The case presents the global expansion of L'Oréal and raises the question of how this expansion should be conducted. More specifically, it focuses on the issue of the extent to which products, brands and policies should be adapted to each local market or, on the contrary, standardized on a global level.

The case first offers an overview of how L'Oréal was created, has grown, diversified and expanded internationally to eventually become the company it is in 2015. It then presents the main features of the global cosmetics market and industry. The case goes on to describe in some detail L'Oréal's main product lines, its brands and operations (R&D, marketing, manufacturing, sales and distribution). Finally it discusses the way in which L'Oréal has chosen to expand internationally and raises some of the difficult questions the company is facing in 2015. The appendices present descriptive data on the company, its products and brands, on the industry, on competition, etc. In addition, specific appendices present a more detailed account of L'Oréal's operations in a number of large foreign markets: Brazil, China, Japan, Russia, the US, etc.

The main focus of the case is on striking the right balance between adaptation to specific local conditions and integration / standardization which is required to reap the benefits of global scale and leverage the company's simultaneous presence in multiple markets. The data in the case makes it possible to illustrate this clearly and to estimate which types of products should be more adapted and which require greater standardization.