Beauty and Cosmetics in the Time of Jane Austen - by Sarah Jane Downing (Paperback)

About the Book

Sarah Jane Downing examines the hair and beauty styles of Jane Austen's era. She looks at the beauty ideals of the Regency period to shed light on the transition from the baroque high hair and formal doll-like faces of the court of King George III to the fresh complexions and glossy, bouncy ringlets of the Regency.

Book Synopsis

After the success of Pastimes and Pleasures in the Time of Jane Austen, Sarah Jane Downing turns her attention to the hair and beauty styles of Jane Austen's era.

In Beauty and Cosmetics in the Time of Jane Austen, she examines the beauty ideals of the Regency period to shed light on the transition from the baroque high hair and formal doll-like faces of the court of King George III to the fresh complexions and glossy, bouncy ringlets of the Regency. She also dispels the myth that cosmetics and beauty aids disappeared during the period.

This book will provide an invaluable resource for the legions of 'Janeites' who don Regency dress each year for the Jane Austen Festival in Bath and increasing number of Jane Austen themed events around the world.

Review Quotes

'This book will surely appeal to Jane Austen enthusiasts worldwide. And not just Jane Austen, but also those interested in cosmetics, etc. It provides a good overview of the customs of that time in that area.'-- "The New Royalty World Blog, September 2025"

About the Author

Sarah Jane Downing has written widely about the arts, contributing to magazines and newspapers, as well as four books for Shire Publications, The English Pleasure Garden 1660-1860, Fashion in the Time of Jane Austen, Beauty and Cosmetics 1550-1950, and Fashion in the Time of William Shakespeare and for Amberley Publishing Pastimes and Pleasures in the Time of Jane Austen.