War Paint: Madame Helena Rubenstein & Miss Elizabeth Arden, Their Lives, Their Times, Their Rivalry

What makes Lindy Woodhead's story such a fascinating read is the way in which she chronicles the lives of beauty rivals Helena Rubenstein and Elizabeth Arden. In the 1890s, the cosmetic industry was looked upon unfavorably. High fashion was successfully producing couture while Madame Rubenstein and Elizabeth Arden were selling miracle creams, rouge, and, in a way, sex to the affluent class. It turned out to be a tough sell. Both women, determined to fight their way to the top, developed savvy advertisements, and sophisticated packaging, and built stylish salons to appeal to the upper echelons of New York, Paris, and London. As the world woke up to the cosmetic revolution of the 1900s, Rubenstein and Arden reaped the benefits of the cosmetics-crazed public.—Sara Grant