Before starting Elizabeth Arden cosmetics, Florence Nightingale Graham worked as a bookkeeper where she learned several interesting things about skin care. This knowledge would later serve her well in the world of cosmetics. Soon after, she began further pursuing her goals by working for a beauty culturist as what was known as a treatment girl.
After working as a treatment girl for quite some time, Florence then formed a partnership with another beauty culturist named Elizabeth Hubbard. This was her first major step in forming her own cosmetics empire.
Soon after the partnership with Elizabeth Hubbard disintegrated, Florence Graham decided to coin the business name from her former partner and from a poem by a man named Enoch Arden. This name was to be “Elizabeth Arden”. Little did she know that the title of Elizabeth Arden cosmetics would soon be recognized throughout the world.
In 1912, Florence decided to travel to France where she would further her education on beauty and facial massage techniques. After studying numerous Paris beauty salons, Florence began creating her own rouges and tinted powders. She then returned home with her small collection of Elizabeth Arden cosmetics.
During this era, the only people who wore such cosmetics were stage performers. But Florence Nightingale Graham introduced modernized makeup of Elizabeth Arden cosmetics to North America.
Also, in her Elizabeth Arden salon, Florence introduced the concept of “the make-over” which later became one of the most commonly used fashion and makeup terms of all time.
Over the next few years, Florence collaborated with other chemists to create several new age products such as Fluffy Face Cream. The success of this collaboration revolutionized a new way of combining a scientific approach to the creation of cosmetics.
During World War II, Florence’s Elizabeth Arden cosmetics became widely popular among women in the armed forces for her creation of a specific red lipstick that was designed for such women. This lipstick was designed to match the women’s red uniforms. During this time she also effectively introduced working women to a new way to appropriately dress and apply makeup for their professions.
One of the many things Florence Graham was noticed for was her exceptionally effective combinations of makeup and skin care products. She was also widely noted for her creating foundations that matched a person’s skin tone. A pioneer of her time, Florence sparked a revolution in the world of make up with Elizabeth Arden cosmetics.