REVLON is an American beauty company and cosmetics brand established in 1932 by brothers Charles Revson and Joseph Revson, alongside chemist Charles Lachman. The company originated with a single innovative product—an opaque nail enamel—and has since developed into one of the world’s most recognised mass-market beauty brands. Today, REVLON is particularly associated with colour cosmetics, nail products, hair colour, skincare, fragrances, and beauty care. Its corporate group states that its brands are sold in more than 150 countries.1

Foundation — 1932

REVLON was established in 1932, during the Great Depression. Charles Revson, his brother Joseph Revson, and chemist Charles Lachman developed a new type of nail enamel using pigments rather than the dyes commonly used in existing nail products. This innovation resulted in an opaque nail enamel available in a significantly broader range of fashionable colours. The founders recognised that nail colour could function as a fashion accessory rather than merely a beauty treatment.2 The name REVLON combines the surname Revson with the “L” associated with Charles Lachman.

The company initially distributed its products through beauty salons. By 1937, REVLON nail products were being sold through department stores and pharmacies, enabling the company to expand rapidly beyond the professional salon market.3

Expansion into lipstick

In 1939, REVLON expanded beyond nail enamel into lipstick. A pivotal early marketing strategy involved coordinating lipstick colours with nail polish. This approach helped establish the concept of a matching lip-and-nail colour look, transforming cosmetics into a coordinated fashion statement.4 This philosophy became fundamental to the brand’s identity: rather than treating cosmetics purely as functional items, the company linked them with fashion, glamour, colour and personal expression.

Charles Revson was among the most influential figures in the development of the modern cosmetics industry. He was particularly noted for understanding that beauty products could be marketed through emotion and aspiration, rather than solely through their physical characteristics. REVLON developed memorable product names such as:

• Fire & Ice
• Cherries in the Snow
• Plum Lightning
• Moon Drops
• Ultima II

The company also invested heavily in sophisticated advertising, fashion photography and celebrity associations.5 Historically, REVLON’s marketing helped establish a significant formula in beauty advertising: Product + fashion + personality + aspiration. This approach proved influential throughout the cosmetics industry.

One of REVLON’s most renowned campaigns was Fire & Ice, introduced in the 1950s. The campaign combined lipstick, nail colour, fashion photography and celebrity or model imagery. REVLON collaborated with fashion publications and photographers including Richard Avedon, helping to transform cosmetics advertising into a format closer to fashion editorial photography.6 This campaign illustrates a key aspect of the brand’s historical significance: it did not merely sell makeup but helped establish cosmetics as part of fashion culture.

After establishing itself in the United States, REVLON expanded internationally. By the early 1960s, the company had operations or subsidiaries in markets including France, Italy, Argentina, Mexico and parts of Asia, whilst also expanding into fragrance.7 This international growth helped transform REVLON from an American cosmetics manufacturer into a global beauty brand. Today, Revlon Consumer Products states that its portfolio reaches consumers in more than 150 countries.8

One of REVLON’s most significant fragrance launches was Charlie, introduced in 1973. Charlie was positioned around the image of the independent modern woman, reflecting changing attitudes towards women’s independence during the 1970s. It became a major international success for the company.9 The campaign is historically significant because it demonstrated REVLON’s ability to sell not only a fragrance but also a lifestyle and identity.

Over subsequent decades, REVLON expanded beyond traditional makeup. Its portfolio eventually included:

• Colour cosmetics
• Lipstick
• Nail products
• Hair colour
• Hair care
• Skincare
• Fragrances
• Beauty tools
• Deodorants and personal care
• Professional salon products

The company also developed and acquired other beauty brands. A particularly significant acquisition was Elizabeth Arden. REVLON acquired the Elizabeth Arden business in 2016, substantially expanding its presence in skincare and prestige fragrances.10

Although REVLON is the flagship name, the wider corporate portfolio has included numerous brands.

REVLON

The core consumer beauty brand is particularly associated with:

• Foundation
• Concealer
• Lipstick
• Lip gloss
• Mascara
• Eyeliner
• Nail products
• Beauty tools

Its major product franchises have included ColorStay and Super Lustrous.11

Revlon ColorSilk

ColorSilk is REVLON’s home hair-colour line and has been marketed as an affordable at-home hair-colour product. The company describes it as having been on the market for more than 50 years.12

Revlon Professional

This division focuses on professional hair and salon products, rather than primarily consumer makeup.

