Yves Rocher, founder of the cosmetics brand that carried his name, died yesterday in Paris at 79.

Rocher founded his company in 1959, pioneering the use of botanical ingredients in cosmetic products, with the motto “beauty from plants” and selling by mail order. He turned over control of the business to his son Didier in 1992, but had to take it back three years later when the son died in an accident.

Yves Rocher’s new flagship store, Paris, Champs-Élysées

The brand recently launched its first organic line and undertook a brand overhaul, including a new logo and a new store concept, with the aim to emphasise its connection with nature, redefine its general positioning and improve pricing.

The Yves Rocher Group now operates in around 30 countries, with a turnover of 2 billion euros (US$2.8 billion) a year, around 15,000 employees and 2,000 retail outlets.