Revlon

Revlon began in New York City on March 1, 1932, when brothers Charles and Joseph Revson partnered with chemist Charles Lachman to launch a new type of nail enamel that used pigments rather than dyes. This opaque, long-wearing polish was first sold to beauty salons before expanding into department and drug stores, helping the young company grow quickly during the Great Depression.

By the late 1930s and 1940s, Revlon had broadened its color cosmetics range and began adding fragrances to complement its beauty portfolio. One of its most influential launches came in 1973 with Charlie, a fragrance and advertising campaign that targeted the modern working woman and quickly became a top-selling global scent. Over the decades, Revlon continued to issue accessible perfumes often linked to its color lines and fashion-oriented marketing, focusing on distribution through drugstores and mass retailers.

Today, Revlon fragrances sit firmly in the affordable mainstream segment, often emphasizing approachable compositions and familiar note structures over experimental concepts. While the brand is better known for makeup and nail products than for luxury perfumery, several scents such as Charlie and its flankers have maintained enduring recognition thanks to widespread availability and strong legacy branding.