This was an interesting story about the career of Estee Lauder, told through the voice of a fictional
narrator. Many many years ago a good friend of mine from the south visited me. We spent one day in NYC. The one thing she really wanted to do was to go to Saks where Estee was there and was autographing her products. It was fun seeing her in person then and i enjoyed reading about her beginnings now.

The author does a good job weaving in just enough history/information about Estee" Lauder to keep one interested. Granted,much of the book revolves around a charachter introduced to the reader as a closer friend of Estee" Lauder; but her story is fairly original.
In all,this book shows the hard work and determination that Estee" and her "friend" showed when life got hard and giving up was not an option.
I especially appreciated the author's notes and her explanation of what was written versus what that facts surrounding Lauders' life were; how they either mirrored one another or helped to simply move the story line along. Honestly,this insight was the highlight of the book for me.

Fifth Avenue Glamour Girl
By Renée Rosen
This fictional account of the relationship between the narrator (entirely fictional Gloria Downing, born Gloria Dowaziac, daughter of a newly convicted Ponzi-scheme perpetrator) and the famed cosmetics guru, Estée Lauder begins inauspiciously in a hair salon in New York City and evolves into a strong friendship that spans the last year of the Great Depression through the 1980s. As Gloria struggles to hide her identity and learn to fend for herself after losing her posh lifestyle and Estée fights to establish herself as a top player in the cosmetics field, their story paints an almost cinematic portrayal of New York City life through the end of the Depression and into World War II. Their trials and triumphs, loves and heartbreaks, their fights and forgiveness meld together into a provoking, compelling story. The book was hard to put down!
(Note: there are sex scenes included.)

I really enjoyed this story about Estée Lauder. I love the makeup brand and found this story interesting and inspiring!

Many thank to NetGalley and Berkley for my ARC!!

Fifth Avenue Glamour Girl reimagines the story of Estee Lauder. Her story is related through a friend Gloria. Both young women supposedly come from families well off, but lost the fortunes. Both women are forced to forge their own paths. The only difference is that Estee knows clearly what she wants, Gloria doesn’t.

NYC, 1938. We meet Estee when she is already married with a five-year-old son. The women meet at a beauty parlor where Estee rents a space, selling cold creams and lotions. She makes her beauty products at her tiny apartment, which she shares with her family.

The character of Estee comes alive with her stubborn determination, hard work, and hustling to sell her products. She pushes her way up with each step.

As Gloria relates Estee’s story, she also reveals a lot about herself. Thus, big part of the story is about Gloria. Personally, I’d prefer the story to be concentrated on Estee.

The fascinating figure of Helena Rubinstein is interestingly woven into this story.

The story has a brisk pace. The prose and dialogue are entertaining. The characters are flawed and realistic, bringing a dose of glamour, reality, and fun.

This was such an interesting historical fiction about Estée Lauder and how she started her business. It was told through the eyes of Gloria, a woman Estée befriends who is holding onto her own secrets and trying to rebuild her life.

I enjoyed seeing the friendship between Gloria and Estée grow. Though there were times that I found their arguments frustrating. I also found Gloria frustrating with her ‘woe-is-me, I need to sabotage my life’ behaviors.

Overall this was an enjoyable book. It was great to learn a bit about the origins of Estée Lauder, a brand that is now everywhere.

Being a fan of Estée Lauder products, I was excited to read this historical fictionalized account of her and her rise to the top. Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.
This is the first book I’ve read by this author and it won’t be my last. She does a tremendous job of researching not only Estée Lauder but the time period as well Her writing is superb and her storytelling is captivating. The story centers around Estée Lauder, obviously, and her friendship with Gloria Downing, a woman who is struggling with not only her identity but with her situation as well. The grit and determination these two women demonstrate throughout the story in trying to achieve their goals is admirable and it is their enduring friendship that ultimately allows them to become successful. I loved learning about Estee’s journey and her struggle to get her cosmetics recognized, especially by the big name department stores. The author’s notes at the end were very interesting and worth reading.

Honestly I didn't know that Estee Lauder was a "real" person-- and I say that with quotes, because she apparently made up quite a bit of her personal legend? Fascinating ride through mid-century NYC and the beauty industry, although I would have liked more of Estee through her own eyes and not Gloria's.

I absolutely loved this novel! It was fascinating and a fast read. Reading this story through the eyes of her friend , Gloria Downing was an absolute beautiful idea. I really identified more with Gloria, but also enjoyed learning more about Estée Lauder. This has me sinking down a rabbit hole to learn more about the both of them. I’m now looking forward to read more historical fiction novels by this same author. Well done!

