The metric system was adopted, Balzac introduced Vautrin, Zola and Monet were born, and Jean-François Arsène founded the Hygienic Society of Doctor COTTAN .

In the middle of the 19th century, this pioneer became aware of a disturbing fact: the vast majority of cosmetic products intended for skin care were in reality too often composed of harmful species, more likely to harden and soften the skin. dry out, than to preserve its beauty.

Driven by the hygienist movement of his time, he summoned the knowledge of medicine and pharmacy, and created the very first collection of healthy and natural products, free from compounds of animal origin , truly guaranteeing radiance, softness and health of the skin.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the house opened on rue de Rivoli, and became an essential address for elegant Parisians , alongside big names like Coty, Molinard and Guerlain. Unfortunately, the factory and workshops located in Courbevoie burned during the First World War, and despite the release of a few luxurious perfumes before the crisis of 29, this harsh historical context destroyed the last hopes of the COTTAN house.

His memory will be diluted over the years, despite the scientific heritage and the sensory imagination that his name still carries in our memories. Yet this original know-how, at the basis of contemporary cosmetics, contains so many advantages in the face of today's challenges :

"Without going too far into the past and with miraculous recipes, a particular period focuses attention: the second part of the 19th century. Indeed, it is during this period that cosmetics will become an industry replacing the artisanal and traditional approach of the previous period. This period will see the emergence of brands which will offer numerous products whose modernity is still astonishing ."

Extract from: Jean-Claude Le Joliff in Legato n°1, 2021.

This philosophy, inherited from the original know-how of the master formulators of the 19th century, guides each step of the Cottan house in order to offer, for today and tomorrow, another approach to the design of cosmetic products.

Indeed, the master formulator has no need for a miracle ingredient, or an INCI list of several pages. Two extremes between which marketing issues cause the good balance of products offered in the field of beauty to falter.

The relevance of a formula is measured by the accuracy of its proportions, and the ingenuity implemented to offer the best performance using the purest, most balanced compositions.

A living art that is learned through practice, and defines the elegance of your cosmetics.