The source of tremendous power and the focus of incredible devotion, throughout history notions of beauty have been integral to social life and culture. Each age has had its own standards: a gleaming white brow during the Renaissance, the black eyebrows considered charming in the early eighteenth century, and the thin lips thought desirable by Victorians. Beauty has ensured good marriages, enabled social mobility and offered fame and notoriety, and has led women – and some men – to remarkable lengths in cultivating it, from the dangerous quantities of lead applied by Elizabeth I, to the women of the 1940s and '50s, who employed face powder, lipstick and mascara to look their best during the privations of war and austerity, creating a chic appearance to which many still aspire.

The broader Regency period 1795 to 1820, stands alone as an incredible moment in fashion history, unlike anything that went before it. For the first time England became a fashion influence, especially for menswear, and became the toast of Paris, as court dress became secondary to the season-by-season flux of fashion as we know it today. Sarah Jane Downing explores the fashion revolution and the innovation that inspired a flood of fashions taking influence from far afield. It was an era of contradiction immortalised by Jane Austen, who adeptly used the new-found diversity of fashion to enliven her characters: Wickham's military splendour; Mr Darcy's understated elegance; and Miss Tilney's romantic fixation with white muslin.

Exhibiting enormous power or inspiring incredible devotion, throughout history beauty has been women's chief asset. Each age has required its own standard - a gleaming white brow during the Renaissance, the black eyebrows considered charming in the early 18th century, or the thin lips thought desirable to the Victorians. For those naturally blessed, their beauty could ensure a good marriage, offer social mobility, fame or notoriety whereas those without such obvious gifts would resort to any ends to achieve an illusion of beauty. Ours is not the only age when beauty is celebrated but also judged and quantified. From the color of the ear to the transparency of the teeth the benchmark for every aspect of beauty has been set and women - and some men - have applied themselves wholeheartedly risking their lives using poisonous chemicals, their fortunes at the risk of blackmail, or the wrath of God, to reach the desired targets. From Queen Elizabeth I who used dangerous quantities of white lead to give her complexion the illusion of a youthful lustre, to Marilyn Monroe who blended 4 shades of lipstick to emphasise her perfect pout this book will examine some of the more unusual cosmetic practices contemplated in beauty's name.

The definition of a beautiful face has never been constant. See howpolitical and social climates have molded accepted beauty rituals andthe evolution of cosmetics from ancient times through today. This updated and refreshed reference book chronicles historic trends for the eyes, lips, and face, and offers in-depth aesthetic reviews of each decade from the1920s to today. Follow the fascinating history of cosmetic trends vintage ads; detailed makeup application guides;and profiles of famous makeup innovators, connoisseurs, and iconicfaces. Over 450 images, timelines, and detailed vintage color palettesshow the changing definitions of beauty and document makeup innovations(the first mascara, lipstick, eye shadow, etc.) that have evolvedthroughout the history of cosmetics. This is an ideal reference for theprofessional makeup artist, cosmetologist, educator, student, andgeneral makeup enthusiasts

The “exquisite and richly illustrated” New York Times bestseller from the renowned makeup artist, “a retrospective written for all women, everywhere” (Vogue France). Makeup, as we know it, has only been commercially available in the last 100 years, but applying decoration to the face and body may be one of the oldest global social practices. In Face Paint, Lisa Eldridge reveals the entire history of the art form, from Egyptian and Classical times up through the Victorian age and golden era of Hollywood, and also surveys the cutting-edge makeup science of today and tomorrow. Face Paint explores the practical and idiosyncratic reasons behind makeup’s use, the actual materials employed over generations, and the glamorous icons that people emulate, it is also a social history of women and the ways in which we can understand their lives through the prism and impact of makeup. “Makeup artist and Lancome global creative director Lisa Eldridge drops serious knowledge in Face Paint, her book on the history of beautifying.” —Marie Claire “Clear your coffee table and turn off YouTube—Lisa Eldridge’s book is a must read.” —Teen Vogue “The book is not only rich with history but also with a series of paintings, sketches and photographs in an intense array of colors, selected by the make-up artist herself in the most aesthetically pleasing universal statement to women you’ll ever see.” —Vogue France “Face Paint delves into the history of makeup, with glossy pictures to match . . . the book’s cover is striking.” —New York Post

-- Provides physicians with scientific answers to everyday cosmetic problems.

In the past hundred years or so, 'chintz' has come to mean any floral printed furnishing fabric. Its origins as a hand-drawn and dyed fabric from India are often forgotten, but it is with these rare earlier chintzes that this book is concerned. It explores in detail the background and development of this beautiful technique and looks at the use of chintzes in Europe from the early 17th century to the mid-19th century, first as bed-curtains and wall-hangings and later for popular men's and women's dress. The V&A's collection, published for the first time in glorious colour and including close-up details, will interest interior designers, textiles students and those involved in fashion.