NARS Velvet Shadow Sticks.

NARS just launched their Fall collection (more on that very soon) and taking center stage of the collection are the brand new Velvet Shadow Sticks. I am super excited about these sticks! Similar to other brands I love sticks like this as they are usually very long-lasting and very easy to apply. NARS has initially created 8 Velvet Shadow Sticks and I am betting these silky, velvety shadows are sure to be a hit for a long time to come.

These sumptuous shades were made for layering under and over, blending and setting, and creating endless looks. With shades from pink champagne to black, there is something for everyone to create looks from neutral to smoky. I can't wait to try them!

NARS Velvet Shadow Stick shades:

Hollywoodland - Pale Gold
Aigle Noir - Black infused with gold shimmer
Glénan - Navy
Goddess - Pink Champagne
Oaxaca - Quartz
Sukhothai - Shimmering Peacock
Flibuste - Black
Reykjavik - Grey

The NARS Velvet Shadow Sticks sells for $28 each and are available now at NARS boutiques and narscosmetics.com. They will be available at Sephora and Nordstrom beginning on August 1st.

First At-Home Customized Hair Care System + FREE Sets Available NOW!

I'm obviously obsessed with all things beauty. I'm constantly searching for new products and brands to try. When I find an opportunity to try something new for FREE, well, that is even better. There is a brand new, really exciting hair care system called ProfilePRO that lets you customize everything about it - right down to having your very own name printed right on the bottle. And I have a super easy way for your to experience this customized hair care system for FREE. But you have to act fast, because this opportunity is only available until Monday August 3rd.

National Lipstick Day: My Favorite Lipsticks.

Today is National Lipstick Day! With more lipsticks than anything else in my makeup collection, I think it's great that this makeup item has a nationally recognized day.

Did you even know that in 1923, the swivel tube lipstick was invented? This makeup item has become something us makeup girls take for granted. This amazing little beauty we call lipstick has become a daily staple in my life, and I am betting many of yours too.

I have tried hundreds and hundreds - if not thousands of lipsticks over the years and definitely have my favorites. I am not even going to get into colors when talking about my favorite lipsticks because those change seasonally, but I definitely have my favorites. Choosing my favorite lipsticks is pretty difficult hard, so I am going with my ten most used lipsticks -- as in brands. Any of these would be great for adding to your daily beauty routine.

Top 10 Travel Size Beauty Products.

I've been traveling quite a lot lately, and being summer, I'm betting that a lot of you have been taking some vacation time as well. I hope you are anyway. I've gotten pretty good at packing because my husband does not like it when I check a bag. So it's 3 fl oz and under for me when I travel when it comes to my beauty lotions and potions. So, I might have to sneak some of my things into his little perfectly sized travel bag, yeah, yeah because I do bring a lot. But I have definitely found some perfectly sized travel beauty products that I wanted to share just in case you needed a little help.

In case you are unsure of the airline rules, here they are according to the tsa.gov website:

3-1-1 for carry-ons. Liquids, gels, aerosols, creams and pastes must be 3.4 ounces (100ml) or less per container; must be in 1 quart-sized, clear, plastic, zip-top bag; 1 bag per passenger placed in screening bin. The bag limits the total liquid volume each traveler can bring.

One great place to start is the little maze you head down before checking out in store at Sephora. This little section is filled with great cubes of travel sized beauty products in the perfect sizes for traveling. I find these to be much more generous than the sizes you get in the trial size aisle of the mass or drugstores. These are usually full 3 oz sized products (what the TSA allows in your 1-quart sized bag, see above).

I also sometimes order things from 3floz.com. This shop exclusively carries travel sized products and they have a lot of different brands.

Currently Obsessed: Colourpop.

Have you heard of the newish cosmetics brand Colourpop? It seems to have exploded amongst my makeup friends and younger demographic over the last few months and I had to see what all the excitement was about.

"Did you see the new Colourpop lippies?" "Did you get on the site?" "Were you able to order the new Colourpop collection?"

