Our love of cosmetics naturally extends to an interest in the pioneers in the industry. Helena Rubinstein is arguably one of the most important women in the modern cosmetic industry to date. With little formal education, she established one of the first mass-produced cosmetics companies. Her innovations included tinted face powder, foundation, hormonal skin creams, a mechanical mascara applicator, and cosmetics for men.

Less commonly known, Rubinstein started out at medical school but discovered she disliked to be around sickness. Rubinstein was born in 1870 in Poland. She moved back and forth between Europe and the States before marrying a Russian nobleman who became an American citizen. In 1900, Rubinstein opened her first beauty salon and sold a cream based on her mother’s formulas in Australia. As her success grew she opened a cosmetic factory outside factory and then began to open salons in the United States in 1915. By improving the quality of her products, she was able to use department stores for distribution. She even insisted that she personally train the sales associates. By 1965, the year of her death, her company employed 32,000 people and sales were $42 million.

One hundred years later, Helena Rubinstein’s cosmetics are still a success. Demi Moore is the current face of the company and products are sold worldwide. For current product information, go to www.helenarubinstein.com.