The Beauty Guru Moved to Maryland

 Love COLOR WOW Dream Coat, but not the price? Try this Dupe. If you have unruly hair that turns into a frizz monster at the slightest hint of humidity, you're likely obsessed with COLOR WOW's Dream Coat . This post-shampoo spray is legendary: it tames frizz, acts as a heat protectant, and smooths your hair to perfection, even adding sleekness and a bit of body to pin-straight styles. But there’s one major drawback: the price tag. At $28 for a 6.7 fl. oz. bottle, maintaining that sleek, shiny look can get expensive quickly. The Budget Solution That Delivers Thankfully, a fantastic dupe that truly delivers comes from a company named Hair Chemist . Their Sleek collection features targeted anti-humidity treatments for both straight and curly hair, along with a coordinating shampoo and conditioner. Here's where the savings come in: their prices start at just $6.99 for a 3 oz. bottle! You can easily find the Hair Chemist Sleek line online at Amazon  (I may get a commission f...

No purple shampoo? No problem. Keeping blonde hair brass and yellow-free is a tireless effort. The easiest way to keep it in shape is by using a toning shampoo or conditioner. There are tons of products on the market these days, but a lot of people complain that toning shampoos can dry out hair and are expensive to boot. A new product from OGX allows you to tone your hair using your own shampoo and conditioner! OGX Blonde Enhance + Purple Toning Drops (I may get a commission from this link) are concentrated purple drops that you mix into the product to create a custom toning product for hair. Just dispense your shampoo or conditioner into your hand, add 3 to 5 drops and mix! Use it just with shampoo, just conditioner or both! You can easily customize the level of toning. I found the less of drops you use, the more “blue” your mix will be. That works great for me because I prefer a blue shampoo to purple. If you don’t know what your color is, read my article on finding your undertones. ...

The neck and chest are two areas often overlooked in beauty routines. Aging, time in the sun and too much time on devices (tech neck) can take a toll on your neck. If you’ve been looking for a product that targets wrinkles on your neck and chest, look to Nivea. The more than 100-year-old skincare brand has created a new lotion that firms up crepey, wrinkly skin. Nivea Skin Firming & Anti-Wrinkle Cream is made with Q10, Creatine and Provitamin B5. Unlike most of the neck wrinkle creams on the market, it comes in a tube that makes it easier to apply. In clinical tests, 9 out of 10 users said their skin was smoother and softer, and in two weeks, users noticed diminishing fine lines and wrinkles. The cream boasts 24-hour protection, but is designed to be applied twice a day for maximum results. I got my hands on tube and took a test run. I started by putting it on at night. It went on smoothly and doesn’t have any strong fragrances. It took a while to sink in, but if you’re going to be...

Wella’s ColorCharm line has long been a favorite among at-home hair color enthusiasts. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many people began experimenting with DIY color, and Sally Beauty quickly became the go-to destination for salon-quality products without needing a license. Their stores are often staffed with salon-trained associates who can guide you to the right shades and formulas for your look. One of the most sought-after items in the lineup is the Wella ColorCharm Toner — known for reducing brassiness, canceling yellow tones, and helping blend roots for a more natural finish. The full ColorCharm range also includes crème toners, permanent hair color, developer, and lightening powder. Because of its popularity and affordability, it’s not unusual to find these toners sold out at Sally stores. But there’s good news: you now have another option. Ulta Beauty quietly added Wella ColorCharm products to its website a few months ago. While most shades are available online only (and ten...

Evil Queen Collection, Courtesy Bath & Body Works The magic didn't happen for this Disney collab. In early September, Bath & Body Works announced the launch of a limited edition Disney Villains collection.  It was a follow-up to the successful Disney Princess collection released in February of 2025. The collab featured bath and body products, makeup cases, candles and accessories inspired by six Disney Princesses. The candle holders and makeup bags sold out almost immediately, and the body products were not far behind.  Disney's Villains are just as popular as its hero characters. The Disney website features Villains merchandise that is available year-round, and a life-size animatronic Maleficent  from Home Depot sold out in late July. Ahead of the launch of the Disney Villains collections, the company sent out elaborate PR packages to content creators. TikTok was full of videos by anxious fans speculating on how fast it would sell out. It features two popul...

  National Chicken Wing Day and National Lipstick Day were both last week and Winky Lux has some leftovers. To celebrate days in the chicken wing and lipstick worlds, Applebee's partnered with Winky Lux on a collection of wing sauce-inspired lip glosses. The "Saucy Gloss" collection has four different shades, each based on an Applebee's wing sauce: Get Me Hot Buffalo: Coral with hot buffalo spice flavor. Sweet Chile Kiss: Deep red with golden chile. Be My Honey Pepper: Honey-spiced gloss with shimmering flecks with hints of BBQ, honey and pepper.  Honey BBQ-T: Maroon with sweet Asian wing sauce flavors.  Each gloss is $18 or you can get the whole set for $65.  Applebee's made a video with four models wearing the lip glosses to first dates at Applebee's encouraging singles to get out there after Covid. "Applebee’s is known for first dates and wings – which are one of our most popular menu items,” said Applebee’s Chief Marketing Officer Joel Yashinsky. “So...

You can enjoy this Baltimore specialty at home with just two ingredients. Lemon peppermint sticks are a part of a summer tradition in Baltimore that traces back to the early 1900s. A soft peppermint stick is placed into half a lemon and the stick functions as a straw to suck up the lemon juice. The sugar from the peppermint tempers the sourness of the lemon, making it taste like lemonade. Lemon peppermint sticks can be found at farmers' markets, ice cream shops and roadside stands around Maryland, but they're easy to make at home. First, you'll need some ripe lemons. Cut them in half, or if you want a larger treat cut the top off of one of the narrow sides. For the peppermint sticks, you'll need a soft stick, (not a candy cane) like Bob's or King Leo. If you can’t find them in a store, try Amazon  (I may get a commission from this link).  Place the peppermint stick into the flesh of the lemon and suck. Some people like to chill their lemon peppermint sticks in the r...