These are the discussions I kept reading in my makeup groups so I figured these women were onto something. You see, Colourpop prides itself on smart, highly pigmented cosmetics in the $5-$8 range in a huge range of shades. You can see why it has quickly caught on with one glance at the Colourpop website.

Buxom Customizable Eyeshadow Bar Palette.

I loving being able to customize my makeup, especially when it comes to eyeshadow. When I heard that Buxom was going to offer up 40 new shades of eyeshadow and make them easy to pop in and out of these new Eyeshadow Bar Palettes, I was tickled to say the least. Everything about this is new -- from the innovative primer, infused formula to the large pans of shadows in never before seen shades, this is something makeup girls needs to pay attention to stat.

Best Skincare from Nordstrom Anniversary Sale.

So, I'm not done shopping the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale yet. That means I am not done sharing my best picks either. A few of my top ten anniversary sale picks have sold out, which include a few of my favorite makeup picks from the sale as well. Maybe the skincare items aren't as popular; they are with me! Many of the brands are offering some really nice values here. There are super sizes and many sets of popular products grouped together. This is when I stock up on things like my favorite Philosophy Purity Cleanser and it's when I always tell my friends to spurge and grab a Clarisonic Skin Cleansing System if they don't have one.

Getting My Summer Glow On with Murad + a Giveaway!

I'm all about treating my skin. I often neglect it in the summertime though, as I am usually lighter with both the makeup and skincare. Just coming back from a lot of time outside and in the sun, I decided it was time that I needed a little extra help in getting my skin its summer glow back. And I'm not talking a tan here; I am talking its natural glow. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to have a wonderful facial at a Massage Envy Spa where Murad products are exclusively used and it was just in time for their July Summer Glow Event -- just what I needed.

Top 10 Waterproof Makeup.

When the days are long and hot, I turn to long-lasting waterproof makeup. Of course, my makeup drawer is stocked with the best waterproof makeup there is. From eyes to cheeks and lips, there is something on this list to suit your needs and get you through the summer looking beautiful from morning til night.

Get Moving + Stay Beautiful: Gym Bag Beauty Musts.

I've taken a pledge to get in shape this summer. I've been (surprisingly) doing really well with my weight loss plan and I am just starting to incorporate some exercise into my overall plan. It's HOT out though. Staying fresh and beautiful though all of the elements takes some work. I've got some products that I keep in my gym bag and professional tips to stay in shape this summer and it is all much easier than it sounds. If I can do it, trust me -- you can too!

Best Makeup from Nordstrom Anniversary Sale.

I told you I wasn't done talking about the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. Now that this annual event is open to the public (it just opened up to everyone today) it is time to get your shop on if you haven't been shopping this epic savings event yet.

I shared my Top 10 Nordstrom Anniversary Beauty Buys earlier this week, but it just wasn't enough. I have shopped in the store during the pre-sale, on the first day of course, and I have placed two ordered already. As I was making my last order, I noticed I was making a list of ALL MAKEUP. Why not??? So I figured I would share that list with you because it is pretty much the best makeup from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. These are some of the best makeup buys of the YEAR.

Help Your Man Feel Cool + Confident this Summer.

My house is full of a few things beside beauty and two of them are boys and music. I am a Mom to three boys in their teens and twenties and the house is always bumping the music. It's sort of lively around here! While my daughter and I seem to get to test a lot of beauty stuff pretty regularly, my boys do need help when it comes to feeling fresh, cool and confident. AXE has a new White Label and it's the brands new, more sophisticated variety for men -- and my boys are loving it.

Summer Blush: Urban Decay Afterglow 8-Hour Powder Blush.

If there is one makeup product that I think gets overlooked often it is blush. It is just one of those products that we use everyday, but it's sort of taken for granted. Blush is a vital step in our makeup routine and it is one that shouldn't be taken so lightly. We all know that when blush is done wrong - it isn't pretty! I'm obsessed with Urban Decay's Afterglow 8-Hour Powder Blush and it's not only the perfect summer blush, it's the perfect blush.