Linda Wells

1 month ago | airmail.news | Linda Wells

He’s the perfumer who created the TikTok-viral Baccarat Rouge 540, the indie darling Petit Matin, the luxurious J’adore l’Or, and the irreverent scented bubbles that he once released in Paris’s Grand Palais. Francis Kurkdjian seems to be everything everywhere all at once as the founder of his own house, Maison Francis Kurkdjian, and the perfume-creation director at Parfums Christian Dior. His latest scent for his own label is a fruity, sweet almond blend called Kurky.

1 month ago | airmail.news | Linda Wells

One of the comforting sounds of my childhood was my dad gargling in his bathroom before heading off to work. My sister and I would join in, heads thrown back, warbling our froggy music. The mouthwash in question, Listerine Antiseptic—a potent, alcohol-rich brew—was doing all sorts of damage to something that, until fairly recently, wasn’t a concern: the good bacteria in our oral microbiome. The aim for ages was to kill bacteria, not encourage them to thrive.

1 month ago | airmail.news | Linda Wells

Have you ever cried in a Bergdorf’s changing room? I haven’t, either, but I did come close, so close that I called David Kirsch, Heidi Klum’s trainer, for an emergency session. I was shopping for a strapless maillot and was rattled by the three-way mirrors, surgical lighting, and limitations of nylon and Spandex.

1 month ago | airmail.news | Jeanne Malle |Linda Wells

This is a story of love and also disgust and revulsion. It could be a parable about New York City and the way, no matter how carefully its residents try to insulate themselves from its inherent grime, the grime always tries to win. Let’s start with the love part. There were two characters, and certainly many more. Matt and Julia, who met when they were nearly naked in a spa called Othership in Toronto. Toronto is not New York, but stick with us.

1 month ago | airmail.news | Linda Wells

spritz Habit Rouge If your idea of a men’s scent is more James Bond in black-tie than Lil Baby in chains (as he appeared in an ad for Axe), then step right this way. Habit Rouge, the sophisticated fragrance from Guerlain, is celebrating its 60th birthday by partnering with Hennessy to infuse the classic scent with a taste of cognac. The perfumer achieved this alchemy by steeping Habit Rouge in wooden barrels that previously held the pedigreed French brandy.