The back-to-the-classics mood is everywhere. Our favorite hairy-chested fashion guru, Tom Ford, revamps Gucci's first men's fragrance, Gucci Pour Homme, imbuing it with an updated bouquet of white pepper, ginger, amber and leather for louche eurotrash realness. You might miss the red and green striped loafer design of the old bottle, but don't worry, the new juice has the same musky spirit of the 70's original. So rip open that shirt and hit the dancefloor, Guido—your time is now! $45 for 1.7 fl. oz., $62 for 3.4 fl. oz., 877-551-SAKS.
|
 |
 |
Every year, tortured beauty writers try to make breaking news out of the fact that when summer turns to fall, sheer gloss turns to red 'stick. Now, you'd have to be an amnesiac (or an idiot) to find the return of red surprising—but the color is damn hot. The only novelty at work here is the debut of Shu Uemura's Lip Rouge 134. Seriously bright, and perfectly balanced on the warm-cool spectrum, it also benefits from a reformulated composition to fight chapping. $18 at 800-743-8205.
|
 |
|
 |
We at BD prefer that cosmetics companies leave the bad punning to us, but Caroline Wachsmuth, Swiss aromatherapist and creator of Doux Me, must have missed the memo. A play on the French word for "gentle," the, yes guessed it, gentle line of eye and face creams boasts almost 97% bioactive ingredients (in the form of flower waters and essential oils), which means products are said to be more effective when kept in the fridge. Call it a gimmick, but we're positively in love with the day and night face cream for normal and combination skin. Infused with ylang-ylang and geranium to keep sebum in check, lavender and witch hazel to tone, and apricot kernel oil to soften, the stuff penetrates and plumps skin without a hint of grease. Frankly, we're having a hard time not re-applying every time we breeze by the fridge for a refill. $79 for 30ml at 877-348-6444.
|
 |
 |
While you're face-dabbing at the fridge, don't forget the yogurt. Parma-based hair care company Davines has a rich, all purpose conditioner loaded with the stuff. It's rich and detangling without leaving a greasy film and costs a lot less than brands of comparable quality. Red algae extract pumps up the keratin structure of the hair, mineral salts balance it and UV filters keep out the sun. All of Davines's products have a food connection, and the company makes much of its hometown's gastronomic chops. No, an edible prosciutto-based shampoo is not yet in the works. $14 for 5.1 fl oz at 800-257-7104.
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Operation Rejuvenation at Dr. Steven J. Pearlman
We have no idea if Park Avenue plastic surgeon Dr. Steven J. Pearlman is a nice as he sounds, but how bad could he be if he lets his in-house aesthetician take over his upscale office on the weekends, transforming his nip-n-tuck-emporium into a groovy little mini-spa? With the help of a few scented candles and a bamboo screen tossed in front of the fat extractors, James Kivior creates a "Mom's out of town, let's exfoliate!" vibe—complete with a mixed drink (sadly, virgin—it's still a doctor's office) he serves up as the treatment begins. There's only one care package available: a $120, 80 minute pu-pu platter that includes a salt foot scrub, a lymphatic drainage massage, 5-minute microdermabrasion (which eases a subsequent extraction facial), a string of customized masks and a hot stone upper body massage. If you can get over the fact that you're receiving treatments on the lipo couch, you're in for a blessed afternoon. Kivior is a pro (some may remember him from the days of just-shuttered Prima NoLita) and his mix-and-match approach to skincare means you don't have to sit through an extended shill-session for the one product line that usually sponsors spa services. On our visit, he even threw in a brow job for good measure. If only he could do something about those cocktails, we'd be there every weekend.
521 Park Avenue @ 60th Street, New York, 212-223-8300
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
