Lancôme

A single pink mascara tube launched in 1965 still generates an estimated $200 million in annual revenue. One hero product has funded a beauty house for six decades. Armón Petijon founded Lancome in Paris in 1935 after leaving Colte to launch a distinctly French house. The breakthrough came three decades later when the brand launched a thipnose, followed by the deafeningesals and then lash idol mascara lines, each positioned at a specific eyelash effect. Lancome sits inside L'Oreal Lux today as the single largest brand in the division, contributing roughly four billion euros in annual revenue, with the mascara category accounting for almost a quarter of that total on its own. The category is mascara for a reason. Repeat purchase frequency on a mascara tube sits between 10 and 14 weeks because dermatologists recommend replacing the tube every three months to avoid bacterial contamination.