L’Occitane En Provence is a cosmetics company based in France that was established in 1976 by Olivier Baussan when he was just 23 years old. The name “L’Occitane” derives from “the woman from Occitania,” a region in southern Europe encompassing the Southern portion of France, Monaco, parts of Italy, and Spain. This area has a historical connection to the Occitan language. Baussan aimed to revive the traditions of his homeland and started his journey by acquiring a steam-distiller, an outdated apparatus at the time. With this equipment, he meticulously produced his own rosemary essential oil from wild rosemary that he personally harvested. The oil quickly gained popularity at local markets, laying the foundation for what would eventually become L’Occitane En Provence.

Baussan inaugurated the very first L’Occitane boutique in Volx, a quaint village in Provence. Shortly thereafter, he stumbled upon an idle soap factory in another village called Manosque, also located in Provence. Baussan seized the opportunity and assumed control of the factory with the intention of crafting vegetable-based soaps using traditional Provençal techniques and locally-sourced ingredients.

In the 1990s, a majority stake in the company was sold to secure funds for further expansion. This transaction eventually led L’Occitane En Provence into the capable hands of Reinold Geiger, who collaborated with Baussan to drive international growth. Around the late 1990s, “En Provence” became part of the company’s official name, reinforcing the connection between their products and Provence to appeal to a global clientele.

Presently, L’Occitane En Provence boasts a presence in over 80 countries. The company is renowned for its body care products, perfumes, and home fragrances crafted using traditional methods from Provence, and enriched with locally-sourced ingredients such as lavender, rosemary, rose, and immortelle. L’Occitane actively supports traditional agriculture and cultivation in the region. Additionally, they proudly collaborate with women’s groups from Burkina Faso, who employ traditional methods to harvest Shea Butter, thereby promoting Fair Trade practices.

L’Occitane prioritizes the development of its products and ingredients in alignment with the organic cosmetics criteria set by Ecocert. The brand’s fragrance line encompasses a vast collection of 184 perfumes, with the earliest edition dating back to 1991 and the most recent released in 2023. The fragrances of L’Occitane En Provence are the result of collaborations with esteemed perfumers such as Karine Dubreuil-Sereni, Delphine Thierry, Fabrice Pellegrin, Alexis Dadier, Julie Masse, Marypierre Julien, Michel Girard, Nadège Le Garlantezec, Shyamala Maisondieu, Jérôme Epinette, Calice Becker, and Nadege Le Garlantezec.