Chapter I
Legendary Beauty Master of France
"I devote my soul to defy the injustice of fading beauty".
- LA BEAUTÉ, MON AVENTURE
Image 1: Mr. Jean d'Estrees
400 Years of the Family’s Precious Secrets
In 1915, Mr. Jean d’Estrées, was born into the legendary d’Estrées family in France. With a distinguished lineage and an upbringing steeped in privilege, he was immersed in beauty and refinement from an early age, cultivating an exceptional sense of aesthetics.
Image 2: Mr. Jean d'Estrees in his childhood
In 1550, the d’Estrées family has a long and illustrious history, producing numerous prominent figures, including cardinals, generals, and royal court consorts. Since the beginning of the Bourbon dynasty, the family has had its own private SPA therapists.
Gabrielle d’Estrées, one of Mr. Jean d’Estrées’ esteemed ancestors, was renowned for her intelligence and beauty. As the lifelong love of King Henry IV of France, she served as his trusted confidante, cabinet member, and the kingdom’s first female diplomat.
Image 3: Gabrielle
King Henry IV once gifted Gabrielle the Château de Chenonceau and, according to legend, personally planted a rose garden there in her honor. Gabrielle combined the tender rose petals grown in this beloved garden with the family’s traditional cream-making techniques to create the first-generation Rose Beauty Cream, a luxurious skincare formula that preserved her radiance and romance through time.
Image 4: The love letter written by King Henry IV to Gabrielle, and the Château de Chenonceau.
Jean d’Estrées and the Stars — From Hollywood to Paris
In 1938, Mr. Jean d’Estrées met France’s national treasure, Édith Piaf, during her early career and personally crafted her iconic on-screen image, which garnered him great acclaim in Hollywood.
Image 5: Édith Piaf
From 1939 to 1949, Mr. Jean d’Estrées worked in the United States as a makeup artist for Hollywood’s most celebrated stars. He created unforgettable looks for numerous Academy Award-winning actresses, including Vivien Leigh, Bette Davis, and Elizabeth Taylor, contributing to some of cinema’s most timeless moments.
In 1950, after concluding his career in Hollywood, Mr. Jean d’Estrées returned to Paris, where he founded his eponymous brand and opened his first beauty salon. Drawing inspiration from his family’s 400-year-old Gabrielle Rose skincare formula, he developed the second-generation Rose Collection and embarked on his lifelong mission to “elevate the unique beauty of women.”
Image 6: Jean d'Estrees with female stars, products & advertisements
In 1963, during the filming of Cleopatra, Elizabeth Taylor sent an envoy to Paris to personally invite Mr. Jean d’Estrées to Rome to create her dazzling and luxurious makeup look for the role—one that stunned the world. During the production, Mr. Jean d’Estrées formulated a customized soft mask to address Taylor’s skin concerns, which later inspired the creation of the iconic Cleopatra Mask.
Image 7: Cleopatra
In 1972, at the request of his many aristocratic and celebrity clients, Mr. Jean d’Estrées published his autobiography La Beauté, Mon Aventure, sharing his family’s treasured skincare secrets with the public.
In 1985, Mr. Jean d’Estrées pioneered the innovative theory of “Synergessence” and introduced the concept of “self-indulgent skincare,” establishing his brand as a leader in the French beauty industry.
Image 8: Works & Theories
*The above stories are drawn from Mr. Jean d’Estrées’ autobiography, La Beauté, Mon Aventure, and the brand’s historical archives.
