Erno Laszlo

Erno Laszlo is a skincare brand founded in 1927 by Dr. Erno Laszlo, a Hungarian dermatologist who opened his first institute in Budapest before relocating it to New York [8]. The company traces an unusually long lineage in cosmetics, and CURATEUR describes it as "the first doctor founded skincare brand" [9]. Though it began in Hungary, the modern company is headquartered in New York City; reference sources record its country as the United States, while its heritage and 1927 origin remain Hungarian [8].

The brand remains active, operating a direct-to-consumer e-commerce site, current product collections and a 2025 sustainability roadmap. It is positioned in the luxury tier and built around a science-led, ritual-based approach to skincare, with a clientele history rooted in mid-century Hollywood.

Dr. Erno Laszlo opened the dr. Med. László Institute for Scientific Cosmetology in Budapest in 1927, together with his brother William [8]. According to Wikipedia, Laszlo had completed clinical studies in Berlin and gained early recognition after creating a foundation cream for Princess Stéphanie of Belgium, whom he treated for acne. The brand's own account frames his founding principle as a directive to "observe and listen" to each person's skin before formulating for it.

In 1939, at the onset of the Second World War, Laszlo relocated the Institute to New York. The New York Herald Tribune reported on 3 November 1939 that it had leased a floor at 677 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan [8]. There the Erno Laszlo Institute became, in CURATEUR's account, a skincare destination known as the "House of Silence" for Hollywood's elite [9].

The Manhattan institute drew a notable clientele over the following decades. Wikipedia lists clients including Greta Garbo, Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly, Katharine Hepburn and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis [8]. Monroe and Hepburn are associated with Shake-It, an early tinted treatment the brand describes as "no-makeup makeup."

The company today markets a "century of innovation" as it approaches its centennial. In 2020 it introduced its "Clean Promise," reformulating products to remove ingredients it considered obsolete and reworking its packaging toward more sustainable materials [3].

Erno Laszlo has passed through several owners. Wikipedia records a 1966 partnership with Chesebrough-Ponds, followed in 1995 by an acquisition by Mana Products from Elizabeth Arden; Mana's founder, Nikos Mouyiaris, had earlier worked for Erno Laszlo as a chemist [8]. In 2002 the business was purchased by Cradle Holdings Inc., a division of the corporate finance group Fox Paine. In 2011 it was acquired by Charles Denton, backed by RBS Equity Finance [8]. The most recently documented ownership is the standalone company Erno Laszlo, Inc.

The company centres its identity on a "SKIN AND MIND" philosophy, which it describes as resting on "the interconnectedness of dermatologic science and emotional well-being." That outlook traces to Dr. Laszlo's emphasis on personalized, ritual-based skincare and the often-quoted instruction attributed to him: "If you do nothing else, wash your face." Erno Laszlo states that its aim is "to formulate with integrity, validate with evidence, and deliver results that truly transform skin." Asked to describe itself in three words for CURATEUR, the company offered "Results, iconic, and empowering" [9].

Several products anchor the brand's heritage. The Shake-It Tinted Skin Treatment, billed as roughly 80% treatment and 20% pigment, is the original "no-makeup makeup" tied to its mid-century clients [7]. The Phormula 3 series began as a restorative treatment the company says helped diminish the appearance of scars; its current iteration, Phormula 3-10, draws on epigenetics research and a proprietary Epigene-6 complex to target six signs of ageing. The brand's signature Double Cleanse method pairs an oil-based cleanser with a cleansing bar, and its Phelityl line is built around essential fatty acids that, in Dr. Laszlo's view, support the skin's moisture barrier. CURATEUR also notes the Hydraphel Skin Supplement, a toner-essence hybrid nicknamed "The Protein Water" [9].

On formulation, the company says its products undergo "laboratory and third-party clinical testing to ensure efficacy, safety and skin compatibility," supported by instrumental measurements, dermatologist evaluations and consumer studies. Its proprietary technologies include the Phelityl and Epigene-6 complexes and a Mineral Complex used in what it calls the Vitality Treatment Method.

Under a "Less plastic, less waste" banner, Erno Laszlo's 2025 sustainability page sets out commitments to replace unnecessary plastic packaging, move away from single-use sample sachets, introduce glass where possible and partner with suppliers using FSC-certified materials [6]. The company says it restricts itself to recyclable plastics and is shifting to 100% post-consumer waste cartons. It reports joining the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's New Plastics Economy and working with Better Future Factory on a plastics audit. Its related Clean Promise began with the removal of 51 ingredients deemed obsolete by 2020 standards, a figure the brand later cited as more than 115 [3].

Erno Laszlo is an active, long-established skincare brand. Its e-commerce site carries current collections, a 2025-dated sustainability roadmap and active social channels, and it operates across multiple regions, including a separate Hong Kong site.