Empowerment through beauty

International Women's Day is fast approaching on Saturday, 8 March.

This year, we've joined forces with a global beauty brand to share the rich (red!) history of icon, activist, entrepreneur, and beauty pioneer Elizabeth Arden. While you're probably aware of her cult makeup and skincare products, you may not know that Elizabeth was at the forefront of the suffragette movement and fiercely dedicated to championing women’s rights. 

According to the Elizabeth Arden archives, "All women in 1910, irrespective of social class background, were seen as second-class citizens - a fact underlined by the denial to them of the parliamentary vote. All women were encouraged from childhood to strive to the ideal of serving others, to consider the interests of their menfolk first rather than their own. Since most women were expected to become full-time wives and mothers, rather than earn their own living, options in life were limited. Back then, women who... used beauty products were seen as promiscuous, fake, and unnatural, breaking from their rightful domestic sphere to expose themselves."

In 1912, Arden and over 15,000 suffragettes marched through the streets of New York City, demanding women be given the right to vote. She encouraged women to wear bright red lipstick as a symbol of power and resistance, supplying red lipstick to protesters as they marched past her iconic Red Door Spa. As such, a bold red lip became synonymous with strength and the unofficial uniform of the female liberation movement.

Keep your eyes on Amica to learn more about our partnership with Elizabeth Arden in the coming weeks.

We thank Elizabeth Arden for providing the historical information above.