Our History

1963: Paul Cruz, a Mexican pharmacist, founded De La Cruz Products in Los Angeles, CA, starting in a 1,200 sq. ft. building. He crafted his own vitamins, massage oils, and herbal topical products. He distributed his products almost exclusively to pharmacies and markets serving the Latino population in Southern and Central California and Arizona. He advertised on local Spanish-language radio stations, with some of the ads costing only $10! Early customers included Spero Kessaris, a pharmacist who regularly bought products for his store, Santa Cruz Drugs, in Wilmington, CA.

1966: Launched Super Macho®

1969: Launched Globulo Rojo®

1970’s: Paul Cruz decided to retire and he felt confident in selling his business to Spero, knowing the future of his products would be in good hands. Spero ran the business with one employee in Paul’s original facility and introduced new products and brands still sold today. 

1972: De La Cruz launched Desempacho®, an antacid liquid.

1978: Introduced Bactimicina® throat lozenges.

1979: Launched Ocusan® eye drops.

Late 1970s: De La Cruz moved to a larger facility in Paramount, CA, expanding its operations and hiring R&D, Sales, and additional Production team members. New equipment was gradually added to increase the efficiency of the production lines. Although Spero was also running Santa Cruz Pharmacy along with his wife Carmen, he was highly involved in production, finding suppliers, and promoting the De La Cruz product line. His main promotional tool were ads on Spanish TV and radio in Los Angeles.

1984: The company launched Soothing Balsam Oil / Bálsamo Tranquílo and Oil of Rosemary Compound / Aceite De Romero Compuesto. Their formulation and packaging have seen a series of updates throughout the decades.

1986: Introduced Zap® Lice Shampoo, marking the company’s entry into medicines.

Early 1990s: De La Cruz began distributing through national chains like Walmart and Walgreens in areas such as Chicago, Texas, California, Nevada, and Arizona.

1990s: Spero and Carmen sold the Santa Cruz Pharmacy to focus on the company’s expansion.The company rebranded as DLC Laboratories, reflecting the growth of its brand portfolio beyond De La Cruz®.

1993-1996: Launched several new products:

Arnica Salve / Pomada de Árnica (1993)

De La Cruz® Camphor Ointment / Pomada de Alcanfor (1996)

Sulfur Ointment Acne Treatment / Pomada de Azufre (1996)

Early 2000s: DLC expanded to the East Coast, focusing on markets like New York City, Florida, and the Mid-Atlantic states.

2001: Launched De La Cruz® Glycerin and Rose Water / Glicerina y Agua de Rosas.

2003: Introduced Coconut Oil / Aceite de Coco.

2008: Released the popular Vitamin E / Vitamina E cream and oil.

DLC also introduced Essential Oils and became one of the first companies in the U.S. to offer high-quality, reasonably priced Australian Tea Tree Oil / Aceite de Árbol de Té.

2010: DLC introduced its sister brand, Earth’s Care, focused on natural ingredients and wellness products formulated with natural active ingredients to deliver effective alternatives to traditional OTC solutions. Free from parabens, phthalates, artificial fragrances or colors, and petroleum, Earth’s Care reflects a commitment to clean wellness products. The brand has helped expand the company’s reach beyond the Hispanic community and is sold in premium markets such as Whole Foods, Lassens, Fresh Thyme, and other natural product retailers.

2020: DLC became a solar-powered manufacturing facility, with its solar array generating enough energy to charge 19,000,000 cellphones per year.

DLC brands became widely available in major drugstore chains, supermarkets, independent markets, and on e-commerce platforms.

One of its products, De La Cruz® 10% Sulfur Ointment Acne Treatment, went viral and received coverage in Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Teen Vogue, and other major magazines.

DLC expanded its global footprint by beginning exports to markets including Saudi Arabia, Mexico, UAE, and Trinidad, further growing its international presence, and bringing its trusted products to new consumers worldwide.

For generations DLC has offered proven products the whole family can use with comfort and confidence. DLC continues to innovate, responding to consumer feedback with new products and formulations while remaining committed to the legacy of its founder, Paul Cruz.