Participant Info

First Name
Lucy Jane
Last Name
Santos
Affiliation
Independent Scholar
Website URL
www.lucyjanesantos.com
Keywords
science, cosmetics, beauty, radium, uranium, electricity, health, leisure
Additional Contact Information

Personal Info

Photo
About Me

Specialising in the late 19th and early 20th century Lucy Jane Santos is a freelance historian and consultant uncovering the hidden stories of how science and technology have transformed daily life, especially when it comes to innovations in beauty practices.

After completing a BA in Egyptian Archaeology and a MA in Museum and Heritage Management Lucy worked for several private members clubs and societies including The Arts Club, the Authors’ Club, The Gourmet Society and the International Wine and Food Society.

She has been a judge for the Historical Writers’ Association Non-Fiction Crown, the recipient of the Stephen Joseph Research Award and was the Non-Fiction Writer In Residence for the Stay-at-Home! International Literature Festival. She is a founder of the Art Deco Society UK and co-founder of the Cosmetic History and Makeup Studies Network.

Lucy has appeared as a contributor on TV and radio, and her historical research has been featured by History Today, BBC History RevealedJezebel, LitHub, New York Post, Vogue, and on the BBC2 documentary, Makeup: A Glamorous History. Her most recent project is as Creative Consultant for the documentary Obsessed With Light a film that tells the story of the performance artist Loïe Fuller.

Her debut, Half Lives: The Unlikely History of Radium was shortlisted for the 2021 BSHS Hughes Prize which recognises books that communicate the history of science in an engaging and accessible way to non-specialists. Her latest book, Chain Reactions: A Hopeful History of Uranium was published in 2024. Lucy is currently working on Nobody’s Perfect: On the Set of Some Like It Hot, which will be released in 2026.

Recent Publications

Half Lives: The Unlikely History of Radium (Icon Books Ltd: 2020, Pegasus Books: 2021)

Chain Reactions: A Hopeful History of Uranium (Icon Books Ltd: 2024, Pegasus Books: 2024)

Media Coverage
Country Focus
United Kingdom
Expertise by Geography
United Kingdom, United States
Expertise by Chronology
Ancient, 19th century, Modern, 20th century, 21st century
Expertise by Topic
Food History, Gender, Material Culture, Medicine, Museums, Public History, Science, Sports, Technology, Women, World War I, World War II