Revlon, Inc.
Company History
Revlon History: Founding, Growth & Key Milestones
Founded 1932 in New York City, New York, United States
When was Revlon founded?
Revlon was founded in 1932 in New York City, New York, United States by Charles Revson, Joseph Revson and Charles Lachman, making it 94 years old.
- Founded
- 1932
- Founding place
- New York City, New York, United States
- Founders
- Charles Revson, Joseph Revson and Charles Lachman
- Headquarters today
- New York, NY
- Milestones documented
- 11 (1932–2026)
- Current CEO
- Michelle Peluso
- Acquisitions
- 3
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1932 | Revlon is founded |
| 1955 | Revlon goes public |
| 1985 | Perelman takes Revlon private |
| 2013 | Acquired The Colomer Group |
| 2016 | Elizabeth Arden acquisition |
| 2018 | Debra Perelman Becomes CEO |
| 2022 | Revlon files for Chapter 11 |
| 2023 | Revlon emerges from Chapter 11 |
| 2023 | Elizabeth (Liz) Smith Becomes Interim CEO |
| 2024 | Michelle Peluso appointed CEO |
| 2026 | Mario Rivera named COO |
- Where was Revlon founded?
- Revlon was founded in New York City, New York, United States in 1932. wikidata.org
- Who founded Revlon?
- Revlon was founded by Charles Revson, Joseph Revson and Charles Lachman.
- When did Revlon start?
- Revlon was founded in 1932.
- How old is Revlon?
- Revlon is 94 years old as of 2026.
Founding Story
In March 1932, brothers Charles and Joseph Revson and chemist Charles Lachman started the Revlon Nail Enamel company in New York. Their opaque, pigment-based nail enamel offered richer colors than the sheer, dye-based polishes of the time. Charles Revson sold first to beauty salons, then expanded into lipstick so customers could match lips to nails, a merchandising idea that turned Revlon into a national brand.
Founders
Charles Revson
Charles Revson and his brother Joseph, together with chemist Charles Lachman (whose marriage into the Dresden Chemical Company family gave him nail-polish manufacturing expertise), formed the Revlon Nail Enamel Corporation on March 1, 1932, with a combined investment of just $300. The company took its name partly from Lachman -- the 'L' in Revlon -- and began manufacturing out of a $25-a-month room on Manhattan's West Side. Their key innovation was an opaque, pigmented nail enamel, a significant improvement over the sheer, dye-based polishes then on the market, which also allowed a far wider range of colors; by 1938 the line had grown to 21 shades. Charles Revson served as president and drove the company's expansion from a single nail-polish product into drug and department stores nationwide. Charles Revson was born in 1906 in Somerville. Education: Manchester High School West.
Joseph Revson
Joseph Revson co-founded Revlon in March 1932 with his brother Charles and chemist Charles Lachman. While Charles led sales and marketing, Joseph helped run the young company's operations during the Great Depression. Public detail on his later role is limited. (Exact birth year remains publicly undisclosed).
Charles Lachman
Charles Lachman co-founded Revlon in 1932 with Charles and Joseph Revson and contributed the 'L' in the company name. His expertise helped produce Revlon's opaque, pigment-based nail enamel, the product that launched the company. (Exact birth year remains publicly undisclosed).
Key Milestones
Revlon is founded
Charles Revson, Joseph Revson, and Charles Lachman found Revlon around opaque nail enamel.
Source: revloncorp.comRevlon goes public
Revlon becomes a public company after building one of the best-known mass cosmetics brands in the United States.
Source: sec.govPerelman takes Revlon private
Ronald Perelman takes Revlon private in a leveraged buyout that shapes the company's later balance-sheet pressure.
Source: sec.govElizabeth Arden acquisition
Revlon acquires Elizabeth Arden, adding prestige skin care and fragrance assets but increasing integration and leverage complexity.
Source: sec.govDebra Perelman Becomes CEO
Debra Perelman became chief executive of Revlon in May 2018.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgRevlon files for Chapter 11
Revlon files for Chapter 11 during a period of debt pressure, supply chain disruption, and competitive pressure in beauty.
Source: sec.govRevlon emerges from Chapter 11
Revlon emerges from Chapter 11 as a private company after eliminating about $2.7B of debt.
