“When I was really small I had this idea that if I could get up early enough, I could bottle the dewdrops on all the flowers and create a perfume” – Oscar de la Renta

Quiet in the auditorium, please… a definitive fragrance icon is about to make her encore performance. Oscar, the wildly successful fragrance from prestigious American designer Oscar de la Renta has been re-launched – and she’s looking more beautiful than ever.

Originally launched in 1977, Oscar was inspired by the designer’s childhood home of Santo Domingo and the opulent blooms in his mother’s flower garden. It is a rich woody-floral scent that perfectly represents the romanticism present in Oscar de la Renta fashion: a line that is the epitome of elegance, as worn by Anne Hathaway, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jessica Biel and Cameron Diaz.

Oscar knows just how to delight his audience, and still works as a designer for his fashion house. Like the stars who wear his designs, the sophisticated women who wear his scent have formed an intensely loyal following, and the Oscar fragrance has truly lasted the test of time.

Oscar is the very scent of femininity and refinement, unfurling with the spiciness of Bergamot, Clove and Coriander, before mellowing to a lush heart of Iris, Jasmine and Rose. The enchanting scent lingers on the skin with a beautiful dry down of Musk, Amber and Vetiver, flirting with the senses and exuding romance and desire.

Available from the 18th October.

Imagine yourself at a decadent private party in a big city; you’re standing on the balcony and sipping sparkling, gold champagne whilst overlooking the bright lights of the urban expanse below. The inky night stretches above you, dotted with a sky full of glittering constellations.

These are the inspirations behind the latest fragrance from Issey Miyake, the limited edition L’Eau d’Issey Noir Absolu. Velvety, sensual and infinite, black is more than just a colour for Issey Miyake – it is depth and clarity, mystery and absolution. As the nights draw in, Noir Absolue absorbs the light and does not relinquish it, instead leaving behind a scented comet’s tail that blazes through the December sky. Indulgent and sublime, it is a fragrance to see you through the extravagance and festivity of the winter season.

For her, there is a floral scent with an amber trail. The sophisticated fragrance opens up with the abundant femininity of osmanthus and lotus flowers, deepening to a heart of seductive jasmine and pure lily, before drying down to a soul of amber and wood notes. When spritzed, the fragrance bestows the wearer with a mysterious aura that plays between darkness and light, like clouds moving before the moon.

For him, spices and woods come together with amber. The sensual fragrance begins with a burst of mandarin, mellowing to festive notes of cinnamon and nutmeg, before drying down to a rich base of cashmere wood and amber.

For one Christmas only, L’Eau d’Issey is draped in an elegant festive sheath, insolent and enigmatic. The prestige bottle is a tribute to the original, conic L’Eau D’Issey flacon; a pure light cloaked in black lacquer and crowned with a transparent drop. For men, the straight, architectural lines of the original Pour Homme fragrance are slicked in black, and contrasted with a pure, transparent cap.

Available in the 50ml EdP for her, and the 100ml EdP for him, these highly anticipated scents are available from October.

The Tommy Hilfiger brand sheds its wholesome, all-American image for one of the most explosive fragrance releases of the year – LOUD, the arresting duo of scents for him and for her.

Distorted, reverberating and amped on adrenaline, these are the scents of the electric generation – those whose lives are filled with danger, exhilaration, and a fixation with rock. They are a saturation of sound, colour, and movement that is as unpredictable and life affirming as music itself.

LOUD isn’t a fragrance that simply claims rock and roll inspiration – it has been inspired, developed and promoted by musicians and music lovers every step of the way. British Grammy-nominated group the Ting Tings created the exclusive song “We’re Not The Same” especially for the advertisement campaign and had a hand in the finalisation of the scent itself. Model and rock star offspring Daisy Lowe heads up campaign as the face of the female LOUD fragrance, whilst model and musician Josh Beech fronts the men’s scent.

The hottest new talents in the world of advertising, perfume, design and photography collaborated for over a year to create the olfactory essence of a pulsating, energetic rock song blaring from the speakers at a wild and unforgettable gig, all in the name of generating a credible and authentic rock and roll scent. Original and inspired, the youthful creation of the fragrance sets it apart as one of the most exciting launches for Christmas.