Elizabeth Arden

Elizabeth Arden brought REVLON a major prestige-beauty business encompassing:

• Skincare
• Cosmetics
• Fragrance
• Professional skincare13

Other brands

The broader corporate portfolio has included names such as:

• Almay
• American Crew
• Mitchum
• Cutex
• Elizabeth Taylor
• Juicy Couture
• Curve
• John Varvatos
• Christina Aguilera

The exact portfolio has changed over time through acquisitions, divestitures and licensing arrangements.14

💄 Colour cosmetics

This remains one of REVLON’s strongest areas. Products include:

• Lipstick
• Foundation
• Blush
• Eyeshadow
• Mascara
• Eyeliner
• Concealer
• Nail colour

REVLON has historically positioned itself as a “colour authority”, emphasising fashionable shades and cosmetic innovation.15

💅 Nail care

Nail enamel is the category that made REVLON famous. The company’s original 1932 product was itself a nail enamel, and nail colour remained an important part of the company’s identity.

💋 Lip products

Lipstick became a major part of REVLON’s business shortly after its founding. Super Lustrous is one of its best-known long-running lipstick franchises.

💇 Hair colour

Through Revlon ColorSilk, the company became a major participant in the home hair-colour market.

🌸 Fragrance

REVLON has historically marketed both its own fragrances and fragrances associated with celebrities and fashion brands. Charlie is perhaps the most historically recognisable example.

🧴 Skincare

Through Elizabeth Arden and other businesses, REVLON expanded considerably into skincare and prestige beauty.

REVLON’s brand identity has historically centred around several core concepts:

Glamour
The brand has traditionally presented beauty as glamorous, fashionable and aspirational.

Colour
Colour is arguably the company’s defining heritage. Its original innovation was essentially a breakthrough in cosmetic colour.

Fashion
From its earliest lipstick-and-nail-polish combinations to campaigns with fashion photographers, REVLON has frequently connected cosmetics with fashion.

Individuality
Modern REVLON messaging emphasises personal expression and individuality. The company’s current mission describes its goal in terms of innovation, inclusion and intention.16

Accessibility
Unlike some luxury beauty houses, REVLON’s historical strength has been its presence in the mass-market/accessible beauty segment.

Advertising has always been central to REVLON’s business. Charles Revson was particularly aggressive in using advertising to create a recognisable brand personality. REVLON became associated with fashion magazines, professional photography and celebrity or model endorsements.17

Over the decades, the company has worked with numerous prominent models, actresses and celebrities. This strategy helped REVLON occupy a position between mass-market consumer goods and fashion culture. In essence, a REVLON product was intended to be affordable enough for ordinary consumers while being presented with the glamour traditionally associated with high fashion.

The 2016 acquisition of Elizabeth Arden was one of the most important developments in REVLON’s corporate history. Elizabeth Arden had a completely different heritage from REVLON. Founded by Florence Nightingale Graham, better known as Elizabeth Arden, the company became famous for skincare, cosmetics and fragrance. The acquisition therefore broadened REVLON’s business substantially, particularly in prestige skincare and fragrance.18 It also created a much larger beauty portfolio spanning different price points and consumer segments.

Despite its enormous brand recognition, REVLON experienced significant financial difficulties in the 2010s and early 2020s. Competition in the beauty sector became increasingly intense as:

• Celebrity-founded brands grew rapidly;
• Direct-to-consumer businesses expanded;
• Social media changed beauty marketing;
• Younger consumers increasingly discovered products online;
• Retailers changed how they allocated shelf space.

REVLON eventually carried a substantial debt burden. In June 2022, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the United States. Reuters reported that the company had listed between $1 billion and $10 billion in assets and liabilities in its bankruptcy filing, while its debt problems had been aggravated by increasing competition and difficulties in the changing beauty market.19 The bankruptcy marked a major turning point in the company’s history.

