A beautiful rival : a novel of Helena Rubinstein and Elizabeth Arden

A beautiful rival A novel of Helena Rubinstein and Elizabeth Arden

Gill Paul, 1960-

Book - 2023

They could have been allies: two self-made millionaires who invented a global industry, in an era when wife and mother were supposed to be the highest goals for their sex. Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein each founded empires built on grit and determination...and yet they became locked in a feud spanning three continents, two world wars, and the Great Depression. Brought up in poverty, Canadian-born Elizabeth Arden changed popular opinion, persuading women from all walks of life ­to buy skincare products that promised them youth and beauty. Helena Rubinstein left her native Poland, and launched her company with scientific claims about her miracle creams made with anti-ageing herbs. And when it came to business, nothing was off-limits:... poaching each other's employees, copying each other's products, planting spies, hiring ex-husbands, and one-upping each other every chance they had. This was a rivalry from which there was no surrender! And through it all were two women, bold, brazen, and determined to succeed--no matter the personal cost. In this sweeping novel from the bestselling author of Jackie and Maria and The Manhattan Girls, two larger-than life fashion icons come alive with all their passion, bitterness, and ambition as they each try to live the American dream.--Amazon

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Location Call Number   Status
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Subjects
Arden, Elizabeth, > 1878-1966 > Fiction.
Rubinstein, Helena, > 1870-1965 > Fiction.
Cosmetics industry > Fiction.
Women industrialists > Fiction.
Historical fiction.
Biographical fiction.
Genres
Historical fiction
Biographical fiction
Published
New York, NY : William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers [2023]
Language
English
Main Author
Gill Paul, 1960- (author)
Edition
First edition
Physical Description
376 pages ; 21 cm
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references (pages [375]-376).
ISBN
9780063245112
Contents unavailable.
Review by Booklist Review

Helena Rubinstein and Elizabeth Arden were cosmetics gurus during a time when women were meant to be wives and mothers. From different backgrounds, both of these women built from the ground up their cosmetics empires, made up of beauty creams, spa treatments, and massages, and promoted the idea that any woman could be beautiful with just a little money and some magic lotions. Despite their similarities, they were bitter rivals, not only stealing product ideas but planting spies, poaching employees, copying marketing campaigns, and even accusing each other of being on the wrong side in WWII. They could have been friends. They had the same interest in cosmetics, promoting women, and respecting women in business. But they made life difficult for each other every step of the way. Paul's latest (after The Manhattan Girls, 2022) is a dramatic take on two of the most successful women of the twentieth century, full of rich detail. Not without sacrifice, these women boldly made names for themselves. A great historical read for fans of strong female characters who have something to prove.

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.

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