Though the fragrance is LOUD by name, the juice isn’t in-your-face and obnoxious – like its wearer, it is unpredictable, edgy and nonconformist. Each scent is based around the heady notes of patchouli and rose, though where LOUD for him is deepened with a sultry and smoky tobacco base note, LOUD for her is brightened with the delicate, sweet top note of lychee. They are uninhibited, arresting and bold, discovering the world in unprecedented ways.

The flacons are inspired by the ultimate iconographic representation of music: the vinyl. The glass is embossed with concentric circles reminiscent of the beat of a speaker, and the lids resemble the dials of a record player, metallic and scored.

Available in 25ml, 40ml and 75ml sizes from the 1st October.

Crave these new scents? Check them out here: LOUD for Him, and LOUD for Her.

Said to have been inspired by the delicate and powdery scent of a Coty face powder, Love, Chloé celebrates the intimacy of a beauty ritual and the allure of inherent, radiant femininity.  A feel-good and charming fragrance, it’s perfect for those who love powdery florals, classic elegance and nostalgic vintage.

It sets off with sparkling top notes of orange blossom and pink pepper, and settles into a deeply floral heart with iris, lilac, hyacinth and wisteria, before drying down with musk, rice and the aforementioned talc. Love, Chloé is a scent that breaks away from the contemporary fruity and floriental trends – instead offering a tribute to the powdery florals of yore. We here at Escentual thought it smelled a little like the gorgeous bottles of perfume that you would find on your mother’s dressing table as a girl; the ones that you would spritz on when you thought she wasn’t looking (even though she’d know that scent anywhere!) Nostalgic, vintage-inspired and delicate, this fragrance is like reminiscence in a bottle.

The epitome of sleek and feminine design, the pared-down flacon is a fusion of transparent glass cuffed with golden, delicately engraved metal. Filled with a nude pink juice in Chloé’s signature hue and topped with a gold cap affixed with a dainty chain, the fragrance is like a love letter to all things graceful, feminine and radiant – everything essentially Chloé. The bottle is perfect for the handbag without compromising on style; compact and streamlined, the cap is permanently attached so that it can never be lost. Perfect!

Launching nationwide on the 22^nd September, the bottled elegance comes in the 30ml, 50ml and 75ml sizes.

Discover more about Love, Chloé here.

By Louise Emma Clarke, Founding Editor of The-Beauty-Pages.com

I might have left school over a decade ago, but there’s something about the first few days of September that still reminds me of heading back to the classroom. I loved school (strange, I know) – so to celebrate the beginning of the new term, I am sending you back to the classroom with my top beauty lessons. No talking at the back!

Lesson 1- Groom your brows

Groomed, tidy brows make a huge different to the face. They act like a mini facelift, appearing to shape and smooth the complexion. I have my brows professionally threaded every four weeks – and I highly recommend you do the same. For homework, it is well worth investing in brow gel to keep them in shape, such as BareEscentuals Brow Finishing Gel, £9.79, and a brow pencil to give the arches a little definition, such as Dior Powder Eyebrow Pencil, £15.50.

Lesson 2 – Use a body brush

It only adds minutes to the morning routine, so I highly recommend investing in a body brush. Use it before you step into the shower each morning, brushing skin in long, sweeping strokes towards your heart. You’ll be shocked by how quickly it makes a difference to the tone and texture of skin.

Lesson 3 – Be brave with colour

There’s nothing worse than getting stuck in a make-up rut – so be adventurous with colour. I usually stick to black and smoky greys, so once in a while I like to inject some pizzazz to my complexion by picking a vivid blue, sultry purple, or shocking pink. Clarins Waterproof Eyeliner Pencils, £10.92 are a great way to explore colour, whilst keeping the look subtle – I love the Turquoise and Violet hues. For more impact, I love Dior Backstage Eye Show, £18 in Pink Wannabe or Pop Aquadelic.

