Where Revlon has led, the beauty industry has followed
Starting with transforming nail enamel from a functional product to a multi-coloured tapestry of beauty and self-expression, Revlon has spearheaded changes in beauty since 1932.
From there, founder Charles Revson, was inspired by the style of Hollywood’s female stars to position his brand as pure bold glamour, pushing boundaries, remaining modern and glamourous and connecting with women in a way meaningful to their lives and aspirations. This turned the cosmetics industry on its head and Revlon soon grew into a powerhouse synonymous with innovation.
Redefining the rules
As one of the first advertisers to feature celebrities rather than models, Revlon launched its iconic “The Most Unforgettable Women In the World Wear Revlon” campaign in the nineties. In a time when nearly all supermodels were white Americans, it featured women from across the globe and was the first campaign to star three black women in a major cosmetics ad. Beverly Johnson, Louise Vyent and Iman represented Black American, Afro-European and African beauty.
A world first for Revlon
And today Revlon South Africa is once again celebrating the diversity of beauty with the first ever Revlon South African Brand Ambassador – Bonang Matheba. This 25 year old is not just a model or style icon. She is an ambitious entrepreneur, YFM DJ and Top Billing presenter. She is an embodiment of what Revlon stands for – bold glamour.
Forbes named her One of the 13 African Celebrities To Watch In 2013 – and her more than 400 000 Twitter followers clearly agree. As the queen of South African Social Media, Radio and TV, the darling of South African youth, she now joins the great Revlon Ambassadors of past and present, such as Audrey Hepburn, Oprah Winfrey, Halle Berry, Emma Stone and Olivia Wilde, as the Company’s first local Revlon Brand Ambassador.
The legacy continues
Honouring the beauty of South African women, Revlon is re-launching its popular and award winning ColorStayTM foundation range. Some of the benefits of Revlon ColorStayTM:
• Specially formulated for combination or oily skin to help control shine
• Time Release Technology that leaves skin looking its best for up to 24 hours
• SoftFlexTM for a light natural feel
• A newly extended range of 18 shades including Carob, Hazelnut, Bronze and Cinnamon
• And used with the new ColorStayTM Concealer, it offers flawless overall cover
“We searched tirelessly for a local beauty celebrity that would inspire our beautiful young South African women to own every moment by simply looking their best. Bonang was the perfect choice and is quintessentially Revlon on all levels. We are proud to finally be able to announce her as our new Revlon Brand Ambassador.” – Pumza Payi, Marketing Director, Revlon South Africa
“As the first South African Brand Ambassador, it’s such an honour to become part of the Revlon story” – Bonang Matheba