Avon

Overview

Avon began in 1886 as the California Perfume Company in New York (renamed Avon in 1939) and grew into one of the world's best-known door-to-door beauty brands, built around independent "Avon Representatives" who sell via brochures and, increasingly, online storefronts. Its catalog spans skincare, color cosmetics, fragrance, and personal care, with representatives earning commission on their own sales and, at higher levels, on recruited team members' sales. The corporate structure has shifted substantially in recent years. Avon Products, Inc. was acquired by Brazil's Natura &Co in a 2020 merger that removed Avon from the NYSE (stock delisted/deregistered January 2020); its US operating entity later filed for Chapter 11 protection in 2024 amid talc-related litigation. On December 31, 2025, Natura &Co completed the sale of Avon International (its Europe, Africa, and Asia business, excluding Russia, whose operations remain a separate pending sale) to the US investment firm Regent LP for nominal consideration, while retaining the Avon brand and operations in Latin America, its largest regional market. As a result, "Avon" today spans more than one corporate owner depending on region: Regent LP controls Avon International outside Russia and Latin America, while Natura &Co (Brazil) continues to operate Avon in Latin America. The brand remains present in over 100 countries and continues to rely on person-to-person and social selling as its primary distribution model.