Blog Posts by Allure Daily Beauty Reporter

Courtesy of WalgreensRenee Trilivas, Allure magazine

Between the holiday shopping, the boozing it up at cocktail parties, and the endless entertaining of out of town guests, you're probably due a little alone time. These do-at-home beauty treatments are just what you need to relax and recharge.

See more: Top 21 Drugstore Beauty Bargains

Hair. Dry winter air (and even dryer indoor heating!) can leave hair parched and brittle. To restore moisture, try a thick, oil-based hair mask, like Shu Uemura Moisture Velvet Nourishing Treatment or Miss Jessie's Rapid Recovery Treatment. Comb a generous dollop through dry strands, pile hair into a lose bun on the top of your head, and cover with a shower cap. Blast it with a blow dryer for a few seconds (the heat helps oils penetrate), let it sit for at least ten minutes, then rinse and shampoo.

See more: The 10 Commandments of Mascara

Face. Lizard-like skin is a sign you need to exfoliate and moisturize-stat. Start with a peel (my new favorite is Olive

Courtesy of ZaraAlexandra Owens, Allure magazine

Miniature tulle Lanvin dresses worth thousands of dollars and sassy, tiny jumpsuits from Marc by Marc Jacobs are to be expected these days. But this week a New York Times article reported on the latest in size-swapping trends-stylish women are chasing their children's retailers for adult versions of little girl dresses and popular diaper bags. Some of the experts in the piece hypothesize that mothers like to wear brands that they associate with happy memories of their kids, yet I think the reason is a lot more simple-they actually like them.

See more: Top 21 Drugstore Beauty Bargains

Years ago, when I was at my first ever fashion internship, the Stella McCartney collection for Gap Kids came out-and all of the willowy, size-zero editors managed to squeeze into the adorable little boys' military jacket. Since then, it seems like every time I go into a store-whether it's Zara or Petit Bateau-I like the children's selection more.

See more: The 6 Most

Sophia Panych, Allure magazine

Here's some bad news for anyone who wears a classic fragrance: Your go-to scent may soon be a whiff of the past. Next year, in an attempt to protect people from potential allergens, the European Union will be curbing or banning a bunch of natural ingredients in perfumes. Old-school brands like Chanel, Dior, and Guerlain-and the women who love them-have the most to fear, since many of their scents were created before scientists had realized their recipes' potential risks.

See more: Top 21 Drugstore Beauty Bargains

Think about it: Chanel No. 5, Guerlain L'Heure Bleue, Miss Dior...they all could be just memories. (Well, probably not-but they would potentially have to be reformulated.)

See more: The 10 Commandments of Mascara

Restricting natural ingredients isn't new: The International Fragrance Association has been slowly doing it since 1973. (For example, birch tar oil, an ingredient in the classic Guerlain Shalimar, was blacklisted a few years

Lexi Novak, Allure magazine

There's nothing better than cozying up on the sofa with a bowl of chicken noodle and a Real Housewives marathon when you're feeling under the weather, but for most of us, it's work as usual. And all that sneezing, coughing, and sniffling takes a serious toll. Here are three common less-than-attractive signs of a cold, and the best products to remedy them:

See more: Top 21 Drugstore Beauty Bargains

Raw, red nose: Generic tissue may be essential for a runny nose, but it can seriously scratch up your skin. I swear by Aquaphor Advanced Therapy Healing Ointment and CeraVe Moisturizing Cream. Apply the CeraVe cream on and around your nose for day-it soaks in immediately and provides serious hydration without looking greasy. At night, go for the big guns and apply Aquaphor to the areas most in need. It may not be a look you'd wear out of the house, but trust me, you'll wake up with soft skin and not a trace of irritation.

See more: The 10 Commandments of

Courtesy of BravoAnne-Marie Guarnieri, Allure magazine

Mustaches are sprouting up on celebs and hipsters with some regularity these days-perhaps a logical extension of the whole urban lumberjack trend. But that's pretty much all that hair on the male upper lip signifies in our society-a trend, a fashion. Not so in the Middle East, where doctors are reporting a strong demand for mustache transplants. Men throughout the region are willing to pay good money (as much as $7,000) and travel far (to specialists in Turkey and as far away as Paris) to acquire what nature has denied them: a thatch of hair that imparts a sense of virility and strength.

See more: The 10 Commandments of Mascara

According to a recent report from CNN, Ottoman literature is filled with references to silky whiskers, and men in some parts of the region consider a mustache so central to their personal identity that they will swear an oath on theirs and curse the mustaches of their enemies. The transplant operation is a same-day

An essential part of keeping your skin clear after a sweaty gym session.Madaline Donnelly, Allure magazine

This time of year, my true vice and virtue come out: First, I stuff myself mad with cupcakes, chocolates, and other sweets that make their way to the Allure giveaway shelf. Then I drag myself to the gym. (And yes, there's a fair amount of self-loathing involved.) And lately I've noticed that while my body loves the extra energy that comes along with those 7 A.M. gym sessions, my skin does not. I want nothing holding me back from hitting the gym in 2013 (not the most novel resolution, I know), so I spoke with dermatologist Dr. Francesca Fusco to find out what I can do to help keep my physique fit and my skin squeaky clean.

See more: The 6 Most Flattering Haircuts for Round Faces

Take It All Off...
"The most common gym-related dermatoses (skin issues) I see are breakouts at the hairline, on the chest, and on the back," says Fusco. "Much of this is aggravated by excessive sweating, rubbing of material, and clogging with heavy comedogenic

Courtesy of Tom FordAnne-Marie Guarnieri, Allure magazine

Happy holidays, my friends! Have you finished all your shopping yet? Yes? Then you can stop reading now. No? OK, let's talk. Look, I know sweet FA about this year's coolest gadgets, hottest games, glitziest trinkets, and what the kids are into, generally. But what I do know is fragrance, and should you wish to give it as a present and aren't really sure how to go about it, here are a few important things to remember before you head off to your local fragrance counter:

See more: The 6 Most Flattering Haircuts for Round Faces

If the recipient is a woman: Consider buying her a fragrance that matches her personal style. Look for fragrances by fashion designers whose clothes she admires.

If the recipient is a man: Does he love the scent you wear? Consider buying him the pour homme version. They're generally meant to compliment each other. Easy, peasy.

See more: Top 21 Drugstore Beauty Bargains

If you want to buy a hostess gift: Pick a

Jeffrey Slonim, Allure magazine

As every Santa knows, buying a present for your best friend can be a challenge. But buying a gift for a seriously indulged celebrity? As a public service to their loved ones, we asked stars at the Cinema Society premiere of Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained and Calvin Klein's screening of The Impossible what gift cards they would like to see in their stockings:

Naomi Watts: "A gift voucher for an Apple store. I want a Macbook Air."

See more: The 6 Most Flattering Haircuts for Round Faces

Bridget Moynahan: "Williams-Sonoma, and I would go crazy
buying cooking equipment."

John Legend: "Let's see... I don't know. I always get discounts at all these places anyway, so I guess I'm spoiled."

Donna Karan: "A gift voucher for time off, a long, long time."

See more: Top 21 Drugstore Beauty Bargains

Petra Nemcova: "For me? Hmm, I guess a spa voucher to get a massage that is as strong as possible."

Constance Jablonski