Maybelline was founded in 1915 by a then 19-year-old T.L. Williams who noticed that his sister Maybel had been applying a mixture of vaseline and coal dust to her lashes in order to make them stand out. This inspired him to build a small laboratory and manufacture his own mascaras to sell. His products quickly became a smashing hit, and to this day, the company still bears the name of Williams’ sister. In the 60s, Maybelline was already offering a complete line of eye makeup, and in 1991 they came out with their famous slogan “Maybe she’s born with it. Maybe it’s Maybelline”. Four years later, the company was bought by L’Oréal.