Who among the following was most likely to set beauty trends in America in the early twentieth century?

In the early twentieth century, celebrities and society figures played a pivotal role in setting beauty trends in America. These influential individuals had a substantial impact on public perception of beauty standards through their visibility in films, social events, and magazines. The glamor associated with movie stars and prominent socialites often led the masses to emulate their looks, hairstyles, and makeup styles.

While fashion designers did contribute to style, their influence was more about clothing than beauty trends specifically. Beauty magazine editors certainly shaped beauty discourse and trends through publications, but their influence was often reactive to what was popular among celebrities and society figures, rather than leading the trends themselves. Cosmetic chemists made important strides in developing products, but they typically operated behind the scenes and did not have the same level of public visibility or influence over societal beauty norms as the glamorous figures of the day did. Thus, the involvement of celebrities and high-society individuals was the most impactful in establishing and propagating beauty trends during that era.