The Case for What You Need, Part 2

Or: Thoughts from reading Allure's Best of Beauty Issue

- Usually I don't read Allure for the non-beauty articles, and this issue is not an exception: the fashion spreads were boring, Linda Wells' letter could've been funnier, and while I liked the article about hair loss during chemo, it wasn't something that made me want to say, “Gosh, I wanna read this again!” But I was surprised about the interview with Gwen Stefani; usually their cover-girl interviews often tend to paint their subject as the usual annoying celebrities (see: Portman, Natalie; also: Johansson, Scarlett) but I really felt for Gwen on this one, shooting down the reporter sweetly when it came to questions about her personal life. (Note to interviewer: Personal boundaries - look into it.) Still doesn't excuse her craptastic fashion choices of late, but at least she was pretty funny about the whole deal and not pretentious at all.

- Mark my words: Judging by the way this magazine has been scented, you will be smelling Prada at office elevators and Starbucks branches everywhere, and I mean everywhere. Conversely, Paris Hilton's new fragrance, Just Me, has replaced Glow by J.Lo as the Celebrity Perfume that Smells Most Like Hot Buttered Ass.

- Wait: New York has a Korean makeup store, and Allure actually likes it enough to make recs? So why aren't the hipsters raiding the boutiques at Keeaumoku Street with me?

- On to the Best of Beauty (and yes, I mean the makeup - not the pseudo-profound musings on missing blonde babes and Condi Rice's hairdo): The biggest drugstore winner was definitely CoverGirl Outlast Foundation - one of the few things that both the readers and the editors can agree on, which should be an incentive for me to go ahead and buy this for myself as planned. And apparently I can't argue with any of this year's picks at all - nothing predictable or boring now that the other favorites (Maybelline Great Lash and Cetaphil in particular) have been retired to the Hall of Fame.

- You know, I really wouldn't mind if they got me as a Dove girl. I'd probably be a step down from the ones they already have, who at least look better in white underwear than I do, but I wouldn't mind.

- Also pretty, if you ask me: As much as I hesitate to use the term “girl crush,” Daria Werbowy is probably the closest that I'll ever get to one right now. There's nothing boring, androgynous, or alien-like about her; she even looks more attractive when her makeup's been kept neutral.

- Best beauty advice I ever got? All of it came from my mom: drink a lot of water, don't smoke,eat your vegetables, read in good light, don't get too tan (and wear sunscreen if you can't stay out of the sun), and carry lipstick and balm with you at all times. Also, most people just need powder and lipstick anyway, so you don't need to use every piece of makeup in your cabinet - and if you're going to wear the stuff on the plane, you'll only annoy people by bringing that bulky makeup case anyway, so bring only the stuff you need (moisturizer, pressed powder, lipstick, and a little blush or eyeshadow) and stash the rest in your check-in luggage.