When new skincare companies continuously pop up—and go under, sometimes within 24 months—celebrating a 40th birthday is a true milestone. This year Decléor Paris, created by Solange Dessimouilie, does just that. Considered a pioneer in the essential oils category, and one of the first brands to introduce aromatherapy to skin care in 1974, Decléor has always used a holistic approach in creating their products.

“The word Decléor means ‘golden key,’” said Shannon Gallogly, the company’s national education and training manager. “It means you’re unlocking the inner beauty of a person. You’re taking the ugly duckling and turning it into a swan and everyone has the ability to have that happen. And we have the ability to help them get there.”

Decléor’s history combines the science of plant energies with the artistry of blending premium essential oils. During their first year, only three products were introduced. Today, they offer 100-plus skus. The brand’s fundamental research and product development includes over 50 essential oils used in more than 50 formulations designed to target every skin concern.

“Our target consumer is always evolving the same way we’ve been evolving and each generation’s needs are different,” Shannon explained. “The 20-something consumer is smart and ingredient savvy. The 30 year-olds want something consistent. People in their 40s suddenly wakeup and say, ‘I want something right now.’ And those in their 50s know what they want, don’t want to be told a lot, and they want to know what they’re using will work. And everyone wants hydration.”

Since the brand’s most followed product is the Aromessence Serum, it seems only fitting that’s what they’d release to commemorate the impressive occasion. Enter Aromessence Marjoram, a deep nourishing oil. The brand was recently purchased by L’Oréal, along with sister brand Carita, both formerly owned by Shiseido. Both now reside in L’Oréal’s Professional Products Division. The acquisition looks to boost the small brand’s products, which are sold in 400 spas and salons in the U.S., and whose presence in stores such as Nordstrom, is mainly bicoastal.

“When we look at some examples of acquisitions for L’Oréal in the past few years, such as Urban Decay and SkinCeuticals, we see how those brands have grown, how they’ve gotten into new doors, have more brand awareness, and more access to consumers,” said Katherine Ledesma, the company’s marketing manager, prior to the acquisition. “That [could] be the new directions we’d be going into, and that’s very appealing. Currently we have about 10,000 points of sale worldwide in around 70 countries, but under L’Oréal’s umbrella we are looking at a pretty significant growth over the next few years.”

Another area where additional growth seems likely is in expanding their digital footprint in the U.S., which remains small. “At the moment we have a blog, and Facebook and Twitter pages for Decléor. When I look at our competitors we have a very, very soft presence,” Katherine admitted. “It’s not constantly updated like other companies are doing. I think that’s because we are engaging our clients through our spa channels and through the aestheticians since we are a professional skincare brand, and this is where we focus our efforts.”