Aveda Corporation is a company headquartered in Blaine, Minnesota, that manufactures skin care, cosmetics, perfume and hair care products, and trains students in cosmetology, esthiology, massage, and aromaology at the Aveda Institute in Las Vegas, Minneapolis, New York City, Washington, DC, London and many other cities.

The company was founded by Horst Rechelbacher in 1978. Today it is part of Estée Lauder Companies Inc., based in New York. Rechelbacher sold Aveda to Estee Lauder in 1997 for $300 million. He has gained worldwide recognition as an environmentalist and activist who promotes human rights, organic farming, and other issues.

Aveda features product lines such as Shampure, Rosemary Mint, Pure-Fume, and All-Sensitive, which in salons, stores and spas and also online at www.aveda.com. Aveda products made with essential oils of flowers and plants gathered from around the world. The company is famous for manufacturing plant-based hair, skin, and body care products based on traditional herbal wisdom of native cultures from around the globe.

"Our mission at Aveda is to care for the world we live in, from the products we make to the ways in which we give back to society. At Aveda, we strive to set an example for environmental leadership and responsibility- not just in the world of beauty, but around the world." Horst Rechelbacher, founder, Aveda

There are three levels of ownership when it comes to running an Aveda-based business. There is the Experience Center, which is product-only and does not include salon or spa services, commonly found in malls or in large cities. The second is a Concept Salon/Spa, which carries Aveda products but is also allowed to sell non-Aveda retail. The third and highest level is a Lifestyle business, which carries and uses Aveda products exclusively. Although service obviously varies between individual shops, Aveda generally applies strict rules to the businesses carrying its products, from quality of service to appearance. These regulations have helped Aveda to maintain its high level of exclusivity and exceptional service standards.

Aveda also offers education for salons associated with them. It is in this way that Aveda employees are able to keep up with current trends, products, and services.

Aveda offers different treatments that are unique only to them. The Aveda Hydrotherm massage, which is a massage which takes place on heated, water-filled cushions, is a trademark for the company. All Aveda certified treatments include the exclusive usage of Aveda made/approved products.

Global Partnerships

Aveda has an on-going partnership with the Yawanawa Tribe of the Brazilion Amazon. This tribe uses a red seed called "uruku", derived from the Urukum Palm, to paint their bodies in many instances. With the help of this tribe and their farming of this seed, the Aveda Uruku makeup line has been made possible, and at the same time, has helped to bring recognition to this wonderful tribe.