Clarins Australia
Cosmetics
Clarins acquired its Australian distributor (Trimex) in 2015. Has also been helping Puig distribute its products in Australasia since 2017.

Overall

Owned FRA
Rating F
About the Ratings

Company Ownership

Trimex Pty Ltd
AUS
Clarins Group
owns 100% of Trimex Pty Ltd
FRA
Cosmetics
Sold its fragrances division to L'Oreal in 2019.
Famille C Venture
owns 100% of Clarins Group
FRA
Investment firm
Controlled by the Courtin-Clarins family, which founded and owns Clarins. Investors in the beauty and well-being industry. Acquired Ilia Beauty in 2022.

Company Assessment

(Last updated Jun 2024)
Trimex Pty Ltd
Praise
3/5 for packaging performance
This company received a packaging performance level of 3 (Advanced) in its 2024 APCO Annual Report. Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) is a not-for-profit organisation leading the development of a circular economy for packaging in Australia. Each year, APCO Members are required to submit an APCO Annual Report and Action Plan, which includes an overall performance level from 1 (Getting Started) to 5 (Beyond Best Practice).
Source: APCO (2024)
Clarins Group
Criticism
Animal Testing
This company appears on PETA's (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, USA) 'Companies That Do Test On Animals' list, signifying that they manufacture products that are tested on animals at some stage of development.
Source: PETA (2022)
Unsustainable palm oil use
This company scores Ethical Consumer's worst rating for their use of palm oil, signifying they are using no or minimal certified palm products, and with no or minimal positive commitments.
Palm oil rating - WAZA
The PalmOil Scan app, produced by the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), rates companies on their commitment to sourcing sustainable palm oil. Companies are scored on their use of certified sustainable palm oil (CSPO), commitment to sourcing CSPO, on-the-ground conservation action, and membership to the RSPO. Companies can earn a rating of Excellent, Good, Poor or No Commitment. This company is rated "Poor" (retrieved 18 Nov 2023).
Source: WAZA (2023)
Information
Use of microplastics
This company uses plastic microbeads in some of its personal care products. These particles are not retained by wastewater treatment so end up in the ocean where they contribute to ocean plastic pollution, and are hazardous to sea life. While the effects of microplastics on human health are not completely understood, there are concerns about plastic additives, such as phthalates, which are known endocrine disruptors which are shown to have harmful effects on life.
Nanoparticles in cosmetics
Testing commissioned by Friends of the Earth Australia found nanoparticles in foundations and concealers sold by Clarins.
Source: FOE (2009)
Price fixing in France
In Jan 2012 a Paris appeals court upheld a 40 million euro fine imposed in 2006 by the French competition watchdog, which said the companies involved had reached illicit agreements on price fixing, enforced by procedures to monitor prices in outlets and backed up by commercial threats for non-compliance. Thirteen leading perfume and luxury goods companies were fined.
Microbeads scorecard
In 2016 Greenpeace East Asia ranked the world's 30 biggest personal care companies on their commitment to eliminating microbeads from their personal care products. The scorecard was based on four main criteria: commitment & transparency, definition, deadline and global application. This company ranked joint second. Microbeads are not retained by wastewater treatment and end up in the ocean where they are a threat to the marine environment.
Responsible Mica Initiative member
This company is a member of the Responsible Mica Initiative, a Do-Tank which aims to eradicate child labour and unacceptable working conditions in the Indian mica supply chain by joining forces across industries.
Responsible Beauty Initiative member
This company is a member of the Responsible Beauty Initiative, an industry initiative focused on sustainable procurement. It was founded in 2017 to improve sustainability throughout the entire beauty supply chain, through sharing best practices and processes, driving a common understanding across the industry, and to use and share common tools, creating efficiencies.
Skin Deep hazard scores
Skin Deep is an online safety guide to cosmetics and personal care products and their potential hazards and health concerns, with over 75,000 products rated from 1 (low hazard) to 10 (high hazard).
Famille C Venture
No assessment data currently available for Famille C Venture.

Company Details

Type:
Wholly-owned subsidiary

Contact Details

Address:
5 Crewe Place, Rosebery, NSW, 2018, Australia
Freecall:
1800 861 888
Website:
www.clarins.com.au

Products / Brands

Clarins Australia
Clarins Cosmetics
Clarins Skin Care