Words leave imprints in your mind like footprints in the sand...
beach reading
starry skies to read under
reading in nature
  • Location: New York City, London, Paris

A Beautiful Rival

A Beautiful Rival

Why a Booktrail?

1915 onwards: The secret war between Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein:

  • ISBN: B0BTK578YY
  • Genre: Inspired by true events

What you need to know before your trail

Elizabeth Arden has been New York’s golden girl since her beauty salon opened its famous red door five years prior. Against all odds, she’s built an empire.

Enter Helena Rubinstein: ruthless, revolutionary – and the rival Elizabeth didn’t bargain for.

With both women determined to succeed – no matter the personal cost – a battle of beauty is born. And as the stakes increase, so do the methods: poaching employees, planting spies, copying products, hiring ex-husbands.

But as each woman climbs higher, so too does what she stands to lose.

Because the greater the height, the harder the fall…

Travel Guide

Travel from New York to London and Paris

This is the story of Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubenstein.

We visit them via the three cities as they each battle for first place in the beauty emporium stakes. These are women who want to be at the top of their game. Each city is evoked with beauty and style as we see the battle between the women but also the face of a changing city as the war rages in Europe. The fortune of the two women through the Great Depression is nicely evoked too.

The behind the scenes look at the beauty industry is fascinating. From how the creams were made to how they are marketed. How the two women would go into top department stores to look at their rivals products, comparing packaging etc.

A wonderful look at two such iconic figures.

 

Streetview Maps

A) NYC- 673 5th Avenue - the salon
B) NYC- East 49th street - Rubenstein salon
F) NYC- 509 5th Ave - Arden salon
L) Paris - 24 Quai de Béthune

BookTrail Boarding Pass: A Beautiful Rival

Destination: New York City, London, Paris  Author/guide: Gill Paul  Departure Time: 1915 onwards

Back to Results

Featured Book

The Eights

1920s: Inspired by a true story –  They knew they were changing history. They didn’t know they would change each other.

Read more