We've written before about the fabulous make-up line from Nicole Paxson, who used her cosmetic struggles with lupus to create concealers, foundation, powders, and bronzers with the highest dose of UVA/UVB sun protection out there!  Check out the tell-tale monarch butterfly logo and the inspiration behind the line!:

The beautiful butterfly logo, labels and purple boxing were developed as an inspiration from the hard to manage- Lupus butterfly rash, associated with the autoimmune disease."

I absolutely love the line myself (um, and apparently, it's caught on with the Hollywood starlet crowd--Christina Millian, Mischa Barton, and Kristen Cavallari are all fans)!!

So I was very excited to hear about the end-of-summer sale that's good until Labor Day on all Nicole Paxson products (enter coupon code SUMMER BEAUTY at check-out), including my favorite: 

Monarch Creme Foundation with SPF 30 + UVA/UVB (Just a quick take: it feels like you're not wearing any make-up, until you look in the mirror and see it's there, plus a generous coat of SPF!!)

Happy Shopping :)

Stila Cosmetics is having a promotion right now, free shipping with no minimum purchase. They also have a VERY large selection of items in their "Vintage" section, which has a ton of great deals. I am partial to Stila's Eye Pots in "Honey" and the Convertible Color in "Lillium". Since they are running such a great deal I splurged for the "Rock the Vote" Red Lipstick (which I'm hoping is an awesome shade of red - knowing Stila it will be!) and the Guinevere's Luxe Palette. It has three eye shadows, a blush, and a lip gloss all in flattering peach shades. I have some other palettes from Stila, and they're great! So, take advantage of the free shipping and deals section...I know I did! :-)

Ok I don't know about you but I totally love Kim Kardashian's makeup.  She always looks cool, but my absolute fave is the smokey eye look she always has going on.  Every time I try to even remotely get the same look, I end up smearing black shadow all over my eyes and hoping it looks ok.  I ran across these videos on Kim's website though, and they take her makeup routine step by step.  It's awesome, plus she and her makeup artist tell you what products they use.  How cool is that?!?!  Click here to watch the videos.

I get so excited when fall starts to roll around. I love getting all of my September magazines in August, so I can see what kind of cold weather items I can put on my wishlist. I know fall is usually time for oranges, plums, and browns, but I really adore all of the bright colors designers have out there right now. From kelly green wellies to a colorfully striped umbrella, these items are sure to make you stand out, even on a rainy fall day!

1 - Coach Legacy Striped Umbrella with Case for $88

2 - Coach Signature Sport Watch in Orange for $398

3 - Gap Wrap Scarf in Light Chartreuse for $19.50

4 - Boden USA Belted Coat in Dark Pink for $198

5 - Kate Spade Tri-fold Calendar in Black and Kelly Green for $75

6 - J Crew Striped Wellies in Kelly Stripe ON SALE for $58

Since my hair is dark brown naturally, I usually just scoop up a box of hair dye at Walgreen’s. I usually splurge for one that costs more, but I almost always dye it myself.  I have gotten pretty good at wielding my way through my hair with the at home kits, but the little bottles of home hair dye inevitably drip and mess up my bathroom.  If anything promises to make the process a little easier I'm all for it.

These at home hair color kits, by Frederick Fekkai are now being sold through Bloomingdales.com. They cost $30, and are professional quality dyes. I'm really excited about that, since that usually equals more shine! I also absolutely LOVE the idea of having a little bowl and a brush to use (like at the salon). I think my bathroom will thank me for using a brush instead of a leaky bottle.

I'm super excited to try this product. There's a whole range of colors, and they suggest going for one that's one to two shades away from your current color. Thirty dollars for this little kit is much better than $120, which was the price I paid the last time I had a stylist dye my hair. Also, Fekkai is such a trusted name in hair color, I'm sure these are worth the investment!

If you've tried this already, let us know what you thought!