Judie: The PBS documentary The Powder and the Glory (PBS, March 23, check local listings), the story of cosmetic pioneers Helena Rubinstein and Elizabeth Arden, is a must-see for anyone who loves beauty and fashion.

Evelinda: These two rivals built multimillion-dollar empires and invented modern marketing and product branding. Although Arden and Rubinstein made a point of never meeting, their competition popularized cosmetics and gave women permission to enhance their appearances.

Judie: Before they came on the scene, wearing makeup was considered immoral and only for prostitutes and actresses. However, in the privacy of their homes, many women would cook up their own skin-care concoctions.

Born in Poland in 1872, Rubinstein and her sisters were known for their beautiful skin. Rubinstein credited this to the cream her mother made from local ingredients. After moving to Australia and adding lanolin to the mix, she opened her first shop and began to sell her cream.

Evelinda: Arden was born in Canada in 1881, moved to New York and worked as a sales clerk. She, like so many single women in the early 1900s, went to the city in search of independence, a livelihood and the right to vote. Arden understood that along with suffrage, "every woman has a right to be beautiful."

Judie: With the advent of the film industry and the use of close-ups, cosmetics emerged from behind closed drawers. Lipstick was applied brazenly and powder compacts were stored in the tops of women's stockings to be pulled out for touch-ups on the dance floor.

Evelinda: By the 1920s, the cosmetics business was a $2 billion industry. Even during the Great Depression, sales increased 30 percent. Both Arden and Rubinstein understood that tough economic times created a demand for more affordable luxury. Even if you couldn't afford a new dress, you could buy a lipstick. Further, the two entrepreneurs understood that women equated price with quality: The more expensive a product, the more worthwhile the product.

Judie: These women sold a lifestyle. Arden stressed not only the magic of makeup, but the importance of posture and femininity. Rubinstein sold an edgy, glamorous and bold image. Don't even think the spa concept started with Canyon Ranch. Arden opened a health and beauty "farm" in Maine and charged $500 a week. At one time her famous "Red Door" salons numbered more than 60.

Evelinda: The advent of television in the '50s and the mass-market pricing of Revlon products spelled the decline of the era that these two doyennes had ushered in. But the hope and the promise they gave to women can still be found today at every cosmetic counter.

The second edition of A Fashion-Lover's Guide to the Best Shopping in Denver and Beyond is in bookstores or at stylematters.us.