Almay is a cosmetics brand owned by Revlon, along with other brands including Revlon, Ultima II, ColorStay, Flex, New Complexion, Revlon Age Defying, and Charlie. Almay is better known as Revlon's teen brand competing against Avon's meet mark.
The Almay Brand was originally established in 1931 and was named after the founders, Alfred and Fanny May Woititz. The creation of this cosmetic brand began when Fanny May Woititz was in need of cosmetic products that did not irritate her sensitive skin. Her husband Alfred, who was a professional chemist, started experimenting with makeup to find ingredients that were purer and gentler. With the help of dermatologist Dr. Marion Sulzberger, they developed the first cosmetic brand that used hypoallergenic ingredients.
Almay was the first brand to introduce skincare safety by producing 100% fragrance-free products, by showing all the ingredients used on its product labels, and by testing for allergy, as well as irritation. It was also the first to create a cosmetic line for consumers with specific skin types and those who wear contact lenses. In 1987, Almay was acquired by Revlon and today, has expanded to a full line of skincare and makeup products.