THE GLITTER CULT
✨ Welcome back, cult members.
This week’s fixation: high-tech blow dryers. Specifically, ones that don’t cost an entire paycheck. Yes, I’m calling you out, Dyson. Readers, you can thank me later.
🔖 Inside the Jan 11, 2026 issue:
Review Roundup
🛒 What I Tried
I believe I have found the best Dyson Airwrap dupe under $100. A big claim, I know. But the Conair InfinitiPRO DigitalAIRE Drying Wand is a pretty awesome tool for a pretty awesome price.
I paid a little under $50 for the set at Ulta using a combo of sales and points, but it’s always on sale for $99.
💡Pro Tip: Search your local T.J. Maxx. I saw it there on clearance for $65 last week.
✅ Why It Works: Besides being light on price, it’s also lightweight. I can blow out my hair with a traditional round brush + blow dryer combo, but it’s so much easier with this gadget. I can style with one hand and scroll Reddit with the other. Groundbreaking. Plus:
It maxes out at 255 degrees, so it doesn’t fry fine or curly hair.
It’s simple to swap out the attachments via a large push button at the top. No burns here!
I love that the air intake is magnetic, especially as someone who’s set more than one blow dryer on fire (oops). It makes cleaning incredibly easy.
❌ Why It Doesn’t: It doesn’t offer as many attachments as its competitors, particularly for curls.
On Ulta’s website, there’s a photo showing a diffuser, but the dryer doesn’t actually come with one. That’s a common complaint if you look at reviews.
Notably, the box itself doesn’t show a diffuser, which makes this seem like a strange Ulta error rather than a packaging issue.
It also does not come with a curling attachment or carrying case. I had to use my own case to keep track of all the pieces.
Ulta claims that a diffuser is included, but it is not.
💸 Buy It? Yes, if you’re on a budget and prefer the traditional blowout look (that’s me!). No, if you need a diffuser or want the Airwrap curling feature.
Rating: ✨✨✨✨.5/5
News & Links
📰 What’s Happening
🥩 New U.S. nutrition guidelines prioritize protein and full-fat dairy over carbs and processed food. Strangely, beef tallow, which is about 50% saturated fat, is recommended despite the U.S.’s high heart disease rates.
The new food pyramid was announced by RFK Jr. and Brooke Rollins on Jan 7, 2026.
🪼 The latest research shows that jellyfish sleep as humans do. This is completely blowing my mind. How do you tell when brainless blobs are sleeping?
🏈 The NFL had the best regular-season average viewership since 1989, with 18.7 million viewers per game. Personally, I'm waiting for America to wake up and realize CTE is no longer cool (and it never was).
🤖 Introducing Lego SMART bricks: rechargeable blocks with a chip inside that respond to motion and light, plus play sound effects. Sooo … for the kids that need to outsource imagination?
🐶 Good news! Bobby the greyhound found his forever home after waiting at a U.K. shelter for over 1,000 days. Look at this sweet boy all snuggled up in his blanket. 🥰
From the Internet
📱 Found While Scrolling
I love the Williams Sonoma Instagram account. Where else can I discover overpriced, hyper-specific kitchen gadgets I absolutely do not have storage space for? Take the $240 Raclette Quattro: slap a wedge of Swiss raclette, Gruyère, Emmentaler, or Jarlsberg on it, heat it up, and smear molten cheese on anything your heart desires. And shocker: it’s dishwasher safe.
Before You Go
✨ Worth a Click
2026 is shaping up to be a big year at the theater. I’m pleasantly surprised to see that not everything is a superhero sequel. Catch me watching “Wuthering Heights” (Feb. 13), “Project Hail Mary” (March 20), and “The Devil Wears Prada 2” (May 1) while shoveling popcorn into my face.
