Harriet
Hubbard Ayer's Biography
Harriet Hubbard Ayer was born in Chicago on June
27, 1849. She was married at the age of 16 to Herbert
Ayer, the son of an iron dealer. In 1833 her husband
failed in business, and Harriet was forced to fend for
herself and her two daughters. This was accomplished
with great vigor. After working as both a decorator
and a salesperson, she was able to secure business
backing for the manufacture of a facial crème that
she claimed to have discovered in Paris. She marketed
this crème using the name Madame Recamier, a famous
beauty from the days of Napoleon, and using extensive
advertising in newspapers and magazines, her company,
Recamier Preparations, Inc. became very successful.
Severe problems arose shortly after with one of the
stockholders of the company. Claims and counter claims
were filed between Mrs. Ayer and James Seymour, the
father in law of her daughter Harriet. These actions
culminated in 1893, when her daughter Harriet and her
ex-husband had her committed to a mental asylum. A
year later, through the help of her lawyers and
friends, she was able to procure her release.
In 1896, Mrs. Ayer began to write a column on
beauty advice for the New York World. These columns
received a huge following. In 1899 she published her
book, Harriet Hubbard Ayer's Book: A Complete and
Authentic Treatise on the Laws of Health and Beauty.
Harriet Hubbard Ayer was later reconciled with her
daughters and was recognized for her work. At her
death in 1903 at the age of 54, she was still working
at the World. Her daughter Margaret took over her
column.
She was no suffragist and no feminist, and in fact
facilitated certain myths about beauty, which could be
construed today as doing women a disservice. Yet she
still sparked the interests and confidence of an
emerging class of independent women, encouraging these
women to escape from an old pattern of restriction,
and hence become more independent.
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