They were both born in the nineteenth century in humble circumstances—Helena Rubinstein in an orthodox Jewish household in Kraków, Poland, Elizabeth Arden on a farm outside Toronto. But by the 1930s, they were bitter rivals in New York, the rulers of dueling international beauty empires that would forever change the way women thought about cosmetics, salons, and wrinkles. This riveting biography brings these two celebrated women to life, revealing the ruthless drive and innovative business strategies that took each to the top. Along the way, it offers an intriguing look at their personal idiosyncrasies (Rubinstein collected art, Arden racehorses), their checkered marriages, and the rarefied social milieu in which they both traveled.
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“I have seldom enjoyed a book so much as War Paint. The research is staggering—I loved all the detail about society and the arts in Paris, New York, and London that so beautifully set our two heroines in context during such a long span of years—well done—it was a wonderful read. Thank you for so much enjoyment.”
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Lulu Guinness, fashion designer