Becoming Elizabeth Arden: The Woman Behind the Global Beauty Empire

Cordery (history, Iowa State Univ.; Juliette Gordon Low) provides the definitive biography of one of the United States’ first businesswomen: Elizabeth Arden (1881–1966). Born in Canada as Florence Graham, Arden came to the U.S. and founded her company in 1910. One of the first women to link inner health with outer beauty, she pioneered makeup use for the masses and the idea of self-care. Throughout her success, she continued to innovate, earning 97 patents and garnering a reputation as a marketer with high standards. Even today, a tube of her Eight-Hour Cream is reportedly purchased every 30 seconds in the U.S. The book sometimes borders a bit on hagiography, and Cordery has a clear fondness for her subject, but many readers will think the praise of Arden is well-deserved. Little time is spent, however, on exploring how white privilege played out for Arden and her business opportunities.