Here are some sun protection products that do their jobs well and aren't tested on animals.  Remember, always wear at least SPF 15.
1) Anthelios SX: Made by La Roche-Posay, this European staple is now available in the US.  Called the world's best sunscreen by many derms, it features Meroxyl, a strong UVA absorber.  It runs about $29 for 3.4 oz, so I'd keep this to face only, or maybe the body if you're really sensitive to the sun.  I've seen it for sale at CVS too.
2) Peter Thomas Roth Ultra-Lite Oil-Free Sunblock: Really a sunscreen, this is the best choice for oily or blemished skin.  It features the UVA absorbing agent Parsol 1789, along with others to keep out UVB rays.  It it light and easy to apply, looks great under makeup, and moisturizes with aloe and vitamins A and C.  It's also available as a mist for easy body application.
3) Colorscience SPF 30 All Clear Brush: A sunblock, this works well for sensitive skin.  It's mineral-based, and goes on by itself or over makeup.  It won't clog pores and doesn't have any skin irritants.  This works best on the face since it will come off quickly on other parts of the body.  You also need to reapply often, but the built-in brush makes it great for a purse.  Also available tinted or with sparkles.
4) DDF Daily Matte SPF 15: An oil-free moisturizer and sunblock, this is a great anti-aging product.  It features retinol palmitate, an A vitamin that gently destroys dead skin, along with vitamins E and C and the antioxidant CoQ-10.i  Perfect for oily skin that doesn't need a lot of heavy moisture, but could use nutrition.
5) Juice Beauty Sheer Moisture SPF 30: Another oil-free moisturizer and sunblock, this is from and all-organic and naturally based line.  Titanium Dioxide protects while aloe moisturizes and apple and white grape juice nourish.  Good if you need a little extra SPF protection for normal to oily skin or if you're into organics.
6) Kinerase Cream with SPF 30: Expensive at $135, but worth every penny if you have dry and sensitive skin.  A sunblock and sunscreen (it has both chemical and physical agents), this moisturizer contains kinetin, a strong antioxidant derived from plants.
7) Murad Perfecting Day Cream, SPF 30: Also for dry/sensitive skin, this moisturizer and sunscreen is full of emolliants to hold in moisture, plus fatty acids and soy to help rebuild skin cells.  This should be used with a gentle exfoliator like Peter Thomas Roth's Buffing Beads to insure maximum absorbtion.
8) True Blue Spa Calm, Cool, and Protected Cooling Sunscreen Mist: Currently out of stock on the Bath and Body Works website, I'm sure it's in stores.  Full spectrum coverage in a light, continuous mist, great for the body.  If you put this on your face, apply to your hands first than rub on.
9) Neutrogena Active Breathable Sunblock, SPF 45:  What you see is what you get- a waterproof, oil-free sunblock that stands up to a day at the beach.  You should still reapply, because even waterproof sunblock isn't foolproof, and protection wanes over time.
10) California Baby Water-Resistant, Hypo-Allergenic Sunscreen, SPF 30+: This product is labelled well- it doesn't claim an exact SPF or to be waterproof, both of which aren't possible.  Babies and small kids have VERY sensitive skin, especially to the sun, so sunscreen is a must everytime you go outside for more than a few minutes.  This is actually a sunblock, using titanium dioxide to block out UVA and UVB rays.

Sunscreen/ sunblock is the most important part of any beauty routine.  It's the only guaranteed preventer of wrinkles and premature aging, and it keeps you from looking like a lobster.  Sunscreens absorbs the UV rays, while sunblocks deflect them.  Sunblocks are physical, containing ingredients like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, and can be visible on the skin, but they block both UVA and UVB rays.  Suncreens are chemically based, and aren't as good at absorbing UVA rays.  In fact, only a few chemical sunscreens absorb UVA rays, like Parsol 1789/ avobenzone, and some absorb both, like octocrylene and  Mexoryl.  You want a sunscreen or sunblock that lists one of the ingredients mentioned here if you want UVA protection.  UVA rays, or long-wave rays, cause melonomas and enhance the effects of UVB rays, or short-wave rays, which cause burning and other types of cancer.  Most moisturizers that contain UV protection only block or absorb UVB rays.
By the way, SPF, or Sun Protection Factor, measures how many times a product prevents burning, and thus only applies to UVB rays.  If one burns in 20 minutes and wears an SPF 15 (the minimum you should wear), then one will be protected from burning for 300 minutes (15x20).
Next time, some of my picks for good sun protection.

