Are people today any more or less interested in looks than those who lived 100, 200, or 2,000 years ago? Quite different from reference works that focus on the how-to aspects of beauty, this volume is innovative for its historical and global approach to how people care for their appearance.

Are people today any more or less interested in looks than those who lived 100, 200, or 2,000 years ago? For Appearances' Sake answers that question and more as the first reference work to examine all aspects of beauty, body ornamentation, and grooming. More than 300 entries tell the story, from ancient times to the present, of the products, practices, and people that make beauty a multi-billion dollar industry. Quite different from reference works that focus on the how-to aspects of beauty, this volume is innovative for its historical and global approach to how people care for their appearance. Additionally, this encyclopedia takes a look at many of the attitudes and beliefs about body and appearance that pose challenging questions to society.