“Revlon was founded in 1932 by Charles Revson, with his brother Joseph and chemist Charles Lachman. The brand name is a slight modification of Revson’s name. Revlon lipstick and nail enamel became an instant market success story among female consumers, possibly because it was promoted with exotic names such as Tropic Sky, rather than merely descriptive ones such [as] dark red, medium red, pink, etc. The images that the Revlon names evoke are abstract ones associated with the exotic world of nature.”

—Marcel Danesi, Brands, 2006.