Here's a sneak preview of what we can expect from Brad Pitt with Chanel No. 5. YES, PLEASE.

Brad Pitt is the new face of Chanel No. 5, it was announced today. (Yes! The perfume!)

I have mixed feelings about this. On the one hand…mmm…Brad Pitt.

On the other hand…eeewww…Chanel No. 5.

Chanel No. 5 was Coco Chanel’s first fragrance, created in 1921 as a revolutionary perfume designed to appeal to the modern, category-busting flappers of the day. Most scents were either single-note florals (very Edwardian) or hedonistic musks that whispered promises of “ladies of the night” and opium dens. Chanel No. 5 was neither: a modern synthetic heavily featuring chemical aldehydes. In short, a perfume for the Bachelor Girls and Garçonnes that were changing the world (and who we women today owe a grand debt to.)

So, no doubt, Chanel No. 5 is an iconic, important, earth-shattering perfume.

But still. In my opinion, iconic, important, earth-shattering Chanel No. 5 is also the worst kind of grandma perfume.

I mean, have you actually smelled this stuff? It’s gross! Yes, yes, to be fair, perfume is a highly personal thing, so my Thierry Mugler Alien Liqueur de Parfum is another woman’s French garbage can.

Normally, I stay silent about beauty products I dislike…particularly in the case of smaller brands. I never want to have a hand in some plucky mom-’n-pop start-up losing their life-savings. In the case of Chanel, however, with one bottle of Chanel No. 5 sold every 30 seconds–making it the world’s most popular perfume–I think they’ll do just fine.

Because one can never have enough Brad Pitt, here he is at the 2012 Oscars. Angelina Jolie's right leg was busy consulting with its publicist.

In any case, it’s only this perfume that I dislike from Chanel: I’m besotted by both Chanel Chance and Chanel Coco Mademoiselle, which is one of my all-time top perfumes and could not be more different from Chanel No. 5.

Chandler Burr famously called Chanel Coco Mademoiselle “lovely, flowery, a fresh-faced seventeen-year-old in a summer dress.”

Meanwhile, Coco Chanel said of No. 5: “A perfume like nothing else. A woman’s perfume, with the scent of a woman.”

So there you have it. Apparently I want to smell like a 17 year old.

There’s no denying, however, that Chanel No. 5’s ads are epic. This oldie but goodie with Estella Warren remains my favorite. It always makes me think of Christmas:

I'm confused. Was this photo taken in 1992? Either way, she certainly does look pretty (if airbrushed).

Am I somehow way behind on the news of Madonna releasing a fragrance called Truth or Dare, or is this a brand-new announcement? I got a press release today informing me that, apparently, this is Madonna’s first-ever fragrance. In a way, this makes sense: Madonna’s heyday was in the 80’s and 90’s, before every…single…person to even remotely be famous had a perfume. (Seriously, I’m surprised we haven’t devolved into Dramatic Chipmunk and Toddlers and Tiaras perfumes yet.)

I choose dare. No, truth! No, wait, dare! Crap. I can't decide. You're not going to make me prank call Matt Davis again, are you?

But considering how Madonna refuses to let go of her fame (oh, no, she will NOT go gentle into that good night), I’m baffled that it’s taken her this long. She’s partnered with Coty Prestige, and the Truth or Dare scent will be released in April exclusively at Macy’s. (It’s already available for pre-order on the Macy’s website.)

According to the press release, the notes are:

TOP: Rich Gardenia, Creamy Tuberose, Dewy Neroli
MID: Carnal Jasmine, Benzoin Tears, White Lily Petals
BASE : Vanilla Absolute, Caramelized Amber, Sensual Musk Aura

Hmph. I like gardenia. I like jasmine. I like vanilla. I LOVE amber and musk. This could actually be promising…I’ll keep you posted once I receive a sample.

Lancôme is celebrating the launch of their new fragrance Trésor Midnight Rose by running a contest on their Facebook page: one winner will get a trip for two to Paris! Other prizes include a trip to New York City and 100 bottles of Trésor Midnight Rose, which Emma Watson is the face of. Click here to visit their Facebook page and enter. Vas-y et bonne chance!

PS – I haven’t smelled Trésor Midnight Rose myself, but it’s described on the Lancôme Facebook page as a “sexy-sweet blend of raspberry, rose, vanilla and sensual musk.” Have you sniffed it? If so, let me know what you thought! I do love my musky scents…

Lara Stone stars in the Tom Ford Violet Blonde fragrance campaign - I am currently LOVING this perfume

Interview Magazine is super cool (like, actually cool), so I was beyond psyched when they approached me to take part in a Beauty Blogger round up of holiday must-haves. Check out my picks here! (Hint: they include Tom Ford Violet Blonde, Bare Escentuals Clear Radiance, Crest 3D 2 Hour Whitestrips, and CoverGirl lipstick 320 in Soulmate.)

