The February issue of Allure arrived a couple of days ago, and it does seem to be an improvement over last month, so I will try to be kind (see last month's scathing review here).

I am excited to report that one of the magazine's Free Stuff promotions this month is for none other than Clairol Natural Instincts Shine Happy, which I raved about a few days back. The first 1,000 readers to sign up at allure.com at noon on February 1 will get one free!

This month's Fashion Stakeout is Selma Blair, and I think she looks great in most of the pictures, with the exception of the one in the Marc Jacobs top and Lela Rose shorts. The top recalls an inverted shower cap and is not flattering.

Further on in the magazine, there is a lovely interview with Catherine Deneuve with gorgeous pictures of her through the years. It is, of course, quite well-timed, to coincide with the launch of MAC's Catherine Deneuve Beauty Icon collection. It is always refreshing to see a timeless, graceful beauty like Catherine, who stands out among all the Kirstens, Lindsays and Nicoles.

Speaking of Lindsay and Nicole...Sheryl Crow's cover look here is a little too Rachel Zoe for my liking. (In case you have managed to avoid it this past year, Rachel Zoe (left) is the stylist to the stars - like Lindsay and Nicole - who is responsible for emaciated boho chic.)

I think Sheryl looks great, but I am getting quite tired of the smokey eyes, bronzed skin, nude lips and messy blonde hair that define the Zoe look. I wish that Scott Andrew, who did the cover makeup here, would have gone with something a little different. And a message for Rachel Zoe herself: it is time to reinvent.

Hopefully we will not witness the Incredible Shrinking Sheryl in the coming months, as we so often see with celebs who sport the Zoe look.