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As the biting wind blows outside, hit the Web for Newbury Street goodies to lift chilled spirits
BY RUTH TOBIAS
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Like a bra-strap-popping boy, winter is positively beastly to a girl, from her tender skin right down to her bruised ego. Of course, the colder it is, and the more desperately she needs the wondrous stuff that sloughs off flakes and soothes sour moods, the less inclined she is to venture outdoors to purchase it. Luckily, she can now walk the beauty beat that is Newbury Street without leaving her living room. Sashaying between the following Web sites, she can snap up all the goodies that lift sagging skin and spirits in a jiff — and leave the cold outside, where it belongs. Though Fresh (www.fresh.com) now has an international presence, its roots remain here in its flagship location. They also show in the long-running product line that has become a celebrity phenomenon, Milk. Coming in eight-ounce containers reminiscent of old-fashioned milk bottles, both the bath foam ($30) and the body lotion ($25) exude wholesome charm, being thick but not gloppy, and cleanly scented. The fragrances include pure, natural Milk-milk, rich Milk Chocolate, and the more flowery Jasmine Milk, Ivy Milk, and Nectarine Milk. A subsequent collection called Sugar also created a sensation upon its debut with such dreamy exfoliants as fizzy bath "sugar" cubes ($26) and Brown Sugar Body Polish ($58). All are destined to become classics, the kinds you’ll share with your granddaughters as they clamor for your beauty secrets. In contrast to Fresh, Kiehl’s (www.kiehls.com) opened a Boston branch just a few years ago, though the New York–based pharmacy has been in business for 150 years. And Kiehl’s has a knack for concocting skin-care chestnuts that win instant converts, such as the Deluxe Hand & Body Lotion with Aloe Vera & Oatmeal ($18/eight ounces; $29/16 ounces). The plain, no-nonsense packaging implies that what’s inside is no chichi passing trend but a timeless toiletry; however, this lightweight, daily-use lotion does come in a range of signature scents that lend it of-the-moment cachet, among them coriander, coconut, grapefruit, cucumber, and almond. No wonder we speak of nourishing our skin. Cosmetic hounds catch the scent of tiny but flashy boutique E6 Apothecary (www.e6apothecary.com) from miles away and come running for hard-to-find, cutting-edge, and otherwise ultra-cool brands. Of course, right about now we’re all panting after paints to impart some color and shine to our drab winter days. So praise be to E6 for bringing us Tarte and its sexy all-over-body Glistening Powders ($55) in three glittery shades: lilac Material Girl, metallic Golddigger, and hot Tickled Pink. Delux Beauty delights as well with saucy retro packaging and smart lip glosses ($15) in hues like pink-gold Jasper, sienna J.B., and wine-dark Pepper. Be warned that products on this site go like Eggo waffles among snot-nosed siblings. Any day spa that offers champagne-yeast facials and hot-rock massages is sure to stock high-end European skin-care lines like Babor, Carita, and Decléor — and Bella Santé (www.bellasante.com) has ’em all. Decléor in particular has gotten luxury down to a science. Take its Ylang Ylang Night Balm ($59), a hydrating emollient with a jasmine-like scent. Or Rose d’Orient Night Balm ($59), a calming anti-irritant with hints of lavender and black currant. Or Neroli Comforting Concentrate ($59), a blend of botanicals — including the bitter orange blossom for which it’s named — in essential-oil form, which brings relief to sensitive skin. So there, winter.
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