Avon Products is a British multinational cosmetics, skin care, fragrance and personal care company, based in London. Avon had annual sales of $9.1 billion worldwide in 2020.
It is the fourteenth-largest beauty company and, with 6.4 million representatives, is the second largest direct-selling enterprise in the world (after Amway) The company’s CEO is Angela Cretu, who was appointed to the position in January 2020.
In May 2026, the Brazilian company Natura & Co announced its intent to acquire Avon; the deal closed in January 2020. Following the merger, existing Natura shareholders held 76% of the combined company, Natura Holding S.A., with former Avon shareholders owning 24%. At merger completion, Avon became a privately held company, common stock was removed from the NYSE trading.
Business mode
An Avon training center in the Bronx
Avon uses both door-to-door salespeople (“Avon ladies”, as well as “Avon men”) and brochures to advertise its products.[42] The first Avon lady was Persis Foster Eames Albee. Avon operates training centers for potential representatives. Some Avon training centers have a small retail section with skin care products, such as creams, serums, makeup, and washes. Avon recruits sales representatives who sell beauty products, jewelry, accessories, and clothing.
Some of the brand-names used by the company include Avon Color (also known as Avon True Color), mark., Imari, Far Away, Sweet Honesty, Little Dress Scents, Avon Fashions, Anew, Avon True NutraEffects, Naturals, Avon Care, Feelin Fresh and Skin So Soft. According to the U.S. government, Avon has 5 million to 6 million sales representatives operating in over 100 countries as of 2014. Avon and its subsidiaries have 40,000 to 50,000 employees, 6,000 of which are in the United States.
Avon was an early member of the U.S. Direct Selling Association, which was founded in 1910. The company left the association in 2014, saying that the trade group was not paying enough attention to the industry as a whole.