4 Fun Pharmacy Facts About Kiehl's

Did you know that Kiehl’s traces its roots back to pharmacy?

The well-known skin and hair care company is among the ranks of famous figures with pharmacy pasts like Agatha Christie, Benjamin Franklin, and John Pemberton, who created the first formulation of Coca-Cola.

Here are 4 fun pharmacy facts about Kiehl’s:

1. It was founded in 1851 as Brunswick Apotheke in the East Village in New York City.

“We began as an old-world apothecary,” according to Kiehl’s website.

The store was located on Pear Tree Corner at the intersection of Third Avenue and 13th Street.

2. Apprentice John Kiehl bought the apothecary in 1894 and renamed it Kiehl Pharmacy.

“Customers would visit from near and far just to sample his newest remedies,” the company stated in a video about its heritage.

After John Kiehl retired, his apprentice, Irving Morse, who was also known as “Doc Morse,” bought the pharmacy in 1921.

Doc Morse traveled the world to find interesting herbs and other natural ingredients to add to the pharmacy’s products, according to Kiehl’s. Then, in the 1960s, Irving Morse’s son, Aaron, took over and introduced men’s products to the pharmacy.

“[Aaron Morse] infused Kiehl’s with a spirit of adventure and a spirit of the times,” according to Kiehl’s.

In that same decade, Kiehl’s formulated and launched a blue astringent, which was reportedly a favorite product of Andy Warhol’s.

3. Kiehl’s sponsored an Everest expedition in the 1980s, and climbers relied on its products along the way to the top of the mountain.

Here’s another pharmacy-mountain connection: the first effective sunscreen was developed by Franz Greiter after he got sunburned climbing Mount Piz Buin in the Alps. His experiments with sunscreen were particularly sought after by climbers, including those climbing Mount Everest. Greiter is also credited with developing the concept of SPF.

Later, pharmacist Benjamin Green experimented with red veterinary petrolatum, cocoa butter, and coconut oil to create a product that would later become Coppertone suntan lotion.

4. Kiehl’s launched its line of Dermatologist Solutions aimed at skin issues such as acne, sun spots, irritation, and aging in 2005.

In recent years, Kiehl’s has also helped break the Guinness world record for long distance running on a treadmill in 24 hours, started a recycling program, and developed limited-edition products for charities.

“Kiehl’s has come a long way since its humble Pear Tree corner, but we’ll never forget our roots,” the company said in a video about its heritage.