Renée Rosen turns her wise, wry eye to the making of cosmetics giant Estée Lauder in Fifth Avenue Glamour Girl, a fun little slice of historical fiction that takes you directly to the heart of the founding of Lauder’s empire.

Gloria Downing is in the middle of coping with a horrifying scandal – her father has been arrested in a racketeering scheme, which has sent their family into a terrible spiral and dislodged them from their lives of privilege. Gloria must now go out to work for a living. Her life changes forever when the woman sitting next to her at Darlene’s Palace of Beauty informs her the shade of lipstick she’s wearing is all wrong for her.

That woman happens to be the ambitious Estée Lauder, who’s planning on making her fortune in beauty, even though her husband Joe wants a traditional housewife type. But she feels hemmed in as a wife and mother and wants to live the good life. While Gloria begins working at Saks Fifth Avenue and experiences life, loss and career ambitions of her own, Estée experiences divorce, success, and tastes what she’s long yearned for. But the girls’ friendship waxes and wanes as time goes on. Can they reconcile before it’s too late?

Fifth Avenue Glamour Girl explores anti-semitism, war, feminism, and the horrors of trying to be a working woman in an era that wanted women to go home and put on an apron. There is friendship for Estée and Gloria, as well as independence, but it’s a lonely climb to the top, and sometimes they’re willing to tear each other apart to get to the top of the glass mountain.

Estée and Gloria are both - understandably - dealing with a lot. Gloria ultimately has to let go of the baggage she’s dragging around regarding her father; Estée’s desire for a rich and unconventional life gets between herself and her true love for her husband and desire to mother her own son. Anti-semitism gets between them, as does blind ambition, jealousy and romantic travails. The way Rosen anchors the story in the period is ultimately what pulls it through, and each woman is fascinating and imperfect in their own, completely different ways.

The business of beauty – and the way women use it – also perfumes the book. Women strive to be swans, and Estée is fearless in milking their need to float on water. Gloria, too, learns how to sell beauty in her role as beauty buyer for Saks. Cosmetics are a way that helps characters to feel more themselves and to manipulate others; hair dye, too, helps the characters to come to terms with who they really are. The end result is a fascinating portrait of class, self-hatred and self-love.

Fifth Avenue Glamour Girl is a beautiful book about a business that can be completely, fearlessly ugly. The blemishes show through the foundation, and that’s what makes it great.

As I look over my Estee Lauder beauty products, I think to myself how fascinating it is that I’ve just read a book on their humble beginnings.
This compelling read will not be forgotten anytime soon.


Though I thought the book would be told from Estte Lauder’s point of view it is told by her best friend Gloria Downing’s point of view. Estee and Gloria have a love/hate relationship (sisterly/best-friend) love. Gloria’s family was rich until her father was jailed for many people investing with him with no return causing a scandal. Gloria changes her last name and must reinvent herself to avoid shame she believes.

She is now a shampoo girl at a beauty salon where she meets Estee who shows the women at the hair dryers her jars of beauty creams. Getting fired at the beauty salon Gloria feels down on her luck but it quickly picks up when she’s hired to sell beauty products at Saks Fifth Avenue. The top salesgirl quickly rises in the ranks and becomes administration. The beauty products Estee is selling her products at hair salons were made by her chemist uncle. She took over making these products in her kitchen, but I don’t believe she gave her uncle credit for his work.


Estee is desperate to get her products into Saks Fifth Avenue to be sold at their beauty counter.
Estee is portrayed as a needy and clingy woman running to Gloria for everything from bad breakups to sets backs in her makeup ventures. Was this her true personality, I don’t know for sure and I’m not sure the author knows either.

I did some research my own on this woman and it was fascinating reading. The author very accurately portrays Estee Lauder’s life and ventures. One thing I have seen is Estee’s determination to get ahead, become famous, get her cosmetics in the hands of everyone and have her products sold at Saks. She wasn’t afraid to step on toes to claw her way to the top.


In a male dominated world these women are not afraid to take charge and do things on their own terms regardless of who it affects. This has shot right to the top of my list of favorite books, and I know it’ll stay there. You do have to admire a woman from such a humble beginning who rose to the top with such an insatiable desire to succeed.

Pub Date 25 Apr 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

I really enjoyed this book.

