Aveda History

30 years of beauty, environmental leadership and responsibility.

1978

Horst Rechelbacher launches Aveda (a-vay-da), a manufacturer of flower and plant-based beauty products. Aveda is Sanskrit for"all knowledge." Aveda launches its first hair care line including Aveda Pure Plant Shampoos, and Cherry/Almond Bark Conditioner.  Aveda Beautifying Formula debuts, the company's first essential oil composition. Aveda pioneers the term "Aromatherapy." The first Aveda logo and flower icon debuts with the comfrey flower - Aveda's symbol of nature. 

1983

Aveda launches its first styling product, Aveda Sculpting Gel.

1984

Aveda launches its first skin care collection: Cleansing Cream, Facial Toner and Moisturizing Cream.

1987

Aveda launches its first makeup line, Aveda Indra^TMCosmetics. Aveda launches in Canada. 

1989

Aveda opens its first free-standing Environmental Lifestyle Store on Madison Avenue in New York City.  Aveda is first company to endorse and sign the CERES Principles (Coalition for EnvironmentallyResponsible Economies)-which encourages higher corporate standards of corporate environmental performance and disclosure.  Aveda launches Shampoo,the company's all-time top selling product.

1990

Aveda opens first Aveda Spa Retreat in Osceola, WI,offering treatments based on Ayurvedic Medicine.  Aveda participates inthe 20^th Anniversary of Earth Day. 

1991

Aveda opens new company headquarters in Blaine, MN featuring environmentally progressive manufacturing and research and development facilities. Aveda launches the first Concept Salon^TM program, setting a new industry standard for building a loyal salon network.

1992

Aveda launches its first in-salon Earth Day event,the precursor to the current Earth Month Campaign. 

1993

Aveda forms its first indigenous partnership withthe Yawanawa tribe in the Brazilian Rainforest to source uruku, a red dye used in Aveda makeup. Aveda launches in Singapore and Australia. 

1994 

The Aveda Institute-SoHo opens in New York City. Aveda expands into the UK, Germany, Italy and New Zealand. 

1996

Aveda launches first 100% certified organic beauty product, All-Sensitive Body Formula^TM part of the All-Sensitive^TM Skin Care Collection.  Aveda forms a partnership with a traditional women's community in Maranhao, Brazil tosustainably source certified organic babassu oil.  Aveda launches inTaiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Belgium, The Netherlands and Sweden. 

1997

Aveda is acquired by the Estée Lauder Companies.  Aveda launches the first 97% naturally derived permanent hair colour, Enlightening Blonding. Aveda opens two world-class destination spas in Jamaica: Strawberry Hill in Kingston and The Caves in Negril. Aveda launches inSouth Korea and Iceland.

1998

Aveda forms a partnership with the indigenous people of the Madre de Dios rainforest region of Peru to source morikue, a protein made from Amazonian nuts. Aveda launches Full Spectrum^TM hair colour, a complete professional hair colour system that is 99%naturally-derived.  Aveda is instrumental in creating the first organic personal care standards to be adopted by an organic food certifier.  Aveda launches in Switzerland with the Lausanne Palace and Spa.

1999

Aveda launches Crème, the firstAveda product to use mineral technology.

2000 

Dominique Nils Conseil joins Aveda as company President.  Aveda forms a partnership with the Enio Bonchev distillery in Bulgaria to sustainably source certified organic rose and lavender essential oils. Aveda is awarded a patent for the use of GreenTea Extract in Aveda's professional hair colour. 

2001

Aveda opens Aveda London Academy, thefirst Aveda Institute outside of the U.S.  Aveda partners with 30 local farms in South Africa to sustainably source certified organic rose geranium. Aveda opens a corporate office at 100 Avenue of the Americas in New York City,designed by famed architectural artist Maya Lin-who designed the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC-and Aveda's own in-house design team. 

2002

Aveda receives ISO 14000 certification for environmental management in manufacturing operations. Aveda forms a partnership with the Indigenous Communities of Mardu peoples and Kuktabubbain Western Australia to sustainably source sandalwood.  Aveda launches thefirst ever 100% post PET packaging as part of the redesigned Brilliant^TM franchise. 

2003

Aveda introduces a Refillable Lip Colour Accessory Case made from 90%PCR resins and makeup clamshell packaging made from 100% PCR newsprint. Aveda launches in Japan with the opening of the Holistic Centre in Omote, Sando. 

2004

Aveda is given the prestigious Corporate Achievement Award at the Smithsonian-Hewitt National Design Museum. 

2005

Antoinette Beenders, Aveda's global creative director, is awarded British Hairdresser of the Year.  Aveda hosts its first ever "Dialogue for the Future" UN event, connecting indigenous leaders with the larger business community to discuss future models for business partnerships.  Aveda develops the first naturally-derived salicylic acid from oil of wintergreen for the launch of its Outer Peace^TM skin care line. 

2006 

Aveda introduces its first limited-edition Light the Way^TM Earth Month candle, raising $500,000 for the Company's Earth Month global partner.  Aveda is the first company to incorporate 80-95%post-consumer recycled (PCR) high density polyethylene (HDPE) in all of its retail shampoo bottles (made from recycled milk bottles), reducing our use ofvirgin HDPE by 300 tons annually. Aveda opens a new Lifestyle Salon &Spa in Osaka, Japan. 

2007

Aveda becomes the first beauty company to manufacture with 100% certified wind power.* Our funding of new wind energy sources generates enough wind energy to offset 100% of the electricity used by our primary manufacturing facility, distribution centre and corporate headquarters in Blaine, Minnesota, USA, making Aveda the largest corporate purchaser of wind energy in Minnesota.  Aveda raises more than $2.1million in 30 days for Earth Month in support of clean water rights. Aveda announces that 89% of the total tonnage of its essential oils is certified organic. The Company purchases in excess of 30 tons of certified organic essential oils in one year. Aveda opens a new Lifestyle Salon & Spa in Madrid, Spain. 

* Per a review of WWD Beauty Report International Top 100 Cosmetic Manufacturers Corporate Websites in April 2007. The wind energy goes into a utility grid from which we draw power.