Liliane Bettencourt, the French heiress to the world’s largest cosmetics fortune and a philanthropist, died on September 21st, 2017 at the age of 94. Liliane grew up in Paris and used to accompany her father to the beauty labs of L’Oréal, the cosmetics giant founded by her grandfather. After Silvestre’s death in 1957, Liliane’s husband, André Bettencourt, became managing director of the company. In the 1990s, she gained control of the company when her husband was appointed as minister of state in the 62nd cabinet of France. In addition to managing the L'Oréal empire, Liliane was also an active philanthropist. She was a major contributor to numerous charities throughout her life and filled numerous roles in educational and medical institutions. She was also a very passionate supporter of the arts, especially photography and theatre. Liliane was an iconic figure in global business and philanthropy. She will be remembered as a bold and determined woman who transformed a modest French business into the global giant that it is today.