One of my fave liquid liners is Urban Decay- it has a great brush, and lots of colors are available, including Acid Rain (lime green), Gash (metallic burgandy), and Radium (metallic royal blue).  There's a matte black and a silvery black.  It spreads nicely and stays on, creating an outrageous look.  This isn't for wallflowers- the brush leaves a thick line.  But on the other hand, it's easier to draw a thick straight line with a eyeliner brush than a thin one.
If you're looking for a more sublte, skinny line, try a cream liner like the ones from Smashbox.  They're easier to apply than liquids, can go on wet for a liquid style or dry for a smokey look, and you get to choose the brush.  I recommend the #4 Precision Eye Liner Brush by Stila.  It's a lush but thin brush that's just stiff enough.

So for the past few months I've been using a skincare line that I read about on the BPAL forums called Talulah.  Based out of Portland, Oregon,  this brand is all natural, fair-trade, and mostly organic.  It's a holy grail brand for me- since I've started using their oily skin routine of the Geranium Sap Cleanser, Orange Blossom Toner (a spritz), the Oma Serum #1 in the morning and the amazing Primrose Serum in the evening, my skin has cleared up and the redness has diminshed.  Today I was able to go out with only spot-concealing my face, rather than using foundation all over.  I've combined this with the Gommage Micropurele Purete by Chanel as an exfoilator three times a week.  I'm not the only one- or the only skin type- to benefit from Talulah; check out the reviews on bpal.org for more raves.  And don't balk at the price- the products last for-ev-er.
One tip- I've found that on hot days when I'm going to be extra-oily, I reverse the order of the serums to use Primrose in the morning- it's a better mattifier.

Dame Anita Roddick, founder of my former employer The Body Shop, passed away on Monday.  She founded the company in 1976 in Brighton, England, using her experience from travels to the third world and her mother's wisdom to create beauty products to support her family while her huband was out of the country.  From the beginning, she was an advocate for fair trade and stopping cosmetic animal testing.  
Since the company was bought out by L'Oreal, many of the original products have been eliminated- the Colourings makeup line, the Japanese washing grains exfoiliator, an amazing lavender line.  But great products remain- their body butters are the best moisturizers out there, the Hemp hand cream softens so well, and the peppermint foot line is a favorite of mine.  Now if they'd just bring back the Indian Gardenia...

Lots of deals going on right now at Neiman Marcus during their beauy event- free stuff for each brand and a tote of samples if you spend more thn $100 (which is easy to do at NM).  
Also there's a deal at Lamer.com with the code LMEYE- you get a 5-day sample of the eye concentrate plus a sample of your choice, all with free shipping.
Drugstore.com is having a 70% off sale.
The Body Shop has a gift with a $55 purchase, and Chamomille Eye Makeup Remover is $8. 
Finally, there's the anniversary sale at Belle Lucce, a great natural bath and body company.  The deals are pretty good (and so are the products):

"With every order:

• A chance to win our random drawing for the Ultimate Cupcake Prize Pack, valued at $325! (read on for details)
• A special code (valid for any future order before 12.31.07) that will save you 25% during your holiday shopping
• A glitter-embellished thank you card, an adorable cupcake refrigerator magnet and special gift packaging
• A delicious, gourmet cupcake-shaped sugar cookie, custom designed and hand decorated for Bella Luccè
• Party favors, including samples and coupons from some of our favorite women-owned indie companies

With orders $75+ the above plus:

• Free Shipping via FedEx Ground (continental US only)
• Your choice of free product…in the special comments box during checkout, type which product from your order you’d like to receive two of, and we’ll tuck an extra in your box at no charge! "

So I'm trying this beauty blogging thing again after almost a year.  Wish me luck.
Lately I'm getting into shampoos without sodium laureth sulfates (SLSs).  It's the typical foaming agent in shampoos and shower gels and can be drying.  Sugar-based agents can be used instead.  They don't foam as much, but they work just as well, especially when you rinse and repeat.  Most people don't like them because they're used to the massive amount of foam created by SLSs.  By using Jonathan Product's Create Moisture shampoo and conditioner, the frizziness in my hair has decreased dramatically and my hair is softer and stronger.  Unfortunately, it's $22 for 8.4oz, and the bottles aren't well designed, plus I go through the conditioner like there's no tomorrow.  I'm going to switch to Pureology after these bottles are gone.   Both are vegan, not tested on animals, and free of SLSs.

