Take a look at your makeup bag and hair-care drawer. If it's filled with old eyeliners, dried-out foundation tubes, and brushes that could use a good spring cleaning, then Fair Oaks Mall in Fairfax would be a good place to visit. Spring is a time of renewal and refreshment, and for many women, that means refreshing their overall beauty regimen, including skin and hair care and makeup. Start at Sephora, on the lower level near Lord & Taylor. Known as a one-stop shop for all things beauty, from perfume to makeup to grooming supplies and more, Sephora offers many different lines of cosmetics and…

Flip-flop season is approaching, and many stores at Montgomery Mall are well stocked to help prepare area shoppers for warm weather. Starting at Hanna Andersson, a Swedish clothier that specializes in apparel for children, you’ll find a bright array of swimsuits, cover-ups, swim dresses and matching water shoes, sunglasses and other accessories. All are offered at special prices during the store's dress and swim sale. Particularly eye-catching pink or purple flip flop sandals for young girls feature cheerful flowers across the top. Also available are Speedo "skoogles," or adjustable goggles …

Lakeforest Mall in Gaithersburg contains the stores you might expect at any mall in the region: Macy’s, Lord & Taylor, Gymboree, The Limited, etc. But nestled among the familiar are several stores that offer items not commonly found at a typical shopping mall. Take, for instance, the Himalayan Gift Shop on the upper level near Sears. This store is where you can find a bevy of unique items, such as several different sizes of “lungta,” or Tibetan prayer flags, for sale. The colorful red, blue, green, white and yellow flags represent five elements: fire, earth, water, air and sky. The flags are …

A trip to Tysons Corner Center usually sends shoppers on a hunt for a sweet deal on clothes, toys, makeup or home products. But what about a sweet deal for your sweet tooth instead? A recent trip to the behemoth off the Beltway led to a few tasty discoveries sprinkled among regular mall fare. First stop, Level 1, just off the main promenade is the lovely little CakeLove. You may have heard of its founder and owner Warren Brown, made famous by his appearances on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" and as host of Food Network's "Sugar Rush." His cupcakes and other baked goods have gained notoriety in the …

Welcome to The Mall Hunter, Patch's look at D.C. area malls. You're walking around the White Flint Mall, looking for a T-shirt for your son, and all of a sudden, you swear you hear a train whistle. No, it can't be. So, you continue walking down the promenade, but there it is again. And this time, you hear a cheery man's voice shouting "All aboard!" as well. Let your eyes wander down to the bottom level of the White Flint Mall, and you'll discover the delightful "White Flint Express," an actual mini train that takes passengers on a 5- to 10-minute ride past shops and eateries, as well as some …