Linda Wells celebrates 16 years as founding editor in chief of Allure—the only magazine dedicated to beauty. The Condé Nast magazine, founded in March 1991, has been widely recognized for its intelligent, groundbreaking coverage of beauty. Combining a strong journalistic foundation, a highly developed aesthetic sense, and a unique ability to understand the informational needs of women, Ms. Wells has helped redefine the once highly traditional genre of women's magazines.

The magazine's circulation, initially estimated at 200,000 copies when Allure hit newsstands, has soared to more than 1,050,000. In addition, the magazine has received the prestigious National Magazine Award for design, an Editorial Excellence Award (from Folio), and a Circulation Excellence Award (from Circulation Management). In 1992 the magazine received the first of 8 journalism awards from the Fragrance Foundation. It has also received 27 awards from the American Academy of Dermatology and the Excellence in Media Award from the Skin Cancer Foundation.

Linda Wells has also been celebrated by the National Organization for Women with its Equal Opportunity Award, by Trinity College with its Alumni Achievement Award, and in 2001, she was distinguished with the Achiever Award by Cosmetics Executive Women.

As "The Beauty Expert," Wells is a regular on local and national television, including the Today show, CBS Early Show, The View, Entertainment Tonight, E!, CNN, and others.

Wells is a graduate of Trinity College, where she received her B.A. in English. She and her husband, Charles Thompson, are the parents of two sons and reside in Manhattan.