10 Things That Delighted Us Last Week: From Loafers to Leaf Scoops

“Detergent packaging is so much plastic and waste. And then, if you live in New York like me, carrying that giant plastic detergent container home is such a pain,” actress Piper Perabo told us when we spoke to her about the things she can’t live without. To alleviate said pain, she found these detergent sheets, “which are as thin as fabric-softener sheets that you’d typically throw in the dryer” and come in this “tiny” box that “takes up barely any space.” It reduces waste, and it also “helps when walking to the laundromat because I’m already hauling all my laundry, so to carry a heavy-ass bottle of detergent with me is just insane,” she says. “Imagine just putting two slips of paper in your pocket and you’re set. It’s incredible.”

When packing for a trip, Strategist contributor Steven John asked a much overlooked but important question: “What do you bring to keep the kids entertained?” Since he travels frequently with his family, he’s tried dozens of products that promise to alleviate boredom. He found eight games and puzzles that are not only packable and entertaining for kids but fun enough for adults, too. Quixx, one of the games on the list, is one that John and his wife play on game night “with a glass of wine or plate of snacks ten times more often than we play it with the kids.” He writes, “Why? Because it’s genuinely fun (and they tend to slow us down).” The game is a mix of probability, luck, and being able to read your opponents, which he says makes for “a great learning opportunity” with the kids; “without them, things get heated.”

“As the easy glamour of linen bedding becomes more accessible, we’re seeing new tonal bed moments, ones in which the duvet cover, sheets, and pillowcases may be different hues that complement one another, whether by color temperature or family,” writes Strategist writer Lauren Ro. It’s a shift from the “all-white bed that’s dominated every Instagram shot,” but it can be difficult to put together. To help, Ro consulted interior designers, bedding stylists, and other aesthetically minded experts for their advice. Along with suggestions, like going monochromatic, mixing materials, and going complementary, Ro also surfaced some ready-made options in case you don’t want to buy pieces separately. She loves this “intentional-but-unintentional look” of this curated set from Dazed but Amazed. It includes a valerian duvet cover, lagoon fitted sheet, and lilac-wine pillowcases, which she says is “like a pastel sunset.”

“Being a bottle blonde is relatively easy, but ensuring your super-bleached hair stays healthy and avoids breakage is actually a lot of work — perhaps more than people realize,” Strategist beauty columnist Rio Viera-Newton writes. She shared her “all-time-favorite hair-care products for super-dry, damaged, double-processed hair,” including this repairing hair mask by K18. “[It] works by delivering a patented amino-acid chain to the inner structure of your hair, replacing missing amino acids and regenerating the bond to repair your hair,” she explains, adding that a little goes a long way. And, more importantly, “my God, it works.” She uses this every other week and reports she’s “noticed such a big difference in the texture, softness, and general health of my hair.”

If you’re dealing with extra-dry skin rather than hair, we rounded up the 18 best night creams recommended by dermatologists and facialists. Celebrity facialist Candace Marino brought up this repair cream for over-exfoliated, compromised skin, which she says “hits heavy with moisture, without the weight you feel with most creams.” Its biggest draw is its use of heparan sulfate, a sugar molecule that occurs naturally in the skin and is important for maintaining its health. “It promotes deep hydration, decreases inflammation, and stimulates collagen and elastin production,” she says, adding that it’s also noncomedogenic (meaning it won’t clog your pores).

“Buck Mason, the maker of some of our favorite T-shirts, tank tops, and face masks, is expanding into sweats just in time for cozy season,” we wrote in our latest installment of Don’t Dillydally. The hoodie, cropped crew, and medium-high-rise sweatpants in the collection are made of cotton French terry and available in oatmeal, black, and olive. One Strategist staffer who was given a sneak peek of the sweats described them in two words: “So good.”

Last week, we launched the New York Magazine cover store, “where you can buy some of the iconic covers that the magazine has created over its 53-year history.” Available now are 50 covers from our archives, “from our very first issue from April 1968 to this year’s Fall Preview showcasing the cast of Succession.” You’ll even see “classic Milton Glaser illustrations, including “A Gentile’s Guide to Jewish Food” from July 1968 and “Why Everybody’s Talking About Gossip” from May 1976. The prices start at $19 for an unframed art print or poster and can be sized up all the way to 36-by-48 inches. Plus, if you’re a New York subscriber, you can snag these with a nice 30 percent discount.