Feeling good is swell, but looking good is everything

Beauty, under festive fire.

While scientific evidence is murky, it’s long been touted that certain scents and foods encourage intimacy. When Oprah and Dr. Oz talk about it, however, you know there’s gotta be something to it. The pair discussed findings that suggest a woman’s libido may be enhanced by the smell of cucumbers and licorice, while men are enticed by lavender and pumpkin pie. Even Oprah was surprised at the licorice revelation. Turns out Hershey’s Good and Plenty are especially powerful in this regard. The appeal of cucumber for women can be attributed to obvious below-the-belt shape similarities (similarly oysters, which since the days of Casanova who ate dozens a day, have maintained a reputation as powerful aphrodisiacs). Fortunately, pursuing the olfactory aphrodisiac needn't involve regular trips to the grocery.

For the most part, men need gender-specific beauty products -- their skin is oilier, thicker, and warmer (more blood vessels), and shaving heightens some of these differences by regularly removing surface oils, causing micro-inflammation and dehydration. Men’s skin ages differently from women's, too, and it can be more vulnerable to external aggressors. While finding a man who will surrender himself to the joys of manicures and facials is still far from commonplace (let alone one who cares about what facial cleanser -- if any -- he puts on his face), with Father’s Day coming, an occasion presents itself to cajole an overworked dad, husband, or other to find his Adonis within and start exploring the beauty of life without under-eye bags, deep forehead creases, and out-of-control cuticles.

As if airport regulations haven’t made flying these past few years taxing enough, now we have to worry about catching swine flu while crammed in coach. Luckily for the flailing cosmetics industry, a key component to protecting our health is good hygiene (i.e. repeated hand-washing with lots of soap). And a key component to dealing with stress, hair frizz, ghostly faces, and airplane stench is an arsenal of TSA-approved beauty finds.

It all started in the Lower East Side back in 2003 -- before the skinny-jeaned hipster invasion -- when now-celeb chef Wylie Dufresne opened wd-50. Melding science and food, the molecular gastronomer has since inspired many to experiment. Of course, not everyone's into mad food science, but most chefs like to get a little edgy somewhere on the menu. ● Cookies @ Momofuku Bakery Milk Bar (East Village) - David Chang could get a vegetarian hooked on pork belly, so imagine what the man’s dessert spot can do with a cookie. Among the most drool-worthy: cornflake-marshmallow-chocolate chip, corn, blueberry cream, and compost cookie (so fabulously odd that the chocolate chip, pretzel, potato chip, coffee ground, and graham-cracker crumb-concoction is trademarked). ● Onion soup dumplings @ Stanton Social (Lower East Side - You’ll just have to focus on its deliciousness and put aside the fact that there’s enough cheese in this dish to give you a cholesterol problem.

● Pasha (Upper West Side) - Though its name often gets it confused with Ibiza import Pacha, the only similarity the spots share is that they’re both perpetually packed. Bargain prices, friendly service, and a quaint atmosphere make the wait for a table bearable. ● Tanoreen (Bay Ridge) - Though Astoria gets most of the attention when it comes to Middle Eastern food outside of Manhattan, this Brooklyn restaurant’s hodgepodge of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean eats puts Bay Ridge on the map. ● Le Souk (East Village) - Sure, the crowd’s a little on the boisterous B&T side, and you’ll come out reeking of hookah smoke. But if you’re looking for some ladies to fill out your harem, this is the spot.

● Bond St. (Noho) - Though it’s lost some mojo on the hotspot meter, the melt-in-your-mouth sushi and swank décor continue to attract sushi snobs and modelizers alike. ● Sushi Yasuda (Midtown East) - Friendly staff and minimalist looks keep focus on expertly crafted sushi. Dinner will set you back a geisha's ransom. ● East Japanese (Kips Bay) - Though quality at this mini-chain may not be much better than Food Emporium, for kitschy fun, affordable conveyor-belt sushi spot takes the cake. Sushi discounts on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Because sometimes a diner just won’t do.

In an attempt to save space, cut spending, and ditch their over-indulgent ways, many aspiring renaissance women are consolidating by turning to the recent deluge of multi-purpose beauty products. Some are quite appealing, like perennial cult fave Rosebud Salve, which can be dabbed on lips, elbows, and knees to sooth dry skin. Others, however, should be treated with caution -- like C.O. Bigelow’s Peach Nut Oil, with its suggested usages that include hair, face, body, babies, pets, dishes, delicate washables, and prized possessions. After all, would you really rub the same unguent on your lips and your dog? Here’s a run-down of some multi-tasking winners and losers.