A daring pioneer in the world of cosmetics, Helena Rubinstein (1872-1965) succeeded in building a commercial empire in
just a few years. Leaving behind the Jewish quarter of Krakow, Poland, she emigrated to Australia at age twenty-four. Once
there, thanks to a family formula for face cream and her unfaltering determination, Rubinstein proved to be a remarkable businesswoman and laid down the foundation for an international brand. Embracing female emancipation, she saw beauty and body care treatments as a means of giving women both power and freedom. She carefully cultivated her own image to promote her products and revolutionized received ideas about advertising and publicity.
Rubinstein was also a visionary patron of the arts, and built up one of the twentieth century's most significant collections of
modern and African art, haute couture, and jewelry. Constantly in search of everything new and proud of her nonconformist
tastes, she commissioned up-and-coming, avant-garde architects to furnish her beauty salons and homes.
Helena Rubinstein : The Adventure of Beauty recounts the life and legacy of this exception woman, one of the world's most successful. From Vienna and Melbourne to London, Paris, New York, and Tel Aviv, it traces her fortunes and recounts the origins of the modern beauty revolution.