My All-Time Favorite

Author's Rating:

Pros: The best in beauty tips, product reviews, realistic fashion.

Cons: Very little true substance.

Trendiness:

The Bottom Line: 
A great magazine for beauty and hair tips, tricks, products.

Author's Review
I've been reading Allure magazine for years now, since I was in my late teens. I've been a subscriber for three years, and it's still my favorite. It's a fun, happy little beauty mag that doesn't take itself too seriously. Practical advice, great tips and beauty tricks... I don't know what I would have done without it!

This magazine is perfect for you if you want to learn about: skin care, make up application, the best colors, beauty product recommendations, hair styling, clothes, and fitness. If it relates to physical female beauty, it's in there.

Don't read Allure if you're looking for any sort of intellectual content deeper than "Confessions of a Fragrance Fanatic" or "How to Look Better in Pictures", along with an occasional feature about a writer or painter.

Great Features of Allure:

The Directory in the back of the magazine lists several major American cities, and each month there are new stores, spas, and salons recommended for each city. Detailed descriptions of what you'll find at each establishment - the atmosphere, pricing, selections or services provided. I've found several good salons this way.

Celebrity interviews - There's usually at least one, and the interviews tend to focus more on health, fitness, beauty, etc.

Always-helpful sections on make up application, choosing colors, popular colors, hair styling tricks, seasonal and year round "looks" for blondes, brunettes, and redheads. Many recommendations are from respected make up artists, some are from Allure readers.

Kevyn's Notebook - A little scrapbook page by Kevyn Aucoin, one of the world's best and most famous make up artists.

This magazine is definitely worth a (very affordable) subscription if you want to keep up with the latest in beauty and fashion. No other magazine in this category can beat it, in my opinion. Vogue and Elle are probably the closest runners-up, though they're a bit more serious and have more couture.