An all-over-the-place assortment of stood-behind products culled from this very website that appears in the most recent October issue of New York Magazine.
Best in Class
Soft, dense, high-quality brushes are the difference between an even, perfectly blended complexion and awkward lines denoting exactly where your concealer ends and your bronzer begins. When writer Deanna Pai asked ten makeup artists for the brushes they count on for weddings, photo shoots, and red carpets, Bdellium Tools’ 12-Piece Maestro Complete Brush Set came up repeatedly. The kit includes brushes for foundation, blush, concealer, and eye shadow; a slanted contour brush; a pointed one for eyeliner; an angled brow brush; a fluffy powder brush; and a finishing brush to tie everything together. Brush heads hold up to daily use and cleaning, all for under $11 per item—carrying case included. Makeup artist Amanda Thesen particularly likes that the brushes are made of a mix of natural and synthetic hairs: “I’ve had mine for years and years.”
Celebrity Shopping
“I was on a retreat and saw these women all wearing this Spanx sweatshirt, so I got one. Now I have five or six of them. I wear it everywhere. I keep two in my office for Zoom meetings. I wear one when I’m having my coffee. People ask me about it all the time.”
“My roommate had a version of this kettle, but I left the house with the stove on and it caught on fire. I got another one for myself, and I use it every day for my multiple mugs of tea or coffee. It feels classic and elegant. I’ve used it a million times, and there’s no discoloration or weird burning on the bottom.”
“I put these in my dressing room on Saturday nights for my guests at SNL.
They’re a cocktail in a Jell-O shot and come in flavors like blood-orange margarita and negroni sbagliato. They nail the taste, you get a little buzz,
and they’re absolutely beautiful.”
This Thing’s Incredible
Two years ago, I set out to find mary- jane flats that I could walk many, many blocks in. The hunt started with a pair that undeniably tore up my feet. Then I Googled “orthopedic mary janes” and landed on Söfft’s Elsey flats. I was skeptical about buying them because Söfft generally makes kind of homely shoes, but when the patent Elseys arrived, I was relieved to find that they looked almost sporty. Better yet, they were sturdy but not clunky. In the time that I’ve had the Elseys, I’ve worn them while walking around the Met and then strolling 60 blocks downtown to Abc Carpet & Home. I’ve worn them while dancing at the Russian Samovar. I’ve worn them in Montreal, to a ballet performance at Lincoln Center, and to a Knicks game at MSG. They are the most comfortable shoes I own, which is a happy coincidence given that they’re also my most complimented. People have asked if they’re Miu Miu. –Hilary Reid
Trust Me, I Should Know
The toy world likes to tempt parents with fancy battery-operated playthings, but the ones that last are simple, open-ended building toys. They are modular, so it’s okay if you lose a piece, and you can infinitely expand on sets that your child loves. These are my favorites. –Youngna Park
Magnet cubes are great for smaller hands that find stacking ordinary blocks frustrating.
These colorful magnetic pieces snap together in a satisfying way and can be used in conjunction with a lot of other toys.
Our favorite travel blocks are from Plus-Plus. The pieces interlock without any joinery. My kids love that you can make two- and three-dimensional structures.
When I think of classic preschool building blocks, these come to mind. They are made for little hands, are indestructible, and come in a variety of shapes ranging from triangles and cylinders to arches and wedges.
Recently, Magna-Tiles released specialized tile packs, including this Builder set. The brand also has new shapes and finishes, like mirror and glitter, which are coveted add-ons in our house.
This set, made of 100 1.5-inch cubes, gives children plenty of material to experiment with and is particularly fun for making balancing towers, organizing by color, and creating giant rainbow stacks on the floor.
My Week With
Yaminah Mayo spent a week toting this viral cart around town. Below, an excerpt from day seven.
“I wanted to get out of the house and venture to Dobbin St. Vintage Co-op to scavenge for a new catchall bowl for my living room. Ultimately I found one and also purchased a bronze apple and a hand-drawn portrait. Next, I hopped on two buses to Ikea. I needed four 18-by-24-inch frames for posters that have been lying neglected in my credenza for more than two years. I left with the frames in addition to a miniature cutting-board set, a milk-frother, a splatter guard, three eucalyptus branches, a ponytail palm, and three cinnamon rolls. After twining the frames to the cart’s lid, I pulled out the sides to extend the 15-inch lid to two feet so my picture frames wouldn’t teeter and fall. Thanks to the extra inches and the built-in handles, I was able to maneuver through the subway without blinking an eye.”
Strat Chats
With the writers of our Beauty Brief newsletter.
Has anything changed recently about how you all are applying your blush?
Crystal Martin, senior editor: I thought we were all on the same page about keeping it cute and simple: one color. But there are trends like “sunset blush,” which involves multiple colors. I’m like, Am I supposed to do three shades? And where do they go? All of a sudden, I’m analyzing my face shape in a way that I didn’t before.
Ambar Pardilla, writer: Blush has become, in a weird way, like a high- lighter. Now, if you want it to lift your face, you place it higher, but for a more natural, droopier look, it’s about placing it lower. There’s this look that’s like you’ve just been out running, and I always think, That’s a lot of blush.
Rachael Griffiths, writer: And there’s “sunburn” blush, where people are putting it across the face, including the nose bridge.
So are we all trying nose blush yet?
C.M.: I have, literally, in the past ten days tried it.
Kitty Guo, writer: I do the nose blush! I first learned about that from the e-girl trend. I never liked the low-apples application. That’s how boyfriend blush is done, which was everywhere this spring.
When it comes to products, are we Team Cream or Team Powder?
A.P.: I’m pro-powder, like Gucci’s Luminous Matte Beauty Blush. I like the way it feels kind of painted on, like a porcelain doll. But I have used Merit’s Flush Balm, and I like that texture—it just melts right in.
R.G.: For me, I’m still on the NARS Liquid Blush, but instead of “Orgasm” (which still feels really popular), I use “Torrid.” It’s less violently pink than “Orgasm”; it has more of an orange tint, so it feels more buildable.
Ask a Cool Person
To find some of the most beautiful taper-candle holders out there, I chatted with a handful of designers and stylish candle obsessives about where they source their own. Here, a few of their favorites. –Emma Wartzman
Home52 editor Caroline Mullen likes the vintage vibe of these $7 candle- sticks. “I don’t think you could find a better price at a yard sale,” she says.
“They’re perfect for clustering on a dining table or mixing in with genuine- brass candleholders to beef up your collection.”
Strategist senior editor Hilary Reid found these at the Annie Selke store in Massachusetts and was charmed by their tall, not-uniform shape and affordable price. “They remind me of plants, if you picture the part where the taper goes as the bloom,” she says.
“And they look great with just about any color candle.”
EyeSwoon’s Athena Calderone loves these ceramic holders from Common Body. “The dark stoneware clay is oh so dreamy, and I love how sculptural they are,” she says. “They’re perfect for adding contrast when styling a space.”
Alisha Ramos, founder of Downtime, has had this candleholder in her home for years. Ramos calls it a “true work of art that is basically like a sculpture, sure to add fun visual interest to a mantel, desk, or coffee table”—even without a candle inside.
The Strategist is designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read about here. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
