 2018
Avon appoints Jan Zijderveld as chief executive[6]
Leadership change
Jan Zijderveld became chief executive officer, succeeding Sherilyn S. McCoy as the company continued its restructuring efforts.
- 2018
Avon sells its remaining United States factory[6]
Other
Avon sold its last remaining United States manufacturing facility to Fareva Group.
Showing the 10 most recent.
Sources6 sources
- 1Avon Worldwide: Our Historyavonworldwide.com
- 2Natura &Co and Avon announce combinationnaturaeco.com
- 3Natura &Co announces agreement to sell Avon internationalnaturaeco.com
- 4SEC announces Avon Products FCPA settlementsec.gov
- 5Health Canada recall notice for Avon products containing talcrecalls-rappels.canada.ca
- 6动物测试争议和政策变更en.wikipedia.org
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