REVLON completed its restructuring and emerged from bankruptcy in May 2023. As part of the restructuring, more than $2.7 billion of debt was eliminated, and control of the company shifted to its lenders.20 Importantly, bankruptcy did not mean that the REVLON consumer brand disappeared. The underlying beauty businesses, products, trademarks and international operations continued. Today, REVLON presents itself as a global beauty company with a portfolio of 15+ brands, selling products in more than 150 countries.21

As of 2026, REVLON remains a major international beauty company, with its flagship REVLON brand operating across makeup, hair colour, beauty care and related categories. The company describes itself as a global beauty organisation focused on:

• Innovation;
• Quality;
• Individuality;
• Inclusion;
• Consumer-driven product development;
• Global distribution.

Its corporate portfolio is considerably broader than the REVLON makeup brand itself. The company therefore maintains two distinct identities:

REVLON the consumer brand
→ Makeup, nail products, hair colour and other beauty products.

REVLON the corporate group
→ A larger collection of beauty brands and businesses, including Elizabeth Arden and professional/personal-care brands.

REVLON is more than simply an established cosmetics company. Its historical significance stems from the way it helped change the business and culture of beauty.

1. It made nail colour fashionable

The company’s original innovation transformed nail enamel from a relatively simple cosmetic product into a fashion product with many colours.

2. It connected lipstick and nail polish

Its matching lips-and-fingertips strategy helped establish coordinated cosmetic looks.22

3. It pioneered sophisticated beauty advertising

REVLON used fashion photography, models, celebrities and dramatic product names to create emotional associations with cosmetics.

4. It helped democratise glamour

The brand brought sophisticated, fashion-oriented beauty imagery into products sold through mainstream retail channels.

5. It built globally recognisable beauty brands

From REVLON and ColorStay to Charlie and Elizabeth Arden, its portfolio contains brands with decades of consumer recognition.

23

REVLON operates in a highly competitive beauty market. Its competitors have historically included companies and brands such as:

• L’Oréal
• Estée Lauder
• Coty
• Maybelline
• CoverGirl
• e.l.f. Cosmetics
• NYX
• MAC
• Clinique

The competitive environment has changed substantially since REVLON’s founding. Traditional beauty companies now compete not only through retail distribution and advertising but also through TikTok, Instagram, influencers, e-commerce, celebrity brands and direct-to-consumer channels. That transformation was one of the challenges REVLON faced before its 2022 bankruptcy.24

REVLON is a 1932-founded American beauty brand that helped turn cosmetics—especially nail colour and lipstick—into fashion-driven consumer products, eventually developing into a global multi-brand beauty company known for accessible glamour, bold colour, advertising innovation and iconic products.

Evolution at a glance

1932: Nail polish
↓
1939: Lipstick
↓
1950s–70s: Fashion, advertising & fragrance
↓
1980s–2000s: Global beauty expansion
↓
2016: Elizabeth Arden acquisition
↓
2022: Chapter 11 bankruptcy
↓
2023: Restructuring and emergence
↓
2026: Global multi-brand beauty company

REVLON’s official corporate history and current company information are available through Revlon Consumer Products, while the consumer-facing brand is at Revlon.com.25

1. Be Unforgettable – Our Story, Mission & Promise | Revlon – Revlon US
2. Who We Are – Revlon Consumer Products LLC
3. Our Founders – Revlon Consumer Products LLC
4. Our History – Revlon Consumer Products LLC
5. Revlon Consumer Products LLC
6. Our Brands – Revlon Consumer Products LLC
7. Table of Contents
8. Revlon files for bankruptcy as online competition takes toll | Euronews
9. Revlon emerges from bankruptcy after lender takeover By Reuters
10. Revlon’s road to bankruptcy By Reuters
11. Revlon Emerges From Bankruptcy After Lender Takeover | BoF
12. Revlon emerges from bankruptcy after lender takeover
13. sec.gov
14. Revlon cleared to exit bankruptcy with $2.7 billion debt reduction deal By Reuters
15. rev-20221231
16. Revlon reaches lender settlement, sends bankruptcy plan to vote
17. Revlon and key creditors strike deal, April bankruptcy exit By Reuters
18. Revlon and key creditors strike deal, April bankruptcy exit
19. Revlon gets court approval for $1.4 billion bankruptcy loan By Reuters
20. Revlon gets court approval for $1.4 billion bankruptcy loan | Euronews
21. Revlon borrows $375 million in bankruptcy to shore up supply chain By Reuters
22. rev-20211231
23. Revlon Press Release – May 10, 2021 – Revlon Consumer Products LLC
24. rev-20201231
25. sec.gov