Wonder Women: Helena Rubenstein

With shrewd business savvy and a competitive streak, Helena Rubenstein was one of two New York based women who catapulted the beauty industry by marketing glamour as a must-have. 

Understanding women was key to her success. She knew women wanted to treat themselves and insisted that massive mark ups on her creams would make her products more desirable for purchase rather than deter. Ladies loved the idea of luxury and pampering themselves.

Beauty required creativity and innovation. Striking up a bit of a rivalry with another make up maven and neighbor, Elizabeth Arden, Rubenstein pushed to provide products that were ahead of the curve. 

We have her to thank for the first ever waterproof mascara formula which she had introduced in 1939 at the New York World's Fair. So you can cry if you want to without messing up that pretty face.

Even then, mascara had been a sloppy mix of petroleum jelly and coal in a pot. Therefore, in 1957, Rubenstein invented the brush, wand and tube mechanism for the essential lash products that we use today.

Wink! Wink!