COTTAN, from one century to the next

Let's take a little trip back in time... In this world of trends, we sometimes forget the benefits of long time, great stories and heritage. 

However, it is the commitment of several generations that has made it possible to bring the avant-garde genius of Jean-François Arsène Cottan through the ages and to patiently evolve the formulas of his “ doctor brand » original, to make treatments always as sensory and natural, but also always more effective.

COTTAN: Chronology of the first “doctor brand”

Here is a first century of adventure and innovation:

• 1840 : Birth of the Hygienic Company* COTTAN at 5 rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau in Paris
• 1842 : Dr Cottan files his first patents, including that of a (soon famous) beauty vinegar
• 1858 : Move to 55 rue de Rivoli and launch of several landmark formulas, such as evanescent creams (face), kalodermales (hands) or even philocomes balms (hair)
• 1875 : Renamed COTTAN & Cie, the house became a reference in Paris, France and Europe
• 1908 : Creation of a new workshop in Courbevoie, following the success of the approach of Dr Cottan and his successors (including Dr Soubiran and Dr Chaumonnot), who will work to perfect the effectiveness of COTTAN formulas
• 1918 : Move of the company to 40 rue Châteaudun, in a 6-storey building which it occupies entirely, with a store on the ground floor, creative studios on the first floor and offices on the upper floors. The same year, the Courbevoie factory was destroyed during the war and then rebuilt in Asnières.
• 1932 : The COTTAN perfumery merges with Mouilleron perfumes and accelerates the development of its perfumes already famous in the 1920s, such as Dazy, Sysmée or Kiou‑Li
• The crisis of the 1930s and the war of 39-40 marked a pause after a century of history...

After 80 years of absence, a new century begins!

• 2020 : Aware of the rich heritage and work of Dr. Cottan and his successors, we take up and adapt these original formulas with the help of Jean-Claude Le Joliff, former R&D director of Chanel and today president of the Cosmétithèque
• 2023 : After 3 years of work, the iconic products were relaunched at the Cosmoprof show in Bologna (a leading global trade show) and met with a very warm response from lovers of the formulatory art.
• 2024‑2026 : COTTAN reprend ses marques, des pharmacies chics de Paris jusqu’au Printemps de New York, en passant par la Corée et le Japon, pays exigeants où l’expertise cosmétique de la marque est très prisée !

For the future?

We write it together every day... because this is, we believe, only the beginning of a new golden age for the natural, unique and magnificently effective formulation of COTTAN products.

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Thank you for sharing this journey through time with us! Take care of yourself.

*At that time, when it came to body and facial care, we talked more about hygiene than cosmetics.