Allure's Best of Beauty
Allure's Best of Beauty
Thousands of beauty products were launched last year, joining the tens of thousands of jars, bottles, and tubes already on the shelves. Overwhelmed? Don't be. These...are all you need to know -- and own.
Excerpts from a fragrance editorial, Best of Beauty, in Allure Magazine, Oct. 2012 issue.
Fragrance
It's the one thing you wear that nobody can see, yet few choices reveal more about who you are. These scents are exceptional, no matter what your mood or intention.
NEW
Bottega Veneta's sensual blend of pink peppercorn and patchouli is warm, enveloping, and as refined as the fashion house's woven-leather bags. ($65 to $130)
CLASSIC
With rose, lotus flower, and a drop of musk, Ralph Lauren Romance feels like holding hands with the one you love: sweet and comforting -- and it never gets old. ($45 to $82)
FLORAL
Some florals shove their bouquets in your face. Not Givenchy Dahlia Noir. Named for a flower with no smell, it's a mix of rose and iris. ($68 to $82)
SPICY
With creamy sandalwood and cinnamon, Tom Ford Santal Blush has a luscious spiced-rum quality. ($205 to $495)
CITRUS
Maison Francis Kurkdjian Aqua Universalis Forte is as bracing (Sicilian lemon) as it is complex (jasmine and rose). ($265)
SEXY
Chanel Coco Noir, in a glossy black bottle, proves that the sultriest scents conceal as much as they reveal. Dusky bourbon vanilla is wrapped around geranium and rose. ($98 to $130)
GREEN
True to its name, Dior Escale a Parati, with its mix of mint, rosewood, and tonka bean, reminds us of the beaches of Brazil -- bright, warm, and slinky. ($72)
FRUITY
Many fruity fragrances smell good enough to eat, but not tempting enough to wear. Yves Saint Laurent In Love Again is a sophisticated berry blend. ($105)
Men's
Dolce & Gabbana Pour Homme is exactly home all men should smell: thoroughly clean, a bit musky, and sexy as hell. ($45 to $73)
Body Lotion
Tom Ford Neroli Portofino cocoons skin in moisture, while the amber and neroli scent lingers as long as an eau de toilette. ($65)
Room Fragrance
Frederic Malle Perfume Gun in Jurassic Flower may look like an industrial cleaner, but the magnolia and peach spray is decidedly elegant. ($145)
Candle
You needn't light Cire Trudon Abd el Kader to experience its delicious scent: mint leaves rounded out by vanilla and ginger. ($85 to $450)
(O'Rourke, Theresa. "Best of Beauty." Allure Oct. 2012: 240-257)
