May 2009's New Beauty Products

Heavenly Scent

Fashion designer Tom Ford wears his pants tight, his chest hair exposed, his shadow perpetually at 5 o'clock. The man oozes (a certain kind of) sexuality. His latest fragrance, Private Blend Champaca Absolute ($180 for 50 milliliters; NeimanMarcus.com), has a quieter, more discreet sexiness: The spicy floral (champaca is a flowering Southeast Asian tree) at the perfume's heart is tempered by fresh, crisp greens and warmed with vanilla bean and amber. A little goes a long way (it's an eau de parfum, not an eau de toilette), and the dark bottle protects the juice from light, which could spoil it before its time. Sexy and practical—a dreamy combination.