Lesson 4 – Treat your hair

We’re used to treating our complexion to indulgent masks and our bodies to lashings of thick moisturiser – but what about our hair? Make a habit to treat your locks to weekly treatments, which will dramatically improve texture, boost colour, and add shine. I recommend Klorane Mango Butter Intense Nutrition Repair Mask, £9, which leaves hair smooth, soft, and frizz-free.

Lesson 5 – Prime skin

Add a primer to your dressing table, applying it to skin just before foundation. Ideal for dry, oily, or combination skin, a primer will help to combat flakiness, fill fine lines, hide enlarged pores, and make foundation last far longer. I swear by BareEscentuals BareMinerals Prime Time Foundation Primer, £14.68, which feels non-greasy and lends a flawless finish to foundation.

The D&G Fragrance Anthology provides men and women with the olfactory representations of six wholly different, vibrant personalities – each one distinctive, audacious, and completely and utterly charming. As the modern sense of self is always in flux, it is not a case of choosing the fragrant personality that suits you best – instead, you must choose the scent that you desire most!

The three fragrances for women are comprised of delicate, creamy, floral fragrance La Lune, flamboyant fruity-floral L’Imperatrice, and sensual floriental La Roue De La Fortune. Their male counterparts include the playful aromatic-citrus Le Bateleur, striking woody-aromatic L’Amoureux, and brand new fragrance La Force, a deeply seductive oriental scent that evokes passion and dynamism.

La Force is the achiever of the Anthology; strong, focused and driven, nothing is out of reach for this determined man. His exhilarating and bold persona is interpreted in the punchy top notes of cardamom, cinnamon and pimento – spicy notes that take the breath away – before mellowing into the lavish heart notes of nutmeg, heliotrope and cypress. The gorgeously rich fragrance lingers with the gourmand base notes of cumin, vanilla and bourbon, washing over the senses in a warm and contented haze.

Face of the new fragrance is American model and actor Tony Ward, the perfect ambassador for the La Force sensibilities with his bold personality, overtly masculine looks and tattooed body. He lives a life without limits – accomplished, dynamic and passionate. Nothing is ever impossible when La Force is at the helm.

Available to buy now – find out more about La Force and browse the rest of the anthology here.

Three adaptations of one of the world’s most precious and beautiful flowers – the rose – have been reinterpreted for this limited edition collection of charming Eau Parfumées; diverse, inspired and each dedicated to the lasting memory of Annick Goutal.

Existing fragrances Quel Amour and Rose Absolue are reworked in a lighter concentration, whilst brand new creation Rose Splendide is a celebration of Annick’s adoration of roses, and a declaration of love from daughter Camille Goutal and Isabelle Doyen, joint ‘noses’ of the artisanal fragrance house.

Quel Amour 100ml Eau Parfumée
Bittersweet yearning for a loved one’s return was the inspiration behind this sweet and sharply scented fragrance – a trail of peonies, a burst of wild roses and the fruity tartness of red currants, pomegranates and peaches spells his long-awaited return, a rush of dizzying emotions and an exclamation of ‘Quel Amour!’ The fruitiest of the three fragrances, this sweet and charming take on the traditional rose scent is a poignant tale of love, life and glorious reunions.

Rose Absolue 100ml Eau Parfumée
A perfume made up of a single flower: the majestic rose. Created by Annick herself, Rose Absolue is inspired by the evocation of eternal femininity; of a walk through a beautiful garden of roses and the essence of beauty. Rich and exotic Turkish, Egyptian and Moroccan roses from the East are finely blended with the light and fresh May, Bulgarian and Damask bloom from the West to create the quintessential rose fragrance – exotic elegance in a beautifully created bottle.

Rose Splendide 100ml Eau Parfumée
A brand new scent, Rose Splendid is the freshest rose scent of the three. It evokes an early morning walk through a beautifully scented garden that is sprinkled with the dew of a new day; bright, green and beautiful. Comprising the fragile Centifolia Rose with its clear and sweet scent, and enhanced with magnolias, musk and a touch of pear, this is a more delicate rose fragrance that will make you feel light, fresh and untroubled.

