Not Just a Pretty Face, but an Ambitious Mind

Lydia Pinkham, Helena Rubinstein, Madam C. J. Walker, and Elizabeth Arden idealized female independence in a time when women didn’t have a voice. Each brought forward innovative products or ideas that revolutionized the beauty industry. Their products and advertisements could be found in mailboxes and at beauty counters across the country, including areas like Delmarva. To quote Elizabeth Arden, “It is remarkable what a woman can accomplish with just a little ambition.”