Welcome back to Your Shopping Cart, wherein we break out the top ten products that you, devoted Strategist readers, all bought in droves. Think of this as the tl;dr of the Strategist: If your like-minded brethren are buying these items, maybe you’d like to, too.
Two perennial K-beauty favorites continue to jockey for the top two spots on the list, with pimple-shrinking patches narrowly beating out snail-slime eye patches to return to first place. The Seoul Ceuticals serum is holding steady at number three, while a powerful handheld vacuum jumps to fourth place, unseating the ecoconscious dryer balls that fall four spots to eighth place. The top five is rounded out by a newcomer, a pet-odor-eliminating candle. Classics like the superlight bikini underwear from On Gossamer and an Everlane white V-neck T-shirt return to the top ten after falling off in the last few weeks, and lots of you took advantage of deals on linens and a go-to leather tote, propelling them onto the list.
1. The Google Doc I Send to People Who Ask About My Skin (Last installment: 2)
Back at No. 1 after ceding the top spot last week, pimple patches prove their staying power. Last July, Strat beauty writer Rio Viera-Newton shared her epic skin-care Google Doc and introduced us to the now-famous Cosrx patches: “[T]he Holy Grail. Drop everything and buy them. Not even going to explain, will just say if you pop or pick a zit, put this on immediately afterward, go to bed, and in the morning you’ll see what I’m talking about and thank me.”
2. The 14 Products I Use for My Chronic Raccoon Eyes (1)
These patches made from gold and snail mucin are one of Rio’s favorites for soothing her sensitive under-eye skin and banishing puffiness. She loves how snails’ “regenerative properties not only work wonders on blemish scars, but also help with any kind of hyperpigmentation, including dark under-eye circles. It’s also super beneficial for helping with wrinkles and dryness. I keep these in the fridge, so they’re nice and cold when I use them — adding another level of luxury to the experience.”
We covered this much more affordable dupe of beauty editors’ favorite SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic serum during Made in Korea week while searching for the best (lesser-known) Korean beauty products on Amazon, and this rave review convinced many of you to give it a try: “I have been an aesthetician for over 20 years and am also a beauty writer, so I get to try the latest ‘It’ products for free. I was excited about this one, so I paid full price and all opinions are my own. I am in love with the Seoul Ceuticals Day Glow Serum. Have you ever had a chance to try the $160-plus Vitamin C Ferulic Serum from SkinCeuticals? I did a couple of years back and it is a lovely product. It is also ridiculously overpriced, and I can tell you that this dupe from Seoul Ceuticals is nearly identical in texture and performance.”
4. The Best Handheld Vacuums on Amazon, According to Hyperenthusiastic Reviewers (8)
With spring-cleaning in high gear, this tiny but mighty handheld vacuum jumped four spots from eighth place up to fourth. According to one Amazon reviewer: “They are very powerful for a hand vac. With three young kids and a very messy cat, we’ve used this vac to pick up spilled cereal (wet and dry), cat food, cat litter, cat hair on furniture, drywall dust (fixing holes the kids made), and every kind of spilled food imaginable with young kids. Never had a problem. Second, it is easy to empty. You can either take the front off and dump it or take the back off (for cleaning the filter), and empty it that way. Finally, it is easy to clean the filter.”
5. This Funny-Looking $10 Candle Turned My Vet’s Office Into a Day Spa (New entry)
A newcomer to the list, this candle eliminates pet odors so successfully, it made Strategist writer Karen Iorio Adelson’s veterinarian’s office smell more like a spa than a giant litter box: “It works not by filling the air with a new scent to overpower the stink, but by releasing a blend of natural enzymes — the titular “exterminator” — that break down airborne animal odors at a molecular level.”
6. What Is the Best Women’s Underwear? (New entry)
Absent from last week’s list, but a longtime hit among readers, this VPL-resistant bikini underwear, one of the things Lucky founding editor Kim France can’t live without, comes back strong in sixth place. France said: “It is so far and away the perfect underwear that I have a hard time understanding why anybody wears anything else: It’s super light, highly breathable, and — most importantly — hugely VPL-resistant. Seriously, it’s as VPL-resistant as a thong, but without the annoyingness of a thong.” Her pick also made it into our megalist of the best women’s underwear.
7. Deal of the Day: Rarely on Sale Brooklinen Sheets Are on Sale Today (New entry)
Strategist senior writer Lauren Levy uncovered a rare birthday sale going on at Brooklinen. She wrote: “They’re cooling for hot summer nights (we’re getting there!) and get softer and cozier with each wash. I’ve had mine for about a year now and still love ’em. If you’ve been considering linen, but have been hesitant to commit, this is your best chance to get it at what might be the best price you’ll ever find. And if you happen to live in New York, it’s same-day delivery throughout the city if you order by 11 a.m.” Lots of you leaped at the deal since the ultracomfortable linens are rarely available below full price. Unfortunately, the sale is over, but the sheets are still awesome.
8. These Nontoxic Wool Laundry Balls Cut My Drying Time by Two-Thirds (4)
During Get It Together week, when we shared our best tips and tricks for cleaning and organizing, Strategist senior editor Simone Kitchens wrote about these ecoconscious wool dryer balls that cut down drying time — without any of the toxic chemicals found in dryer sheets: “I throw three of these tennis-ball-size wool guys in with my regular loads; all six for heavy-duty stuff like towels and duvet covers. The little guys last for 500-plus loads, or about a year (my mom says you’ll know they’re done when they get too fuzzy). Everything is perfectly dry and tumbled all before the buzzer goes off. It’s all wrinkle-free, too.”
9. What’s the Best White T-shirt for Women? (New entry)
Short-sleeve weather has finally returned, bringing this best-selling V-neck T-shirt back into the top ten. Elizabeth Rose, a server at Cafe Gitane, tipped us off to this top when we went on the hunt for the best white T-shirt for women: “I like the Everlane V-neck because of the company’s transparency. It’s an ethical issue — I like to know where the clothing is made. And I like this specific shirt because I wear a lot of necklaces, so the depth of this V shows them.”
10. This on-Sale Madewell Tote Is a Warm-Weather Workhorse (New entry)
Another sale that caught our eye — and yours — recently was a deal on this workhorse of a work tote from Madewell. It’s a “smaller and daintier” version of the Madewell Transport tote (which topped our list of the best work bags for women), but just as functional: “It has both long loop handles (which can be tucked into the interior), so you can sling it over your shoulder, as well as smaller handles, so you can carry it like a briefcase. Snap gussets allow you to expand or minimize the interior for when you want to schlep around your gym clothes, or just tote a paperback, keys, and wallet.”
The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best women’s jeans, rolling luggage, pillows for side sleepers, ultra-flattering pants, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
Every editorial product is independently selected. If you buy something through our links, New York may earn an affiliate commission.
