Beauty Reporter.(Hairdressers Unlocking Hope)

Beauty Reporter

Purple's New Reign

Purple prose is heavy-handed, but purple fragrance is quite the opposite. "Purple flowers like violet and iris smell rich in a way that is very tasteful," says Dara Quinlan, vice president of fragrance evaluation at Firmenich. Here, the newest fragrances that are flowery in the best sense of the word. Bulgari Omnia Amethyste (1) mixes the earthiness of purple iris with powdery heliotrope for a delicate, feminine scent, Quinlan says. Sweet purple plum with purple orchid and warm vanilla give "juicy fruitiness" to Avon's Imari Seduction (2). And violet takes center stage in both Boucheron's Miss Boucheron (3) and Caron Paris Violette Precieuse (4), which combine the crisp greenness of the flower's leaves with the softer scent of its petals. -- LAUREN COHEN

Beauty Reporter

Welcome Gifts

Everyone loves a bargain -- unless, of course, it looks like one. For this summer's Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, the store challenged beauty brands to design gift-with-purchase items that would actually feel special. We love ...