French cosmetics group L’Oreal said it has...

French cosmetics group L’Oreal said it has acquired Helena Rubinstein Inc., whose legendary founder made an international name for herself as a beauty products creator and a patron of the arts. Although the Rubinstein name is well known in the United States, the company’s products have not been available here since 1986. The French company already owned a large part of Rubinstein, having bought its Latin American and Japanese operations in 1983. A L’Oreal spokesman declined to give a figure for the deal, but said the purchase amounted to “several hundred million francs.”