Revlon
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 5 sources
US mass-market make-up, nail colour and hair colour brand.
Until Revlon switches to synthetic mica or traces its natural mica to mines that are checked independently, it can't show that children don't dig it.
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Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- Not met: Meets 3 of 6 Good requirements.
- Holds the grade back: It uses natural mica that it can't trace. That alone means a poor grade until it switches to synthetic mica or takes steps to trace it to the mine.
- It isn't Harm on record, because there's no serious confirmed problem on its record.
- Lacks transparency is still a poor grade: in supply chains like this, workers who can't be seen to be treated fairly are usually underpaid or unprotected.
Good requirements 3 of 6
- Not met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationLiving wage: no evidence
- Met: Respects worker rights
- Not met: Supply chain independently audited or certified, or at least 80% made in countries with strong labour standards
- Met: No confirmed child or forced labour findings or linksAn unconfirmed report of child labour is listed below. It doesn't affect the grade.
- Met: Names the factories or farms that make its products, or is fully certified by a scheme that holds and audits that listMakes its products in its own factories
- Not met: Uses only synthetic mica or none, or traces natural mica to independently checked mines, and traces or certifies other high-risk ingredients (palm oil) where they're a major part of its rangeNot traced or certified: palm oil
Red flags 2
- Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
- Red flag: Uses natural mica it can't trace to the mine
- Red flag: Fails its category's raw-material check (means Lacks transparency)
Stars it would earn as Good
None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Where it's made
From Revlon's own disclosure: it makes its products in its own factories.
| Country | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | Strong protections | About a living wage | Low |
| Spain | Strong protections | Close to a living wage | Low |
| Italy | Strong protections | Close to a living wage | Low |
| United States | Systematic violations | Below a living wage | Low |
| South Africa | Regular violations | Below a living wage | Low |
Evidence
What we found
- Owns or runs its own production
- Modern slavery statement
- Doesn't show where its palm oil comes from. Palm oil is linked to forced and child labour on some Malaysian and Indonesian plantations, so it can't be graded Good until it traces or certifies it.
- Uses natural mica, much of it dug by hand in illegal or unregulated mines in India and Madagascar, where children work and pits collapse. It hasn't shown any steps on its mica, such as switching to synthetic mica, joining the Responsible Mica Initiative or tracing it to the mine, so it's graded Lacks transparency until it does. Source
Research notes Revlon says its Australian and UK products come from Revlon-owned and operated factories in the United States, Spain, South Africa and Italy, with one local third-party maker in Australia making a few products. Its make-up uses mica, but it says only that suppliers told it the mica comes from gated mines (2015); it names no mines, doesn't appear to belong to the Responsible Mica Initiative and doesn't mention palm oil. Its modern slavery statements describe audit rights and plans for third-party audits but report no audit results, supplier list or living wage.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Modern Slavery Register | Listed | Revlon Australia Pty Limited lodges modern slavery statements; its statement covering 2020 and 2021 says about 95% of finished products sold in Australia and New Zealand come from Revlon-owned factories and reports no audit results. View |
| UK Modern Slavery Statement Registry | Listed | Revlon lodges modern slavery statements on the UK registry; its 2025 statement was published in 2026. View |
| Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Listed | Revlon responded in 2015 to a report of child labour in India's mica supply chains, saying its suppliers confirmed its mica comes from gated mines. View |
Unconfirmed reports
Credible reports that haven't been confirmed by a regulator, completed investigation or the company. They're shown for your information and don't affect the grade.
- A 2015 article reported child labour in the mica supply chains of cosmetics brands; Revlon responded that its main suppliers, including BASF and Merck, told it its mica came from gated mines and complied with its ban on child labour (Business & Human Rights Resource Centre, 2015). Source
Sources and actions
Sources 5
Show all 5 sources
- Company Response: Revlon's statement (Business & Human Rights Resource Centre, 2015) · search the archive · Revlon's 2015 response on child labour in India's mica: suppliers BASF and Merck said its mica comes from gated mines
- Revlon Australia (Shop Ethical) · search the archive · Lead only: rated F, last updated October 2026; not used for any graded fact
- Revlon Australia modern slavery statement 2020-2021 (Modern Slavery Register) · search the archive · About 95% of finished products sold in Australia and New Zealand imported from Revlon-owned factories in the US, Spain, South Africa and Italy; one local third-party maker; no audit results
- Revlon Modern Slavery Statement 2025 (UK registry) · search the archive · Revlon's 2025 UK statement is lodged on the registry (text not readable)
Published by Revlon or its owner
- Revlon UK modern slavery statement 2024 (Revlon) · search the archive · All finished products sold in the UK come from Revlon owned and operated factories in the US, Spain, South Africa and Italy; third-party audits planned, no findings reported
Company details
- Headquarters
- United States
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Revlon ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/revlon, last researched 3 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
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Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Revlon.