About Us
Meet Godefroy: A Legacy Reimagined
With a rich history spanning over a century, the Godefroy brand has undergone a transformative evolution under the leadership of Lena and Clay Campbell. Their dedication to the beauty industry has ignited a remarkable and inspiring journey for the brand.
About Us
Meet Godefroy: A Legacy Reimagined
With a rich history spanning over a century, the Godefroy brand has undergone a transformative evolution under the leadership of Lena and Clay Campbell. Their dedication to the beauty industry has ignited a remarkable and inspiring journey for the brand.
Today, Godefroy is a global presence, spanning over 20 countries and continuing to expand. In addition we currently boast an impressive array of over 75 SKUs, that cater to the women's multicultural and men's grooming market segments. We have also been featured in publications and magazines, including Women’s Health, Refinery29, and Cosmopolitan.
A Legacy of Innovation Since the 1800s
The Godefroy brand's roots run deep in professional hairdressing, stretching back to the 1800s. It was during this time that the founder of the company, Alexandre Ferdinand Godefroy, emigrated first from Paris, France to New York City in 1882, then settled into the frontier of St. Louis, Missouri. A hairdresser by trade, Alexandre began with a small perfume and hairdressing shop near downtown St. Louis, who would also sell homemade concoctions out of his store. These were a hit with his customers, and Alexandre eventually shifted away from hairdressing and more into the manufacturing of perfumes and toiletries.
In 1894, Mr. Godefroy returned to Paris for 14 months to study hair dyes, a phenomenon that was gaining in popularity in Europe, but had not yet reached America. His extensive research led to the development of paraphenylenediamine (PPD), a key component still found today in hair coloring. At the time, hair dye was non-existent, and any form of hair color modification was temporary and water-soluble, which washed away. Through this invention, Godefroy was able to offer a hair color pallet that was unmatched by any formulation available at the time, especially from tones dark brown to black. By 1895, his formula was perfected and launched under the name Larieuse, setting the stage for a brand that is still around today.
More inventions...
Ever the inventor, in 1888, Mr. Godefroy patented the world's first ever hair dryer, powered by city gas. This was followed by the first curling iron in 1898, also known as the "Stove Iron”. Although a prolific inventor and chemist, Godefroy & Sons Manufacturing Company became a household name in hair color through two products, Larieuse, and TRESemme. Larieuse hair color was a common consumer tint while TRESemme was a successful salon and professional color. Among other products, those two propelled Godefroy & Sons Manufacturing Company into one of the largest cosmetics companies in the country by the 1940’s.
Alexandre would retire and give ownership to his eldest son, Charles Ferdinand Godefroy in 1912, a position Charles would stay in through his eventual retirement in 1960. Charles was a pioneer in the development of better conditions in the beauty industry, and was a founder of the Hairdressers and Cosmetologists Association in 1921.
Alexandre Godefroy died March 11th, 1933 in his birth-place of Nice, France. He was 79 years old.
His son would continue to divest the company away from salon studios and focus more on manufacturing. Charles Webb Godefroy died on January 6, 1964. After his death, the company was owned and passed along by several large companies, including Carson Products. In the 1940’s, Godefroy was the first manufacturer of TRESemme haircare products. Notably, TRESemme was sold to Alberto-Culver in 1968. One Godefroy product that has survived changes in ownership is the hair color capsules from the late 1800’s, which is still sold today under the iconic Godefroy brand.
Original Godefroy trademark. Patented in 1954, date of first use in 1882.
Vintage Advertisements
California Eagle, 1952
Jackson Advocate, 1958
The Pittsburg Courier, 1937
The Michigan Cronicle, 1939
Current Successes: A Resurgent Brand
Lena and Clay's revival of Godefroy
The Godefroy brand came under the ownership of Lena and Clay Campbell in 2004. At this point, the brand had endured over a century of evolution and change, having passed through the hands of several other companies. The Godefroy brand had unfortunately been in a steady decline for many years, and was on the brink of bankruptcy.
Undaunted by the task, the new ownership under the direction of Lena and Clay Campbell established their business philosophy, centered on creating niche products that meet specific consumer needs. In 2008, they unveiled a brand-new product, Instant Eyebrow Tint, allowing customers to tint their brows in the comfort of their own homes. The product was, and continues to be, one of Godefroy's best-sellers.
Building on this success, the duo introduced 28 Day Mascara, an eyelash tinting product that features a non-toxic formula free of coal tar derivatives, synthetic dyes, and hydrogen peroxide.
We hold a commitment to customer service in high regard, and they subject every product to rigorous and ethical testing to ensure the highest quality. Godefroy is equally dedicated to sustainability and 100% cruelty-free practices.
Understanding the demands of the competitive and ever-changing beauty supply industry, the Godefroy set out with a mission to create market-driven beauty supply products that provide the most value to their customers. This mindset has propelled Godefroy to its current position as a respected leader in the beauty industry.
ABOUT GODEFROY
Innovative Beauty Products, parent company of Godefroy and Godefroy Beauty, started when my husband, Clay Campbell, had a vision of owning his own business. When he approached me to take over the brand Godefroy I admit I was a little hesitant. It was a small manufacturing company supplying beauty supply stores, recognized solely the state of Texas. Eventually I saw the vision of this unique capsule tint technology for tinting stubborn gray hair and he convinced me to hop on his train of entrepreneurship.
That was in 2004. With a lot of love, time, patience and many sleepless nights, we fast forward and find our brand in 25 countries and growing. Together, we have become a leading manufacturer of unique, high quality beauty products for salon professionals and consumers. We take pride in our customer service and back our brand 100%. Everything we put launch to market goes through rigorous, and ethical testing to ensure the best quality possible. We are also driven to be sustainable and 100% cruelty free. We understand what it takes to be successful in the competitive and ever-changing world of beauty supplies. Our mission is to create unique, market–driven beauty supply products that provide the most value to you, our customers, and it is this mindset that has propelled us to where we are today.
Lena Campbell, President and CEO