Source: businesswire.comElizabeth (Liz) Smith Becomes Interim CEO
Elizabeth (Liz) Smith became CEO of Revlon in 2023. Led Revlon as interim CEO after bankruptcy emergence and remained on the board after Peluso's appointment.
Source: wwd.comMichelle Peluso appointed CEO
Revlon appoints Michelle Peluso Chief Executive Officer to lead the company's next phase of growth.
Source: businesswire.comMario Rivera named COO
Former CVS Health executive Mario Rivera becomes Chief Operations Officer on February 16, 2026, to run Revlon's global supply chain.
Source: prnewswire.comMajor Acquisitions
Almay
1987Expanded Revlon into hypoallergenic and sensitive-skin beauty positioning.
The Colomer Group
2013Re-entered professional beauty and salon channels.
Elizabeth Arden
2016Added prestige skin care and fragrance assets.
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Revlon Company History FAQ
When and where was Revlon founded?
Revlon was founded on March 1, 1932, in New York City, New York, during the height of the Great Depression, by brothers Charles and Joseph Revson along with chemist Charles Lachman.
What was Revlon's original product breakthrough?
Revlon revolutionized the cosmetics industry by developing an opaque nail enamel using insoluble pigments rather than transparent dyes, allowing for rich, uniform color shades that lasted significantly longer on nails.
How did Revlon pioneer shade matching and seasonal marketing?
In 1939, Charles Revson introduced the concept of matching lips and fingertips, marketing lipstick and nail enamel in identical color shades. Revlon established spring and fall fashion color cycles, popularized by historic campaigns like 1952's "Fire & Ice" photographed by Richard Avedon.
When did Revlon go public?
Revlon completed its initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange in 1955 at $12 per share, which quickly soared to $30 within eight weeks following Revlon's sponsorship of the hit television quiz show "The $64,000 Question".
What happened during Ronald Perelman's 1985 hostile takeover of Revlon?
In 1985, financier Ronald Perelman's holding company, MacAndrews & Forbes, executed an acrimonious hostile leveraged buyout (LBO) of Revlon for $2.7 billion, largely financed through high-yield junk bonds arranged by Michael Milken and Drexel Burnham Lambert.
How did the 1985 LBO burden Revlon's long-term financial health?
The leveraged buyout saddled Revlon with multi-billion-dollar debt obligations that required substantial cash flow to service, leaving the company chronically under-invested in research, retail marketing, and digital transformation for decades.
When did Revlon acquire Elizabeth Arden and what was its impact?
Revlon acquired prestige beauty and fragrance house Elizabeth Arden in September 2016 for $870 million. While the deal expanded Revlon's footprint in global travel retail and anti-aging skincare (Ceramide and Prevage), it added significant additional debt right before global supply chain crises.
Why did Revlon file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in June 2022?
Revlon filed for Chapter 11 protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York on June 15, 2022, burdened by over $3.3 billion in long-term debt, acute global supply chain shortages that prevented order fulfillment, and intense inflation in raw cosmetic ingredients.
When and how did Revlon emerge from bankruptcy in 2023?
Revlon successfully emerged from Chapter 11 on May 2, 2023, after restructuring that eliminated more than $2.7 billion in debt, transferring equity ownership to its senior lenders (including Glendon Capital, King Street Capital, Angelo Gordon, and Oak Hill) and wiping out MacAndrews & Forbes' equity.
What became of the infamous $900M Citibank accidental wire transfer involving Revlon?
In August 2020, administrative agent Citibank accidentally wired approximately $900 million of its own funds to Revlon's lenders instead of an intended $7.8 million interest payment. A protracted legal battle ensued, resulting in appellate court rulings requiring the lenders to return the funds to Citi.
Who took leadership of Revlon upon bankruptcy emergence in 2023 and 2024?
Upon emergence in May 2023, former Avon CEO Elizabeth Smith was appointed interim CEO and executive chair, replacing Debra Perelman. In late 2024, retail and e-commerce veteran Michelle Peluso was appointed Chief Executive Officer to steer the reorganized company.
What are the main legacy brands within Revlon's corporate portfolio today?
Revlon's portfolio includes its namesake mass makeup brand, Revlon ColorSilk hair color, Almay hypoallergenic cosmetics, Mitchum antiperspirants, Cutex nail care, SinfulColors, American Crew men's grooming, Revlon Professional salon hair care, and the Elizabeth Arden prestige skincare and fragrance portfolio.
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