Photo illustration: The Strategist; Photos: Retailer
We write about hundreds of products every week. Here, in our version of the Sunday Brochure, we’ve picked out some of our recent favourites: expert-recommended essentials, life-changing things you didn’t know you needed, newly launched tech gadgets and really good deals we discovered while trawling the vast online shopping universe – including a Sol de Janeiro knockoff that’s half the price, the Zara candle Sydney Sweeney can’t live without and an anti-snoring wedge pillow for back sleepers.
As a self-proclaimed “cool pants collector,” writer Yaminah Mayo was drawn to these gingham pants from Urban Outfitters that she knew would be the perfect addition to her collection. Mayo says they pair well with virtually any shirt, fit her 5-foot-3 frame perfectly, and, unlike other wide-leg pants, are suitable for everyday wear. “Since then, they have become a cornerstone of my wardrobe and I wear them at least twice a week,” Mayo writes in her ode.
After Sydney Sweeney smelled this Zara candle at a friend’s house, she bought her own that same day. The candle has a “vanilla aspect,” says the actress, who also describes the scent as calming and cozy. “Whenever I come in and the candle is burning, it just relaxes me,” she says.
By nature, the slicked-back bun hairstyle can cause a lot of tension, especially along the hairline. That’s why Strategist beauty columnist Rio Viera-Newton rounded up the products she uses to create stellar buns without them breaking. Garnier’s Pure Clean Gel helps keep her coarse, thick hair in place, but this Taming Wand from Dae is ideal for taming stubborn flyaways. Viera-Newton says the formula “absolutely works wonders for smoothing out little bits here and there that have come loose from your bun throughout the day.”
If you’re hosting guests in the last days of summer, wine coolers and chillers are a must. In our buying guide, event producer Tini Cochran recommends the Togosa, her “secret weapon for keeping wine ice cold before serving in glasses at my park dinners or beach visits, rather than in a bulky cooler.” It’s triple-insulated, so it works like a thermos, maintaining the temperature for up to 48 hours (as long as you pre-chill your bottle beforehand).
Our senior editor Kiki Aranita has been covering sustainable food for a long time, and when it comes to fashion, she’s always on the lookout for sustainable clothing and accessories. According to Aranita, the most exciting development is fabrics that reuse waste from industrial food processing. In her closet, you’ll find pieces made from seaweed, banana peels, spent soy husks, and even milk, like this white T-shirt. It’s made from 59 percent micromodal (a sustainable version of cellulosic fabrics), 39 percent milk fiber, and 2 percent elastane (for structural integrity and stretch). “The milk fiber is derived from the casein protein of sour milk waste collected from industrial plants,” Aranita writes. “While it sounds like cutting-edge technology, it dates back to World War I.”
Photo: The Strategist; Photo: Retailer
The Brazilian Bum Bum Cream from Sol de Janeiro has been a sought-after product for years, but in the last issue of The Strategist Beauty BriefStrategist writer Arielle Avila tried a copy of MCoBeauty. After using MCoBeauty as her only body moisturizer for a week, Avila said the formula was a bit thinner and the scent was lighter than Sol de Janeiro. The MCoBeauty cream has become her daily staple. “It’s exactly what I was looking for: a microdose of my favorite sweet scent that keeps me hydrated all day long,” she says.
If you snore (or someone you know does), we want to share our anti-snoring pillow buying guide. We spoke to sleep doctors and other experts in the field to get their recommendations. That includes this best-selling wedge pillow, which elevates the head and upper body to open the airway and reduce snoring. Sleep coach Cali Bahrenfuss is a fan and says patients can even place their favorite pillow on top for an even more familiar and comfortable feel. It also comes in multiple height and width options.
Have you heard of “natural retinol” or noticed the ingredient bakuchiol popping up on skincare product labels? We spoke to skincare experts to find out if bakuchiol is really an alternative to retinol and learned that both promote cell renewal; however, they do so by targeting different skin receptors. This is why bakuchiol is considered more tolerable and not as harsh on the skin as retinol. Moon Fruit by Herbivore Botanicals was named our best anti-aging serum for sensitive skin. It contains bakuchiol and is packed with peptides and glycerin to boost skin elasticity.
Another must-have addition to your bathroom stash: This face mask from First Aid Beauty, which Avila named our best-in-class pick in her new roundup. It checks all the boxes because it hydrates, soothes, and doesn’t cause irritation, making it safe for those with sensitive skin. According to dermatologist Dr. Azadeh Shirazi, colloidal oatmeal and bisabolol soothe irritation while the shea butter hydrates skin. Plus, it’s packed with antioxidants to reduce signs of aging. “I left it on for ten minutes, and after I rinsed it off, my skin felt smooth and plump without looking greasy,” says Avila.
If Halloween is your favorite holiday, you know it’s the best time to shop, so it’s fitting that Pottery Barn released some cute pillows earlier this week. We couldn’t resist featuring this ghost holding a pumpkin in this week’s edition of Don’t DillyDally.
The strategist is designed to provide useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Each product is independently selected by our editorial team, which you can read more about HereWe update links when possible, but please note that offers may expire and all prices are subject to change.