Pearl Jam is my favorite band, as longtime Jolie readers know, but Foo Fighters has been steadily nipping at their heels for the past several years. Once their latest album Wasting Light came out this spring, the Foos cemented their #2 spot. If you don’t already have it and like good, hard, melodic, turn-it-up rock, I can’t recommend more highly. I finally caught their Back and Forth documentary this weekend–such a fascinating look behind the scenes! (And check ‘em out below: how’s that for some serious hair? I feel like Taylor Hawkins especially spends time making sure his locks are just so.)

And it wasn't even Movember when this photo was taken.

Moving on: I get a lot of skincare from various beauty brands, but not quite as much haircare. This is annoying, because haircare is easy to test: you lather it up or throw it on your dry ends, and bam! You can instantly tell if it works. (Skincare, on the other hand, takes weeks if not months of testing…and once you find a product or line you love, you’re loath to swap it up just for the sake of being a beauty guinea pig. I love you guys, but I also love not stressing out my finicky, acne-prone skin!)

Anyhow, Redken sends me a lot of products to test, but most of them are things I’m not really interested in–you know, for thinning hair and the like. So, when their new All Soft line arrived last week, I was super jazzed. My strands have been fried all summer after dying my hair myself, and I’ve been living in intensive conditioner land. I’m happy to report that the 1-2-3 punch of All Soft Shampoo, All Soft Heavy Cream intensive mask (one step up from the conditioner) and All Soft Supple Touch Lightweight Spray resulted in GORGEOUS hair this weekend. I’m impressed and recommend the line enthusiastically for those with dry or damaged hair.

Currently using: Redken All Soft for dry or damaged hair

Finally, for those of you who’ve been following the Brazilian Blowout scandal (see here to catch up), some legal documents in the case were released Friday filed by Kamala Harris, the Attorney General of California. What I found particularly interesting was the following sentence:

“Under oath, not one of GIB (Brazilian Blowout)’s principals have been able to explain how, or even whether, its product formulation changed from 2008 to 2010 so as to render truthful its new ‘formaldehyde-free’ claim.”

Fairly damning stuff. And to those who say lawyers don’t have a sense of humor, comes this:

“Saying that Brazilian Blowout does not expose people to formaldehyde because it contains methylene glycol, not formaldehyde, is like saying a match cannot burn people because it contains sulfur, not fire.”

Dior: Look Good...Feel Better

Earlier today, I was having a conversation with somebody about Dior versus Chanel. I name-checked Dior as being glamorous but kind of old-school (thinking of that semi-violent, super-sexy Charlize Theron J’Adore Dior commercial where she’s flinging her clothes and jewels all over the place–amazing) and shortly thereafter, the following info arrived in my inbox:

Dior is hosting the 4th Annual Dior Online Auction benefitting Look Good…Feel Better, which helps women cope with the appearance-related ravages of cancer. Lest you think that seems a bit frou-frou, I can tell you that my mother spent a lot of time upset about the terrible effects chemo had on her hair, nails and skin. Even with cancer, you’re still the same person–and from what I’ve seen, the freedom to worry about “shallow” things like beauty can keep you feeling normal and like your old self!

Starting today and until October 31st, you can visit Diorauction.com and bid on items in three categories: Luxe Trips, Elite Experiences and Lavish Products.(There’s also a “Shop Now” section, where you can buy things like a Christian Dior book or an engraved Dior Blue Tie palette.)

Here’s the lowdown on the auction items:

Luxe Trips:
· PARIS to tour the Dior Atelier, Perfumery Lab and a day trip to Versailles. (I want!!!)
· NEW YORK to attend the NYC Ballet and visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
· LOS ANGELES to attend the MTV Video Music Awards.
· ST. MAARTEN to visit the Dior Institute.

Elite Experiences:
· DIOR BEAUTY one month internship at LVMH headquarters in New York.
· AN INTIMATE LUNCH with Pamela Baxter, Dior’s CEO.
· BEHIND THE SCENES with Marie Claire magazine.
· SHOPPING SPREE with Lucky magazine.

Lavish Products:
· LADY DIOR Handbag with limited edition Lady Dior makeup palette.
· CHRISTIAN DIOR Christal diamond watch.
· PARTICULAR FRAGRANCE NO. 9 signed by Dior Perfumer-Creator Francois Demachy.
· DIOR FASHION ILLUSTRATIONS by Bil Donovan, Dior’s artist-in-residence.

100% of auction proceeds will go to Look Good Feel Better, which raised over $50,000 for the charity in 2010. Great–and yes, very glamorous–initiative!