L'Oréal SA, one of the largest companies in France, is the world's largest manufacturer of high-quality cosmetics, perfumes, hair care, and skin care products. Its brands are found in over 150 countries and include such well-known names as Lancôme, Maybelline, Garnier, Redken, and Matrix. The company is known for its involvement in research and development--it spent 3 percent of sales on cosmetology and dermatology research in 2000--and owns a 19.5 percent stake in the pharmaceutical firm Sanofi/Synthélabo. Liliane Bettencourt and her family control 51 percent of Gesparal, a holding company that owns 54 percent of L'Oréal. The Swiss food giant, Nestlé S.A., owns the remaining 49 percent of Gesparal.