Revlon

In 1932, with only a single product to their name, three men's Charles Revson (b. 1906), along with his brother, Joseph (b. 1906), and chemist Charles Lachman (b. 1886) founded the cosmetics conglomerate we know today as Revlon. Their single product was a unique type of nail enamel. By replacing traditional dyes with pigments, they were able to provide women with a variety of new colors. Their product was a huge success in salons and soon thereafter spread to department and drug stores. By 1940, the company was worth millions. During this time, the organization went from making polishes to lipstick and then eventually to creating a complete makeup line. In 1955 the company went public and by the '60s had already established itself internationally. During the next two decades, it was busy acquiring various companies like the men's deodorant line, Mitchum, as well as other big names like Max Factor, Halston, and Almay among many others.

Along with its cosmetics and personal care products, Revlon has also launched fragrances. One of its first scents, Charlie, was geared toward the young working woman and was the first perfume ad ever to show a woman dressed in pants. It was an immediate hit. The next fragrance, Jontue, had proven to be just as popular. As a follow up to its success with Charlie, they created other sister scents, respectively called Charlie Red, Charlie White, Charlie Gold, and Charlie Silver. Another well-known perfume, Fire, Fire and Ice, also came out with a men's cologne, Fire and Ice Men. Other Revlon men's fragrances to note are That Man and Penthouse Men. Today's market share is much smaller than what it had been in the past. In 1985 the company was bought out by a subsidiary of MacAndrews and Forbes Holdings. Currently, 70% of its stock is owned by billionaire investor, Ronald Perelman, and about 20% is owned by Fidelity Management and Research Corporation.