Avon cosmetics are manufactured by the Avon Products, Inc. corporation. Avon produces perfume, cosmetics and even toys with markets in over 135 countries around the world. Avon has annual sales of $7.74 billion around the world. Avon’s CEO and company chairman is Andrea Jung, who in 1999 was promoted to the position.

Today, Avon’s’ fastest growing markets are in Russia and China. Though Avon has traditionally been and continues to primarily be a direct-sales company, in places like China most sales happen in retail stores. Door to door selling was banned in China during the 1990s, but this hasn’t seemed to slow Avon sales in China.

Avon cosmetics are not just for women, though traditionally women have been the target market for Avon products. There are also Avon products that are geared toward men and their skin care needs. Avon has also been seeing profits from their children’s products, including toys and basic toiletries such as shampoo and bubble bath.

More recently, Avon came out with two new brands, “M” and “mark”. M is an Avon catalogue and line of products for men. Mark is an Avon line targeted to younger, college aged women (18-25). The Mark product line has been very successful and features a monthly ‘magalog’ that showcases the latest and most popular Avon cosmetics and other products geared toward younger cosmetics shoppers.

Beyond commercial pursuits, the Avon corporation is also invested in various philanthropic causes that are mostly focused on health and women’s empowerment issues. Some of the biggest campaigns launched or participated in by Avon involve breast cancer, domestic violence and global issues.