Welcome to How I Pick My Picks — a kind-of-regular newsletter series in which we check in with the Strategist staff on the stuff they’re using day-to-day, the products they’re testing for stories, and the things their friends and family won’t stop asking them about. Consider it a peek into the always-whirring brain of a Strategist writer. Today, we talk to beauty and wellness writer Dominique Pariso.
I’m about to celebrate my six-year Strategist anniversary, and I’ve covered a lot of ground over the years. I’ve written guides on everything from killing kitchen mice to the best acupuncturists in the city, and I’ve talked to everyone from Real Housewives and college cheerleaders to professional mermaids, bartenders, and board-game enthusiasts. But I’ve settled into mostly covering the beauty-slash-wellness space. I define wellness to very loosely include anything that makes you feel good, whether that’s a new vibrator or skin-care routine or menstrual cup. The beauty world, in particular, is always changing, so there’s constantly a mountain of boxes in my apartment filled with launches to test. Sometimes it can get a little exhausting (I never want to see another boring celebrity brand again, please). For the most part, I think there are a lot of not-so-great products out there, and scaling back and simplifying is the right move for most people. But then I’ll stumble upon some gamechanger of a product that I can’t wait to tell all my friends — and then all our readers — about that gets me excited all over again. What can I say? It’s the thrill of the hunt.
What’s the product that friends and family always ask for your advice on?
Sex toys. This can be a little bit of a challenge since everyone’s bodies are so different and what works for one person might not work for another, so it’s extremely gratifying when a recommendation works out. After a little trial and error, I helped my friend’s mom find a vibrator she loved so much she recommended it to a group of her friends, who all bought one. Another time a friend of a friend’s boyfriend (who at that point I had never met) walked up to me at a party and shook my hand after I had sent her home with some new things to try out. All in a day’s work.
Do you have any strongly held opinions that have changed after testing?
Do not fall for the hype of a design-y air conditioner. I called one in to test back in 2022 and thought it was great until it broke on me in the middle of the night during a recent heat wave. Now I have an ugly Frigidaire that will get the job done for the next decade. It’s also $100 cheaper for around the same BTUs.
What’s the least amount of money you should spend on, for example, a vibrator?
I will always recommend investing over buying a cheap brand that will die after a year of use. That being said, there is a sweet spot around the $75 to $100 mark that will get you something great from a trusted maker like Womanizer, Njoy, or We-Vibe. And you can never go wrong with the unimpeachable Magic Wand.
What are you currently testing and researching?
A lot of hair tools. So many brands have been releasing new tech these past few months — Dyson has an improved Supersonic out, T3 made an Airwrap dupe, GHD has a wet-to-dry blow dryer brush — and I’ve been fooling around with some new categories like wavers and hot brushes. The funny part is that when I’ve got somewhere to be first thing, I never have time in the morning to do my hair (I’m more of an air dry-and-go kind of gal), but then I’ll be sitting at my computer alone in my apartment with perfect beach waves.
What’s the last thing you bought?
I picked this balm up at a shop in Maine. Normally, I’d never spend $18 on lip balm (I am a firm believer that nothing works that much better than Vaseline), but I needed to make at least one frivolous vacation purchase that wasn’t lobsters and oysters. When I got to the counter, the shop assistant immediately complimented my Collina Strada x Baggu hurse (horse purse), which, coincidentally, was my last completely frivolous purchase, so I felt I was among friends and left feeling good about my tube of orange-blossom-infused lanolin.
What’s the most expensive product you own?
My Dyson vacuum. While I do love it, if I had to buy a vacuum tomorrow, I’d take Jake Schlossberg’s (and several of my colleague’s) advice and go for a Miele.
If you had to spend $1,000 at Goop, what would you buy?
First, I’d re-up on my favorite beauty products that I use every single day: Kate McLeod’s body stones, silk scrunchies, Sofie Pavitt’s gentle cleanser, Megababe thigh rescue, Crown Affair’s hair towel, and some body wash. That leaves me with $793, so I’d upgrade my original Ziip for the Ziip Halo. And then I’d buy two new additions to my nightstand drawer that I haven’t tried yet. I’m four dollars over, because I can’t stick to a budget even when using imaginary money.
What are some open tabs on your computer right now? What’s on your list, but you can’t bring yourself to buy it just yet?
I love collecting jewelry, so I keep a running list of vintage and contemporary pieces I have my eye on. Right now, that list includes this Olivve NYC sequin charm, this piece from Kimberly Doyle, and a second Yearly Co. bangle. I usually play the long game with fine jewelry, saving up for a few big splurges a year around Black Friday and my birthday. But with the price of gold hitting an all-time high of $2,500 an ounce this month, a lot of designers are probably planning a price hike, so I might bite the bullet on a few things before that happens.
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.