A break away from the gilded and luxe look of traditional Annick Goutal creations, this sweet trio are beribboned with pink organza and satin in support breast cancer awareness. To further support the fight against the disease from which Annick herself died, €5 from the purchase of any one of the three rose fragrances will be donated to French cancer charity AVEC in the months of September and October.

Today sees the launch of Gucci’s new fragrance range – ‘Guilty’

The epitome of hedonism, audacity and bravura: Gucci Guilty is the very scent of defiance.

A contemporary rebel and a divulger of sins, the Guilty woman leaves nothing behind but the lingering reminder of her intoxicating scent.

The narrative of this already iconic fragrance is born of a legendary collaboration: film noir director Frank Miller, his heroine Evan Rachel Wood and his hero Chris Evans, with music by British band Friendly Fires. It is a story of a beautiful woman, her urban hunting ground and the memoirs of her unrepentant indiscretions. Strong, sexy, and dangerous, too much is never enough for the Guilty woman and she always achieves her desires.

Buy Gucci Guilty from Escentual

How the skin looks and behaves is dependant on a combination of factors. Everyone’s skin is different, and everyone’s skin will appear and behave differently at different times and under different circumstances. Most skin care ranges are divided into just four main skin types: dry, normal, oily and sensitive, although it is worth remembering that the broad definition of each is open to interpretation. Any cosmetic skin care programme must take into account lifestyle, exposure to environmental aggressors, and individual skin types. Read on to discover your skin type hero products..

Dry skin

Dry skin occurs when the epidermis does not contain a sufficient level of plump, moisture-rich cells called lipids. External factors affect the skin chiefly because it is permeable, so it is able to absorb moisture from the outside. However, it is permeable in both directions, so it can also lose moisture which needs to be replaced to keep skin supple, soft and comfortable. An interesting way to see if skin is dry is to view it in a magnifying mirror. If the pores are invisible, it is more likely to be dry, as the dehydrated skin has shrunk due to the lack of moisture in the dermis. Dry skin is also prone to premature aging, as depleted moisture content leads to the breakdown of collagen function, and the weakening of elastin fibres.

To combat dryness, use gentle formulations that will replenish moisture and not sap the skin of its nutrients. Cleanse with Clarins Gentle Foaming Cleanser with Shea Butter for the ultimate dry skin treat. Its gentle but effective, lightweight formula calms distressed skin and comforts it with intensely hydrating Shea. A toner is always useful for clearing away excess cleanser, although those with dry skin must choose their product carefully as some formulations can be drying. Avene Gentle Toner, with zero alcohol and added thermal spring water respects the skin’s natural PH, making it a fabulous choice for dry skinned individuals. Finally, moisturise with La Roche-Posay Nutritic Ultra Fine Emulsion, a formulation that contains Biolipids to strengthen the skin’s natural barrier and soften surface roughness.

Normal Skin

It has been argued that there is no such thing as normal skin. However, there do seem to be a lucky few who experience minimal day to day problems. Normal skin will always appear fresh and clear, from morning to night, and will need very little in the way of special care and treatments. Those with normal skin should not ignore their complexions, as skin type changes with age and the environment.

Care for your skin with soap-free Avene Gentle Gel Cleanser, as its gentle cleansing action won’t disrupt your well-maintained skin equilibrium. A gentle, alcohol-free toner such as L’Occitane Shea Butter Fresh Face Water will sweep away all leftover make-up whilst a few dabs of Givenchy Skincare Hydra Sparkling Velvet Luminescence Moisturizing Cream will brighten skin and leave it glowing.

Oily/Greasy Skin

Sebum production is a natural and essential part of skin metabolism. Acids in this oily substance contribute to the skin’s protective mantle; they lubricate the growing hair, and help keep the epidermal surface supple. To discern whether your skin is oily, it is useful to use a magnifying mirror and examine your pores, are they are likely to be open and visible. This is thought to be due to the continual secretion of sebum from the opening. While cleansing is essential for oily skin, it is still important to moisturise, as excess sebum can mask the problem of insufficient lipids at a deeper level.

