A legendary innovator and a tireless entrepreneur, Miss Elizabeth Arden established the American beauty industry a century ago. Born Florence Nightingale Graham, she traveled from rural Canada to New York City, where she opened the first Red Door salon on Fifth Avenue in 1910.

Elizabeth Arden’s fundamental belief was that beauty should not be a veneer of makeup, but an intelligent cooperation between science and nature in order to develop a woman’s finest natural assets. She lived by her mantra, “To be beautiful is the birthright of every woman.”

Miss Arden created skin care products that benefited, not masked, the skin. She not only promoted her concept of Total Beauty, including diligent skincare, nutrition and fitness, but lived it prudently as she persistently sought to bring a scientific approach to skincare formulations.

Miss Arden was uncompromising in her vision to create the new and absolute best products, packaging and services that women not only needed, but desired; whether it was the cult-classic Eight Hour Cream, her legendary Blue Grass fragrance, or a bold red lipstick to coordinate with the uniforms of the women serving in the armed forces during World War II.

Elizabeth Arden’s list of beauty innovations is long. She was the first to introduce eye makeup to the women of America and pioneered the creation of the “makeover.” With the launch of Ardena Skin Tonic, the company became the first to incorporate its founder’s name into a product name. Miss Arden developed the first travel-size beauty products, and was the first in the cosmetics business to train and send out a team of traveling demonstrators and saleswomen.

By the 1930s, Miss Arden had opened Red Door salons in the majority of the fashion capitals around the globe, and proudly acknowledged her accomplishments by proclaiming that there were only three American names known in every corner of the globe: Singer Sewing Machines, Coca-Cola and Elizabeth Arden.

Through it all, Miss Arden created both an empire and a new industry. Her entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to innovation, quality and excellence remain the soul of the company today.