Welcome back to Your Shopping Cart, wherein we break out the top ten products that you, devoted Strategist readers, have been buying 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.
In its first appearance on the list, a set of colorful bath toys for babies take the top spot (another one of our top gifts for 1-year-olds, this caterpillar toy, also makes its debut in sixth place). Returning favorites round out the top five, including a rose gold Lighting charging cable (in second, up from third place last week); a fancy lube (in third, up from seventh); last week’s top finisher, a powerful handheld vacuum, in fourth; and a natural deodorant (that actually works) in fifth, up from sixth. Last seen in September, this classic white T-shirt, returns to the list in seventh place — perhaps an indication that spring is finally on its way. Two foundation garments — this bralette for larger breasts and these nude pantyhose — appear for the first time in eighth and tenth place respectively. Finally, this pillow for side-sleepers, a longtime best seller, holds steady at number nine.
Our number-one best seller this time around is a set of pipe toys that attach by suction to the side of the bathtub and have different moving parts that little ones can activate in the water. It comes recommended by child-development expert Sarah MacLaughlin as a perfect gift for a 1-year-old. “The idea that there are moving parts goes right along with that curiosity of the in, out, up, and down,” says MacLaughlin. “Moving parts are pretty attractive to a 1-year-old, which is why you’ll find them going after everything in your home that’s not a toy.”
For under $10, this USB Lightning cable (an Amazon favorite) is worth keeping in your bag for emergency charging situations. One reviewer raves, “I’ve ordered endless cables and they all work great for a week and then die. I decided to try this one since it had the lifetime warranty, and I’m so glad I did. It’s excellent and pretty much just like the Apple USB. It charges my phone in the car super fast and even faster via wall charger.” And since it’s rose gold, you’ll always know which one’s yours in a sea of white cords.
When this very elegant-looking lube started inching up on our best-seller list, we credited it to a Valentine’s Day bump, but now that it’s appeared seven consecutive times — and this week moves up into the top three — we’re confident in saying that our readers just love it. And they’re in good company: Samantha Bard, co-owner of the sex-positive shop Shag in Williamsburg, says it’s “one of the highest-quality silicone lubes out there,” and Emily Morse, doctor of human sexuality and host of Sex With Emily on SiriusXM, is impressed that it has only two ingredients: “pure silicone with a trace of vitamin E.”
After finally earning the number-one spot last time around, this tiny-but-mighty Dustbuster — which has appeared on this list ten times now — drops to fourth place. According to one Amazon reviewer, it’s “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. [Plus], 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.”
We’ve dubbed this natural deodorant the “Unofficial Deodorant of the Strategist Team,” as it’s a favorite of Strategist editor Alexis Swerdloff and senior editor Simone Kitchens’s. We were tipped off to it by Aubrey Plaza, who heard about it from Judy Greer, and now our readers are following suit. How does it work? One dermatologist explains: “The vegetable glycerin can help to absorb excess moisture, minimizing the feeling of wetness, and aloe can have a cooling effect on the skin, which can help to reduce the feeling of heat buildup that can occur with sweating.”
Another interactive toy that’s a hit among babies and toddlers pops up on the list this week at number six. We like that this colorful caterpillar “offers babies the option of both turning the gears to make the caterpillar move and removing and putting the pieces back in place.”
As the weather slowly starts to improve, we’re seeing an uptick in the popularity of this wardrobe staple. 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.”
With wireless bras and bralettes growing in popularity, writer Alexandra Ilyashov asks the important question: For those with D-cup and larger breasts, “do any of these wireless bras deliver legitimate support?” She turned to lingerie-store owners and merchandising managers for recommendations and they pointed her to this supportive option from Lively, a direct-to-consumer brand founded by a Victoria’s Secret alum.
For the second time in a row, this side-sleeper pillow finishes in ninth place. Editor Jason Chen first discovered it when he tested out a wide selection of pillows designed for side-sleepers and concluded that the Wamsutta Extra-Firm was the most comfortable and supportive of them all: “Unlike other pillows that mistake plushness or fluffiness for support, the WEF didn’t sink as soon as I rested my head. Instead, it had a firm, satisfying spring — it’s a different sensation, but one I took to right away. And even though I didn’t do any measuring, my head felt more propped up from the mattress and sheets than with any other pillow.”
According to writer and costume designer Alison Freer, women in Hollywood “almost never go on camera with bare leg … But nobody wants it to be obvious that they are wearing pantyhose.” These are one of her go-to styles for achieving a sleek leg look without calling attention to themselves. She says they’re “ultrasheer — and the next best thing to bare legs.”
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 acne treatments, rolling luggage, pillows for side sleepers, natural anxiety remedies, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
