Allure, the first and only magazine devoted to beauty, is an insider's guide to a woman's total image. Allure investigates and celebrates beauty and fashion with objectivity and candor, and places appearance in a larger cultural context.
While doing a little research for this letter, I was surprised to see “personal care & beauty” often lumped in with stats about wellness-industry market share. Is beauty part of wellness? I don’t typically think of, say, plumping lip gloss as a wellness item. But I suppose it is difficult to overlook that the beauty and wellness worlds are commingling more than ever, with some beauty brands launching crossover products like natural deodorants or biotin supplements, and more wellness products (including digestive enzymes and mushroom coffee) showing up in stores like Sephora and Ulta. Product trends are fine, but they can’t define a movement. While health is the state of well-being, “wellness” (and self-care, by extension) is the process of making choices toward better health. Although the word dates back…
The amethyst-colored crystals above may look like jewelry, but they are ear seeds, a kind of acupressure inspired by traditional Chinese medicine. The treatment involves placing magnetic or adhesive gems (or stones or metal) on the ear, much the same way acupuncturists use needles to target points on your body. Anecdotally, ear seeds are said to relieve insomnia, pain, stress, digestive issues, and more. There hasn’t been large-scale research on their efficacy, but some small studies suggest benefits for lower-back and acute pain. Unlike fullbody acupuncture, “ear seeding can be done at home, so it’s a nice way to keep your body tuned up until you can get on the table,” says Mona Dan, an acupuncturist in Beverly Hills. After the seeds are placed, massage and press them periodically to…
You no longer need a magnifying glass to read the ingredients list on a box or bottle. Brands like SkinCeuticals and Paula’s Choice pioneered putting ingredient concentrations on their front labels, and The Ordinary doubled down by using active ingredient potencies as actual product names (Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%, AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution). Now, Ingredients (a line of skin care, teas, and throat and nasal sprays) is taking transparency to the next level, listing the exact percentage of every ingredient in their Face Serum, their Oil Complex (above), and more on the front of the bottle. To be clear: This is entirely voluntary. “For most cosmetics, percentage claims are not required,” says Laurel Naversen Geraghty, a dermatologist in Medford, Oregon. The FDA only regulates over-the-counter skin-care…
Sunny days and vibrant manicures are better together. We can’t say why for sure, but we can say how to achieve it. (The manicures, that is. Allure cannot impact the weather—yet.) Always Greener. Green is the new blue. It’s why Gucci Beauty just launched not one, not two, but three green Vernis À Ongles: Miriam Mint 719, a crisp pastel [1]; Melinda Green 712, a Granny Smith apple; and Dorothy Turquoise 713, a soft pistachio. And Jinsoon’s Palma [2] looks as fresh as cut grass. Sticker Shock. Kiwis, cacti, bees—each Cheat Sheets nail sticker [3] from Ciaté London is cuter than the last. Use them to stretch a manicure, advises nail artist Gina Edwards: “Apply stickers around the cuticle line, [add a] topcoat, and it’s brand new.” On the Go.…
It was around two years ago when Marta Pichlak-Miarka began seeing face massage pop up regularly on spa menus: “I remember thinking, What if you could have that experience at home?” Enlisting the help of a dermatologist friend and a former Calvin Klein designer, she made Carbonnique. With its forked ceramic balls, the tool gently pinches bone and muscle ridges, rather than merely rolling over them. The balls are magnetized (pop them off for easy cleaning) and made of an alloy used for bone grafts and tooth implants. (The more you know!) The pinching closely mimics pressure applied by a masseuse and it produces a feeling two shades shy of an orgasm, which may explain why it has a growing wait list. Run it along your palms; up and down…
1. Diptyque Ilio Hair Mist. Spritz your hair with this iris- and jasmine-infused scent to give your loved ones a sweet surprise now that you’re finally able to squeeze them. 2. Rare Beauty Discovery Eyeshadow Palette. So many eye shadow palettes are one-hit wonders, but this is more like a platinum-selling album: You’ll use every one of the easy-toblend warm tones (in matte and shimmery finishes) inside this sleek compact. 3. Clinique Moisture Surge 100H Auto-Replenishing Hydrator. If we had a dollar for every time we’ve named this gel-cream when someone asked us to recommend a lightweight moisturizer… And now the classic has been enriched with aloe so it’s even more hydrating. (That one’s on the house.) 4. Giorgio Armani Beauty Lip Power. The teardrop-shaped tip of this longwear lipstick…
