I'm sorry I've been away, and been away without an explanation.

This wasn't a planned hiatus (which is why I didn't write a post announcing the interruption in blogging). It was a convergence of several life events — most importantly, the terminal illness of my grandfather.

I wasn't expecting to take time off, it just... happened. I apologize for not

Amazing news, readers! On a recent trip to NYC, I spotted (and swooned over) this fabulous iPhone case — which Guerlain created in honor of their newest fragrance, La Petite Robe Noire.

The cases aren't for sale, but through some PR magic, the folks at Guerlain found a few we could give away. SWEET.

This is a Twitter

Good news, everyone! This weekend only (starting today, August 3rd, ending Sunday, August 5th), Butter London and Deborah Lippmann polishes are both buy-two-get-one-free at Nordstrom. (And shipping is free.)

The code is BUYANDSAVE (build your cart, this code will deduct the price of the third polish).

Go nuts!

For the last few seasons, Chanel has been the first to counter — and this fall is no exception. Fall is usually a big collection for the brand, and this one feels like a crowd-pleaser. Another source of joy: a surprising number of these products are permanent additions to the line.

Let's start with the eyeshadow quad,

Le Metier de Beaute has a new regional makeup artist for the south/southwest: Shaun Smith. On one of his recent trips through Dallas, I had the pleasure of sitting in his chair — and there were so many things I loved about his look that I wanted to share it.

I came in for my makeover, having just washed my

MAC's collection for Nordstrom's anniversary sale includes several specially-priced sets in fantastic limited edition packaging. The art is the work of Julie Verhoeven (a fine artist/illustrator/designer whose commercial collaborations include H&M, Versace, Uniqlo, Mulberry, and a Lancome Juicy Tube called Pink Muse).

First up, two smoky eye kits (each $49.50). The eye

Tremendous thanks to the amazing AlexandraRC of Sparkly Vernis for this jawdropping swatch. It's Deborah Lippmann's Nordstrom anniversary exclusive: Let's Go Crazy, a sheer grape jelly with Lippmann's signature glitter bonanza. I spy red, green, blue, silver, and gold hexagonal glitter in two sizes. I prefer glitter polishes with a sheer base. If the base

Readers, I have never been so excited about a foundation. (And I never get excited about foundation.)

When I began swatching Burberry, I was determined to remain objective. But the more I swatch/test/try, the more deeply I fall in love with this brand.

Before we talk about their liquid foundation, let's talk about their Fresh Glow Primer (Fresh Glow Luminous

I don't think Chanel ever goes on sale, but every year, during Nordstrom's anniversary event, the brand offers a small collection of exclusive products (if you're feeling nostalgic, here are the collections from 2011 and 2010).

Of course, jetsetters among us may have seen these products

Nordstrom's anniversary sale officially begins July 20th (and ends on Sunday, August 5th, at midnight, Pacific Time). In the cosmetics department, this annual bonanza means special sets, jumbo sizes, and exclusive products. There's a bunch of stuff out there (click here to browse the whole cosmetics offering online), but I just wanted to highlight a

Now that we've addressed skin anatomy, the physiology of aging, and a few common conditions in adult skin, I think we're finally ready to start talking about the different treatments out there.

Our first

This spring, NARS added a tinted moisturizer to their foundation lineup — and there was much rejoicing. NARS chiefly received accolades for its shade selection, which spans a diverse range of skintones. Less talked about (but equally intriguing) are the foundation's treatment properties. This tinted moisturizer is supposed to reduce discoloration and fade dark spots over time.

I think I found one color match for my Paige Denim promotional polish: MAC's Breezy Blue, a limited edition color from their Chenman Love & Water collection ($16, still available on MAC's website).

It's not quite as deep as the Paige polish, but it's a

Make Up For Ever just added four shades to their Aqua Cream lineup — and the Aqua Creams are a pretty fantastic product. Designed for synchronized swimmers, they're wear-anywhere, waterproof, creaseproof colors for lids, cheeks, and/or lips. If I'm attending a summer wedding in Texas (sweltering), my go-to look is a wash of shade

Dior has a little "interstitial" collection out right now: Summer Mix. It's a happy, bright, juicy, glossy, jelly offering of four glosses ($28) and four polishes ($23).

Orange Pareo is a repromote (cross-promote?) from the summer Croisette collection. It's a sheer orange with orange and gold sparkles. Rouge