I ventured out today to Nordstrom, where I got to see the new Smashbox line.  It includes a great palette that has two brushes, eight eyeshadows, four lip glosses, and two highlighters.  It has shades that work on everyone without being boring- the lip glosses have color, and the eyeshadows have a range, and dare to go dark.  It's one of many this season.  My favorite is the Too Faced Jewelry Box, because of its variety.  If the quality equals that of regular Too Faced makeup, than it's a steal at $39.50 for 8 eyeshadows, 6 lip glosses, a blush, a bronzer, foundation powder, eyebrow powder, eyeliner cake (requires water to apply), and illuminator.  It's smaller portions than usual, but do you really use up most of your products?  The colors are bright and fairly universal, although I think it's always a mistake to include foundation in palettes because people differ so much.
Two boxes that include things you wouldn't expect are the Urban Decay Urban Arsenal and the Hard Candy Take Out Box.  Both have the necessary blushes and eyeshadows, but they include items like mascara.  In the case of Urban Decay, there's also the famed eyeshadow primer potion, which I highly recommend, and the Big Fatty lip plumper.  For Hard Candy, there's an adorable mini eye pencil and lots of lip glosses.
I have to mention the Lorac Social Butterfly kit for two reasons: the beautiful packaging, and the pseudo-kabuki brush they fit in.  It's so cute!  Plus you get a sizable amount of Lip Polish in Pink Champagne, which looks like a pretty cool neutral color, in a container that you can remove.  That's my main complaint about palettes- if I use a lip color in one, I have to lug the whole thing along in my bag.  Okay, so that was three reasons.
Finally, there's a mega palette that isn't available yet.  It was featured in Allure this month (p. 64).  Sephora Collection (the makeup made by Sephora) is putting out a kit featuring 64 eyeshadows, 32 lip colors, six blushes, and two powders.  For $40.  I really wonder about the quality.  In my experience, Sephora Collection isn't amazing (but not horrible either) to begin with.  Put it in a $40 mega palette, and... They have to make a profit somehow.  I'll post when it goes up on the Sephora website so you can see it in all its glory.

What eyeshadows look good on what people?  It's an eternal question of beauty.  Not really, but it has definitely plagued me at work.  It involves three things: skin tone (a complicated issue), hair color, and eye color.  Now, I think there are a couple of universal shades, which I will address in this post.  First is beige.  Everyone should have a light beige eyeshadow with a little shimmer they use as a base.  I highly recommend Kitten by Stila for this job.  If it doesn't agree with you for some reason, Lorac has a good selection of beiges as well, including mattes if you insist.  I think mattes only work for women with severe wrinkling around the eyes, because shimmer will draw attention to the wrinkles.
The other universal color is khaki.  That dark olive green never hurt anyone.  My fave is also by Stila, Golightly.  It is khaki, with flecks of gold.  It complements every eye and hair color and can't wash out or go against any skin tone (although it looks a little ashen on the web site, it looks better in person).  It's best on brown and blues, and can work for a smokey eye in evening as well as casual wear.  Chains by Urban Decay is also great if you like more gold than green.  BTW, I love Urban Decay shadows.  They have lots of color but can go on sheer or bold.  And the range of shades is amazing.

I used to work for Bath and Body Works, and I'm not their biggest fan.  But I like lip gloss and balm, and they have a good selection.  Today I got a tube of the Wickedly Hot Chocolate gloss from their Temptations collection.  It's awesome if you like glosses with a lot to scent.  It really smells like chocolate.  It leaves a beautiful, well, chocolate tint on the lips along with a lot of shine.  It isn't available online yet, but you can get it in store for $6.  If you don't like scent, then you can get the same effect from Nars Lip Lacquer in Cabiria, but that's a pot that you have to apply with a brush (which clutters up your bag) or your finger (which can be gross).  Also it's $22.