Oily skin needs an extra helping hand to help it regulate its sebum production, so products such as La Roche-Posay Effaclar Astringent Lotion a cleansing lotion with micro-exfoliants to unblock and reduce pore size, and Medik8 Hydr8 Pro-Collagen Hydrator with SPF25 are an ideal starting point for maintaining skin zen. Other oily skin champions include Tisserand Organic Tea-Tree Clear Skin Anti-Blemish Stick to tackle spots, and Clarins Pore Minimizing Serum to help refine large pores and help to control excessive sebum production.

Sensitive Skin

Over 70% of women claim to have sensitive skin. True sensitive skin is usually very dry, and reacts to external disturbances by becoming red, blotchy, itchy, flaky and uncomfortable. Such irritants include plain water and abrasive clothing for example, as well as ordinary skin care products. An isolated reaction to a single facial cream does not mean that the skin is sensitive, even though such as event may sensitise the epidermis for some time afterwards. Recent research has identified stress as a major factor in the incidence of sensitive skin. In response to emotional stress and exhaustion, nerve endings in the dermal layers have been found to trigger the secretion of certain chemicals, which cause sensitive skin.

Combat this modern trend by keeping your skincare routine extremely simple and uncluttered, so that your skin is not overburdened. Use soothing formulations that have plenty of natural extracts such as soothing rose and healing lavender. Rose in particular is a great botanical remedy for redness and discomfort, so Nuxe Eau Demaquillante Micellaire aux 3 Roses Micellar Cleansing Water is a godsend for sensitive complexions. Round off your new routine with Annick Goutal Rosee Splendide Spray Toner an extremely moisturising, serum-based toning lotion and Avene Anti-Redness Rich Moisturising Cream, which has a slight green tint to tone down the redness of sensitive and irritated skin.

By Louise Emma Clarke, Founding Editor of The-Beauty-Pages.com

If the closest you’ll get to a dose of exotic sunshine this summer is moving your desk a little closer to the office window, there are plenty of options for cheating your way to a enviable summer glow.

The most obvious option is fake tan – but if you want to convince people that you’ve just stepped off your private jet from St Tropez, you need to make sure the colour is natural and coverage is streak-free. Always exfoliate the night before to smooth rough patches, as dry knees, elbows and heels have a nasty habit of turning suspiciously orange. And wash your hands thoroughly after each application, as dark palms are a huge giveaway – in fact, if I suspect somebody is wearing fake tan, it’s the first place I look…

I stick to gradual tanners, which allow me to control the intensity of colour – with the added bonus being that they don’t take so long to fade if I make a mistake. My weapon of choice is St Tropez Everyday Gradual Tan, £13.16. Applying the rich, silky cream to skin twice a week is enough to maintain a healthy glow – but if you’re looking for a deeper colour, you can up the ante to daily applications.

If you have an office job, the chances are that your face is the most visible expanse of skin – so make sure you invest in a good quality bronzer. It’s amazing how much difference a sweep of bronzer will make to the complexion – I recommend it especially on mornings when you are feeling tired, ill or hungover (god forbid…) For a natural look, I steer clear of bronzers that contain shimmer, which is still a bit of a mystery to me – sun-kissed skin doesn’t magically start secreting glitter, so why do beauty brands think we require it in our bronzers? Dior Bronze Matte Sunshine High Protection Bronzing Powder SPF20, £28, gives a beautiful, shine-free, even-toned tan.

However, there is one place where shimmer is positively encouraged during the summer months – and that is on your eyes. There is no prettier shade for highlighting a tan than gold, so be adventurous with your eye shadow and liners- Guerlain Terracotta Fard Metal Eyeshadow & Liner in Gold Rush, £19, will lend a gorgeous glow to your flutter.

Finally, complete your sun-kissed summer look with a feel-good summer scent that will instantly transport you to exotic shores. Two of my favourites include Escada Marine Groove, from £21, and Kenzo Summer Eau de Parfum, from £34.50 – both fresh, lively, and pretty. After all, it is only when you feel relaxed and summery that you will really radiate that authentic sun-kissed glow – and luckily for British weather, no sunshine is required.