Since Memorial Day weekend pretty much kicks off the summery season of barbecues and beachy fun, it's important to protect your skin from the sun's rays. I know I sound like a broken record, but it's a cause dear to my heart; my dad had to have a pre-cancerous mole removed from his face a few years ago, and if he'd worn sunblock, it may have never developed. And on the beauty end of things, wearing SPF keeps your complexion healthy, too. Since there are so many self-tanners on the market, there really is no excuse not to protect your skin. Here's what I suggest you take with you during your Memorial Day adventures — these are actually the same products in my "sun kit."

• A wide-brimmed hat: Essential for keeping the sun out of your eyes, it's also a great fashion statement. This one, from Target, is only $12.99, and it comes in black as well.
• A killer pair of shades: The best sunglasses are large and in charge, with lenses that provide shade all around your eyes — above them, below them, and to the sides. I picked up my Nour sunnies for $40 at a sample sale, but you don't have to spend even that much for a good pair. Look for shades labeled UV400, which protect against UVA and UVB rays.
• A high-SPF sunblock: SPF 15 is the absolute minimum, but SPF 30 is better. Beyond that, higher numbers mean only slight increases in protection, but if you're going to be outside, you might as well do it carefully. I've been using Neutrogena Ultra-Touch ($7.49) because of its broad-spectrum protection. It doesn't feel heavy, it isn't greasy, and although I could do without the too-strong scent, it's a wise buy. After all, the trick to sun protection is to never over-pay for it.
• The little details: Don't forget to protect your lips and hands. Look for a lip balm or gloss with SPF. I always carry Murad Energizing Pomegranate Lip Protector ($16.50) because it moisturizes and adds just a hint of hue while it protects lips. For hands, Palmer's Therapeutic Hand Cream ($4.69) offers SPF 8 — not amazing, but if you're a frequent hand-washer, applying this cream can't hurt.

Stila has decided to expand its popular Kitten powder eye shadow into an empire with the release of a cream shadow called Silk Eye Shadow Wash ($22). The super-long tube (1.1 oz) gets applied with a doe-foot applicator as a liquid form, and it dries to a powdery, crease-free finish.

I love that this shadow is so versatile. I like wearing it as a highlighter beneath my brow-bone and dotted on top of my cheekbones, nose and forehead, but it's also stunning as an all-over lid color. Tip: stick with either wearing it on your face or on your eyes — too much glow in any gal winds up looking more cheap than chic.

The shadow is formulated with proteins and since it's water-based, it glides on smooth and dries quickly. The color is rich and shimmery and it blends easily, but be warned that a little goes a long way. It spreads rapidly, so I recommend starting out with a gentle stroke and then adding more as needed.

The golden-pinky hue suits all skin tones. Funnily enough, I'm such a lover of champagne shadows that I've noticed the color is identical to Laura Mercier's Metallic Crème Eye Colour in Platinum (too bad they are also the same price, or this could have been a real bargain). I've grown to love this version of Kitten even more than my powder pan shadow (that's saying a lot!) and I wouldn't be surprised if it becomes the next cult classic. What are your thoughts on this new eye wash?

I hadn't heard about Thalgo until a friend of came to town and brought the Delicious Comfort Cream ($56) along with her. She bought the lotion based on a recommendation from her facialist and swears that after just three weeks of daily use, it has transformed her skin from dull and flat into a creamy, enviable, smooth, even and supple texture.

I've been hoarding it for just under a week now and at first, I found the yellowish color to be off-putting (it looks like a jar of sebum), but the rose oil and clean spa smell instantly allayed my fears. It is intended for dry skin, so it's a powerful way to nourish, hydrate and plump up your face. It's fantastically rich because it contains shea butter, and to ensure that the ingredients are properly released, you're supposed to warm a dime-sized amount between your fingertips before patting it onto your face and neck — much like how you would apply Crème de La Mer.

The result is comfortable, cool, soothed and slightly dewy skin. The plastic jar is lightweight and since all you need is a little bit, the 50 milliliters should last you six months. I've asked my friend to leave me with a sample because even though it's only been a few days, I'm undeniably hooked. All of the icky gray flakes on my face are already gone — it's unbelievable.

Today's New York Times reports on the dubious "trend" of having chipped nails. Apparently, having less-than-flawless nails is not a complete beauty disaster:

“Before, when nail polish was chipped you absolutely had to run and get it fixed,” said Ji Baek, the owner of Rescue Beauty Lounge and a manicure doyenne who has noticed the Olsens and Lindsay Lohan with less-than-impeccable polish. Now, clients like hers are “wearing perfectly-tailored clothes, they have $5,000 bags and equally fabulous shoes, but their nails are chipped and they’re saying, ‘I don’t care.’ They don’t want to be too perfect.”

Of course, Baek adds, there's a catch: “Chipping is cool, but chipping in a schleppy way when you don’t have a $5,000 handbag is not as cool." Oh, so that's all we need! Great.

Joking aside, the story explains that women, particularly the younger generation, don't flip out about having less-than-flawless manicures. While I agree that there are certain occasions (job interviews, your wedding) that require neater nails, I've always felt that life has bigger things to worry about than an imperfect manicure. Are you with me?

Last month I notified you that Freeze 24-7 was having an unbelievable friends and family sale in which everything was half off. Therefore, I couldn't help but get my hands on some of the products that I'd been clamoring to try out. Case in point: the Anti-Aging Eye Serum ($115). I'd heard great things about the serum — mainly that it was like topical Botox — and really, it should be for that price.

The first thing that I noticed was how much product was dispensed with each pump — definitely much more than what is needed for both eyes. Unfortunately when I've tried to pump less I've failed; it's definitely an all-or-nothing affair. Since there's no way to get the excess back into the bottle, I applied half of the serum to each eye. Once applied I noticed a slight tingling sensation. It's not uncomfortable in a Lip Venom type of way, but there's a certain tightening feeling. "Oh, it's working its magic," I thought to myself. What I didn't expect was that the white cream would harden, leaving a slightly dry paste on my face. (You know what it looks like when your skin peels after a bad sunburn? Ugh.) So although it's something that I wouldn't recommend for the day, I use it at night before I go to bed in hopes that it's keeping wrinkles at bay.