A-LIST: Scented Secrets for the Season

Finding the right fragrance for the holidays requires a strong constitution. One foot in a department store, and a salesperson hovers over your shoulder trying to sell you the most expensive item on the counter. Or, worse yet, spritzing you in an nasal ambush. If you attempt to test a few on your search, you create a concoction that obliterates your ability to sniff a clear winner. You leave smelling like you took a bath in perfume and with a headache to boot. Let these picks make your search for the perfect holiday scent short and sweet.


1. Miss Dior Cherie ($68 for 1.7 oz lordandtaylor.com): This scent reminds me of being wrapped up in a cashmere sweater by the fire or laughing at a holiday party. The floral and musky scent, which makes it flirty sexy. Though it runs the risk of being overpowering, one spray is enough to last the evening.


2. DKNY Delicious Night ($58 for 1.7 oz macys.com): Less sweet and more spice, this scent is an ideal garnish for your New Years Eve. It includes blackberry and ginger, which create a tangy scent. Perfect for a woman in platforms or pumps, a slinky dress with an attitude to match.


3. Maybe Baby ($48 3.4 oz benefitcosmetics.com): This floral scent is subtle, as if you just put on lotion or clean laundry. It smells light like rose water, with hints of water blossoms and apricot. Perfect for a date or a just an evening with drinks, this scent does the flirting for you.


4. Pure Vanilla from Lavanila Laboratories ($56 for 1.7 oz lavanila.com): Remember as a kid making cookies when it came to measure the vanilla, and it smelled so delicious that you took a taste (only to find it bitter). This perfume delivers the same experience, capturing the scent of gingerbread houses and holiday baking (minus the bitter finish).


5. Thierry Mugler Angel ($72 0.8 oz nordstrom.com): This perfume offers a woodsy scent with a hint of honey and chocolate, which gives it a feminine profile. This playful perfume makes a great everyday scent. One user from Sephora.com commented, “It gives you confidence when you enter a room and people want to know what you are wearing.”

REVIEW: A Definite Do!

Whether you’re a die-hard vice-ite or just in need of some comic relief from trend report overload, Vice Dos and Don'ts: 10 Years of VICE Magazine's Street Fashion Critiques, serves up the perfect cocktail of clever humor and catty commentary. Authors Gavin McInnes, Shane Smith, and Suroosh Alvi travel the world over to bring you some of the greatest fashion faux pas. Vice chronicles everything from lizard-body-tattoo man to disco grannies, and a few other groups of people you never knew existed (Glam Jocks?). Caustic, pee-your-pants-funny commentary punctuates each farcical photo with obscure pop-culture references (Terry Shivo?). While taking the Do column seriously may be a fashion offense, this paperback packs a punch leaving you with a feeling of superior style. When shopping for the fashionista with killer wit and a (very) open mind, Vice Dos and Don’t’s is a definite do!

A-LIST: Skin Musts for Men

Caring for men’s skin and caring for women’s skin goes beyond opting for darker colors on packages if you possess more testosterone. For starters, most men shave, and most women wear makeup. Although both genders need sun protection and benefit from anti-aging formulations, picking products that address the composition and daily rituals of your gender, help you get the most of your product. Here are four to consider:


1. Clinique: Skin Supplies for Men “Shave Aloe Gel” (Clinique.com; $13.50)
Though a little scruff gives a man the sexy edge (think Justin Timberlake and George Clooney), some occasions require a smooth shave. To avoid razor burn and dry skin, try Clinique’s men’s line. The facial cleanser preps your skin for shaving and the aloe gel prevents bumps. Men who use the products say it’s worth the extra splurge because it hydrates and leaves skin feeling smooth.


2. Anthony: Logistics for Men “A Clean Start Kit” (Sephora; $40).
This is a starter travel kit for any man who needs direction for his morning routine. This brand attracts a cult following and this kit offers a great way to test-drive the products without making a full-size commitment. For additional exfoliation, interchange the facial cleanser with the scrub a few times per week. Both prep the skin for shaving. A man can’t forget about his lips either. This lip balm is unscented, perfect for any man’s man.


3. L’Oreal Men’s Expert “Vita Lift Anti-Wrinkle And Firming Moisturizer SPF 15” (CVS; $11)
Men and women share at least one thing: their skin reveals much about their age. But it’s rare to overhear a conversation between men about the best way to get rid of crow’s feet This firming face moisturizer targets men beyond 45, but don’t let that scare you away if you still get carded on Marshall Street. That extra diligence now spares face years later. It goes on thick because of the sunscreen, but the SPF protection is worth it.



4. Zirh: Men’s Skincare “Scrub” (Sephora; $17)
Most men don’t need any frills to get the job done. Same goes for face wash; fragrances and fancy packaging is totally irrelevant. Zirh understands the “less is more” attitude, and it doesn’t get simpler than “scrub” or “clean” to name two. Users like this product’s fragrance-free status and its soft consistency, which avoids skin that feels abused after use.

HOW TO: Save Your Shopping Sanity

Forget club-member discounts. What you really want to save on is the stress of the season. Do so with this guide.

1. Check it Twice. Write down everyone you want to get a gift for, how much you intend to spend, and where you want to shop (consolidate stops and avoid zig-zagging across town). Plus a master list saves you running out to the mall on Christmas Eve when you realize Uncle Rick lacks a present under the tree.
2. Brand Yourself. You don’t want to be known as the aunt who only buys Old Navy sweaters. Opt for some quality items. Yes, that means more work on a tight budget, but it is possible. Just this past Black Friday I snagged a pair of 7 for all Mankind jeans that retailed for $198 for $47.45 from Costco.
3. Retain Your Identity. There can be many amazing deals online, but make sure it’s a secure site (the icon of a lock is a good clue) when you enter in your credit-card information. Companies like PayPal keep your personal information safe, but make sure you always do software upgrades when your laptop prompts you (waiting creates “holes” in your system that identity thieves capitalize on).
4. Save Paper. Especially your receipts (even if you know it’s the perfect size or exactly what they wanted). Someone else in the family may share your gift genius and do a repeat performance. Most stores only offer you store credit or the current selling price if you return sans receipt. Make an envelope to hold all 2008 receipts and make a record of the presents and recipients on the outside.
5. Rest on the Weekend. Avoid the stores on Saturday and Sunday. Keep those days to wrap gifts, decorate the house, bake cookies. Most stores offer the same deals on weeknights as they do early weekend mornings. Limit the hassle to the days of the work week.
6. Seek Special. Yes it’s true everyone loves a gift card from crazy Aunt Barbara who only shops at Tuesday Morning, but gift cards signal impersonal. Opt for something that demonstrates how much you know the people you love.