Charles Lachman

Charles Lachman’s defining contribution to Revlon was his development of the opaque pigment formulation that replaced traditional transparent dyes in nail enamel, creating a durable, highly pigmented product that could be matched to lipstick shades. His chemical innovation was the technological foundation of the entire company, though he was famously forced out in 1936 for just $3 million, a decision that allowed the Revson brothers to retain full ownership of the brand.

Charles Lachman was a chemist whose technical innovation provided the foundation for Revlon’s entire business model. In the early 1930s, Lachman developed a process for using opaque pigments instead of dyes in nail enamel, creating a product that was more durable and offered a wider range of colors than anything available on the market. He partnered with Charles and Joseph Revson, contributing his formulation in exchange for a share of the company, and the trio launched Revlon in 1932. Lachman’s technology allowed Revlon to introduce the revolutionary concept of matching nail enamel and lipstick colors, a concept that defined the color cosmetics industry for the next century. However, Lachman’s role in the company was short-lived; as the Revson brothers consolidated their control, they forced Lachman out in 1936, buying out his share for a mere $3 million. While this was a significant sum at the time, it paled in comparison to the billions of dollars in value that Lachman’s formulation would generate for the Revson family over the next decades, making his departure one of the most lucrative buyouts in corporate history for the remaining founders.