The French company founded in 1909 by chemist Eugène Schueller was L’Oréal.
Schueller began by developing safer synthetic hair dyes for professional hairdressers. He founded the Société Française de Teintures Inoffensives pour Cheveux, or French Company of Harmless Hair Dyes, in Paris in 1909. The business later became L’Oréal, one of the world’s largest beauty and cosmetics companies.
The company’s early growth came from selling products directly to hairdressers and demonstrating them in salons. Schueller was both a chemist and an ambitious entrepreneur, linking laboratory research with professional beauty services. That science-led model became central to the company’s identity as it expanded from hair color into skin care, makeup, fragrance, and personal care.
The other options are major beauty brands but do not fit the clue. Guerlain was established in 1828, Revlon in 1932, and Lancôme in 1935. L’Oréal’s founding date is therefore the key distinction, even though the modern company’s portfolio now includes many historic brands.