This book spoke directly to a favourite sub-genre of mine: historical novels (or memoirs) about the origin stories of trail-blazing women— ESPECIALLY women in the luxury retail space.

It was fascinating to get to know this version of Estée Lauder, seen through the eyes of an interesting young woman named Gloria, at a time before she was… well… Estée Lauder.

Perfect for fans of Fiona Davis, Therese Anne Fowler, Marie Benedict, and Paula McLain.

FIFTH AVENUE GLAMOUR GIRL is a fresh take on historical fiction, taking readers into the world of Estee Lauder and her friend, Gloria. Primarily centered around how these women find their way in a man's world, the novel is nicely-paced and gives the feeling of an inside look at the cosmetics industry. I had no idea that Estee had a family she needed to support, which endears the reader to her. Gloria's story is also captivating as she is trying to recover from a Ponzi-type scheme. Ultimately, Gloria seems a smart choice as a vehicle to tell Estee's story.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for this title. All opinions are my own.

This was very good! I didn't know the story of Estee Lauder, the cosmetics company, and it was a fun story to read. Not a lot of romance, it's mostly a story of friends and trusting those you love. Good historical fiction about part of American history.

One correction - p. 309 of 368, "this is the only way I can I sell." has an extra I.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was an entertaining piece of historical fiction about the rise of the Estée Lauder brand. It truly reads like a novel and I found myself eager to keep reading to find out how the story unfolds. Told by her best friend’s point of view, we get two stories that span from the 1930s-1980s. Both woman struggle to overcome their pasts and to create a new and improved future for themselves in a male dominated world. Their ingenuity and perseverance was quite inspiring as they rise from rags to riches.

I knocked off one star because it was slightly repetitive at times and for the repeated mention of “tea cup hands”. Regardless, I really enjoyed all of the interesting tidbits that are still reflected in the cosmetic industry today and would certainly recommend this book.

Readers will be drawn to this book by its inviting cover. They will stay to read the story.

Estee Lauder became one of the best known women in the cosmetics industry. Now her name is attached to companies, charities, exhibits and more. Once, though, she was a woman trying to find her way.

As this story opens Estee is selling face creams and treatments out of a not very deluxe beauty parlor. Readers learn that she is the main support of her husband and young son, Leon. Estee is fortunate to have ambition and a strong belief in her self and her products. She will need those qualities.

At this salon, Estee meets a young woman who is down on her luck. Gloria has a father who committed the sorts of crimes that nowadays we would associate with someone like Madoff. Her difficulties and bad publicity cause Gloria to take on this new name. She also has to navigate so much more than she was raised to do in her life of wealth and elegance. Horrors! The first job of this formerly wealthy woman is as a shampoo girl.

This story about Estee is told through Gloria’s eyes. It is also the story of Gloria. Read along as these two women find their way in 20th century America.

This book is recommended to readers of both historical and women’s fiction. It is definitely worth a look to see how the real Estee and fictional Gloria are entwined and help one another.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for this title. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley, Berkley, and Renée Rosen for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! I LOVED this book and found it to be captivating, unique, and full of interesting characters and a realistic setting. This book follows a young woman who becomes friends with Estée Lauder and is present for her ups and downs in life - especially with her cosmetics company. I learned a lot about Lauder while reading this and appreciate what she did with her company a lot more. I liked how complex all of the characters were, especially since Lauder isn’t necessarily a “good guy” but you want to root for her. The writing was great and I liked the pacing. Overall, this is one of my favorite historical fiction books that I’ve read, and I’m so happy I was able to read it early. I highly recommend it!

I enjoyed this interesting piece of historical fiction. I didn’t like either of the main characters, which made it a little less of an enjoyable read. The story itself was great!

Thank you Renee Rosen for writing a marvelous story about Estée Lauder. Also, thanks to NetGalley and Penguin House for the early preview. Estée surely worked so hard to help women believe in themselves by the amazing beautiful makeup she believed in. Her hopes and Joe the love of her life and best friend Gloria together intertwine her amazing life. So well written I fell in love with characters , almost like being in this enchanting life. Thanks!!!!

One of the top historical fiction authors writes about Estee Lauder? How could I resist? Estee Lauder's rise to fame is told through the eyes of a (off and on!) friend. The cosmetics queen's journey from peddling jars at a beauty shop to pioneering standard department store cosmetics practices (offering a gift with purchase, makeovers at the counter) was not pretty and was not without stepping on people's toes along the way, all of which is entertainingly captured by Renee Rosen. A must read for historical fiction fans!

Many thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.