Revlon Charlie is a line of women's and men's fragrances produced by the American cosmetic and perfume house Revlon. The original Charlie was released in 1973 and was named after Charles Revson, the founder of Revlon. It was originally launched to compete with Estée, a fragrance released by Estée Lauder.
The fragrance was marketed towards young, working women and was said to represent the new woman of the era. The response proved to be profitable for Revlon, as Charlie became the world's top-selling perfume within three years.
Charlie is classified as a floral-aldehyde fragrance. It is composed of citrus, bergamot, hyacinth, green leaf, tarragon, peach, and aldehyde top notes, cyclamen, carnation, orris root, lily of the valley, jasmine and rose middle notes, and sandalwood, musk, vanilla, oakmoss, and cedar base notes.
There have been several spin-off fragrances for women, including Charlie Oriental, Charlie White, Charlie Express, Charlie Sunshine, Charlie Instinct, Charlie Crystal Chic, Charlie Pink Sparkle, and Charlie Secret.
Charlie is still available in the United Kingdom, Australia, Italy, and Spain.
What You'll Learn
- Charlie was created to compete with Estée, a fragrance released by Estée Lauder
- The scent was marketed to young, working women and represented the new woman of the era
- The perfume was composed by perfumer Francis Camail
- The original Charlie was a floral-aldehyde fragrance
- The scent is still available to buy
Charlie was created to compete with Estée, a fragrance released by Estée Lauder
Charlie was released in 1973 and was named after Charles Revson, the founder of Revlon. The fragrance was originally worn by models Shelley Hack, Charly Stember, and Naomi Sims, who became the first African American woman to be featured in a cosmetic company's advertising.
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The scent was marketed to young, working women and represented the new woman of the era
Revlon's Charlie was a perfume marketed to young, working women and represented the new woman of the era. The perfume was released in 1973, during the heyday of the women's movement in the seventies. The perfume's androgynous name, studiously carefree signature, and jaunty green/floral aldehydic personality could be said to be one of the first feminist fragrances ever created.
The perfume was composed of citrus, bergamot, hyacinth, green leaf, tarragon, peach, and aldehyde top notes, cyclamen, carnation, orris root, lily of the valley, jasmine and rose middle notes, and sandalwood, musk, vanilla, oakmoss, and cedar base notes.
The perfume's ad campaigns featured models Shelley Hack, Charly Stember, and Naomi Sims, making Sims the first African American woman in history to be featured in a cosmetic company's advertising. The ads featured Hack and Stember wearing pantsuits by Ralph Lauren, making them the first women to wear pants in fragrance ads. The response proved to be profitable for Revlon, as Charlie became the world's top-selling perfume within three years.
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The perfume was composed by perfumer Francis Camail
The perfume Charlie by Revlon was composed by perfumer Francis Camail and released in 1973. It was originally launched to compete with Estée, a fragrance released by Estée Lauder.
Charlie is a floral-aldehyde fragrance with citrus, bergamot, hyacinth, green leaf, tarragon, peach, and aldehyde top notes, cyclamen, carnation, orris root, lily of the valley, jasmine and rose middle notes, and sandalwood, musk, vanilla, oakmoss, and cedar base notes.
The perfume was marketed to young, working women and featured models such as Shelley Hack, Charly Stember, and Naomi Sims in its ad campaigns. The ads were said to represent the "new woman" of the era, with Hack and Stember wearing pantsuits by Ralph Lauren and becoming the first women to wear pants in fragrance ads.
The response to the perfume was profitable for Revlon, as Charlie became the world's top-selling perfume within three years.
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The original Charlie was a floral-aldehyde fragrance
The perfume was named after Charles Revson, the founder of Revlon. It was released in 1973 and was marketed towards young, working women.
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The scent is still available to buy
Yes, Charlie by Revlon is still available to buy. You can find it in many online shops, including Walmart, Amazon, and eBay.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Charlie by Revlon is still available to purchase.
The Charlie fragrances include:
- Charlie Oriental
- Charlie White
- Charlie Express
- Charlie Sunshine
- Charlie White Musk
- Charlie Silver
- Charlie Instinct
- Charlie Crystal Chic
- Charlie Pink Sparkle
- Charlie Little Secrets
- Charlie Secret
- Charlie Black
- Charlie Passion
- Charlie Enchant
- Charlie Shimmer
- Charlie Divine
- Charlie Rio Rebel
- Charlie Blue
- Charlie Red
- Charlie Gold
- Charlie
The notes in Charlie by Revlon are:
- Top notes: Aldehydes, Hiacynth, Galbanum, Jasmine, and Gardenia
- Middle notes: Geranium, Lily-of-the-Valley, Jasmine, Coriander, White Lily, and Violet
- Base notes: Oakmoss, Sandalwood, Vetiver, Musk, and Vanilla
The notes in Charlie Blue by Revlon are:
- Top notes: Citrus, Bergamot, Hyacinth, Green Leaf, Tarragon, and Peach
- Middle notes: Cyclamen, Carnation, Orris Root, Lily of the Valley, Jasmine, and Rose
- Base notes: Cedarwood, Sandalwood, Oakmoss, Musk, and Vanilla
The notes in Charlie Red by Revlon are:
- Top notes: Bergamot, Orange, and Mandarin
- Middle notes: Jasmine, Lily, and Rose
- Base notes: Musk, Sandalwood, and Amber
The notes in Charlie Gold by Revlon are:
- Top notes: Bergamot, Orange, and Mandarin
- Middle notes: Jasmine, Lily, and Rose
- Base notes: Musk, Sandalwood, and Amber