Revlon

Revlon is one of the world's largest and best-known cosmetic companies. The company's core products include its drugstore line of makeup, specialty skin care products and salon-quality hair and beauty lines. The company is publicly traded and is based in New York City. Revlon's goal has always been to provide quality beauty products at an affordable price.  

In 1932, the United States was in the middle of one of the lowest points in the country's economic history. During this time of the Great Depression, two brothers named Charles and Joseph Revson had an idea to create nail polish using pigments instead of the normal dyes. They believed this would make the polish last longer and would allow for a larger variety of colors. To come up with their formula, they partnered with a local chemist named Charles Lachman. Using the Revson name, plus an "L" for Lachman, they named their new nail polish company "Revlon." Within 6 years, the 3 men had turned Revlon into a million-dollar company, selling only their special nail polish.

Today, Revlon is the leading cosmetics company in the United States. The current board of directors has sold off many poor-performing lines and returned the company to its core brands. Today, the Revlon Corporation consists of Revlon and Almay cosmetics, Mitchum Deodorant, and Jeanne Gatineau skin care products. By focusing on its core product groups, Revlon management hopes to increase profits, reversing a downward trend that started in 2001.