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The top 20 cosmetics companies represent a Who's Who of the beauty industry. To be included, a firm must sell its products in at least two of four major markets: Europe, North America, South America and Asia. Sales figures were obtained from the companies or are estimates calculated with the help of industry experts. Sales are for the 2003 or the closest fiscal year at the magazine's printing date. Volume is made up of fragrance, makeup, skin care, sun, hair care, deodorant, cellulite and shaving items.
1. L'OREAL SA
$15.5 billion; 13.7 billion euros; -2 percent vs. '02
L'Oreal's brands include Lancome, Garnier, Maybelline, Redken, Matrix, Biotherm and fragrances such as Parfums Giorgio Armani and Ralph Lauren Fragrances. L'Oreal in the fall opened its first freestanding retail store in Los Angeles selling L'Oreal Paris, and L'Oreal's prestige brand Biotherm debuted in a store in Glendale, Calif. L'Oreal's Garnier launched Fructis hair care products in the U.S. and Brazil in 2003.
L'Oreal SA, 41, Rue Martre, 92117 Clichy, FRANCE, 011-33-1-41-56-70-00, www.loreal.com
2. THE PROCTER & GAMBLE CO.
$13 billion (est.); +30 percent vs. '02
Brands include Cover Girl, Max Factor, Olay, Clairol's Nice 'n Easy, Natural Instincts, Pantene, Head & Shoulders and 81.1 percent of Wella AG. P&G bills itself as number one in global hair care with two leading international brands, Head & Shoulders and Pantene. Japanese prestige skin care line SK-II launched in the U.S. market. The Wella acquisition, kicked off in March 2003, swelled P&G's hair care category.
The Procter & Gamble Co., 1 Procter & Gamble Plaza, Cincinnati, OH 45202, 513-983-1100, www.pg.com
3. UNILEVER PLC
$8.07 billion (est.); 7.13 billion euros (est.); +1 percent vs. '02
Brands include Dove, Lux, Ponds, Vaseline, Suave, Sunsilk and fragrances such as Calvin Klein and Nautica. Last year, mass-market personal-care products generated 27 percent of the sales registered by Unilever's 400 "leading brands," including Axe, Dove, Lux, Pond's, Rexona and Sunsilk. At Dove, Unilever's largest personal-care brand, sales grew 21 percent to $2.8 billion in 2003. In October 2003, Unilever combined its Calvin Klein Cosmetics, Unilever Prestige and European Designer Parfums divisions.
Unilever Plc, Unilever House, Blackfriars, London EC4P 4BQ, U.K., 011-44-207-822-5252, www.unilever.com
4. SHISEIDO CO. LTD.
$5.27 billion; 610.602 billion yen; +1 percent vs. '02