We write about hundreds of products every week. Here, in our version of the Sunday circular, we’ve plucked some of our recent favorites: expert-recommended essentials, life-changing stuff you didn’t know you needed, newly launched gizmos, and very good deals we uncovered while trawling the vast online-shopping universe — including the glowy serum that works better than bronzer, the easy-to-use waffle-maker Chanel Iman swears by, and the trompe l’oeil sweatpant jeans taking over one writer’s friend group.
An affordable Japanese razor for idiotproof bangs
During her brief stint as a hair model, Strategist contributor Viv Chen learned the secret to “petal-like bangs” is this feather styling razor. It glides smoothly, creating effortlessly soft edges resulting in perfect salon bangs. The teethlike ridges along the blade also allow for a high margin of error, even for unsteady hands. “Next time you’re down a Brigitte Bardot/Jane Birkin rabbit hole on Pinterest thinking, Those bangs would change my life, you might not need a whole hair appointment,” Chen says. “You probably just need this razor.”
Author Young Kim’s German hot-water bottle
Young Kim owns several hot-water bottles, but she told us this one, which she found in Munich, is her favorite because it’s just a “really solid” option that hasn’t deteriorated over time. “It’s a revelation for any sort of ache or pain you put it on,” she says, adding that she’ll wrap it with a “fine, old cashmere scarf.”
The cardboard bed frame that’s easy to set up (and move around)
Home-furniture delivery lead times can be extremely long, and after placing an order for a CB2 bed frame, editor Kiki Aranita decided to turn to this cardboard bed frame from Yona as a temporary option. After six months, the cardboard bed is feeling much more permanent: Aranita says it’s comfortable and functional that she’s stopped hunting down alternative dream beds. Moreover, it’s a great idea for small apartments (and will eventually make moving easy).
Trompe l’oeil jeans that are technically sweatpants …
A few months ago, our junior writer Brenley Goertzen noticed her friend wearing a pair of wide-leg jeans that weren’t actually jeans at all. The pants were from Rag & Bone’s Miramar collection — a line made to look like denim but that’s cut from a soft cotton terry. After Goertzen’s “For You” page exploded with more stylish people wearing the “sweatpant jeans,” she ordered the pants to try herself. “I truly never want to take them off — and the friends who’ve seen them have been floored by how ‘real’ they look,” Goertzen says, adding that she’ll be trying the sweatpant-jean shorts next.
… and the shell-printed pants one writer packed for her oyster-filled trip
In our latest edition of Steal My Vacation, we heard from Monica Mendal, who visited France’s Arcachon Bay for a week of oyster lunches, blissed-out beach days, and majestic boat trips. Mendal’s packing list featured these nautical pants from L.A.-based brand Ciao Lucia. “I like to pack clothes that can work double duty, and these do just that,” Mendal says. “They’re lightweight and easy to transition from the beach to dinner.”
The waffle-maker Chanel Iman uses to make breakfast for her kids
Model Chanel Iman is a waffle lover: “If I could make them every morning, I would,” she says. And because waffles are highly requested in her house, Iman told us she can’t live without this handy Cuisinart appliance, which makes them quick and easy to prepare at home. “I really wouldn’t know how to cook them myself otherwise,” Iman says.
A stackable makeup routine that TSA won’t confiscate
To reduce the many products in her makeup bags (yes, plural) before a trip to Europe, our writer Kitty Guo uncovered Subtl Beauty, a beauty brand that bills itself as travel-friendly and entirely portable. The company’s signature “Stak” is a collection of palettes that twist together into one compact cylinder, holding everything from eye shadow to bronzer to blush. “All in all, I would estimate my total makeup volume was reduced by 85 percent,” Guo says, adding that there was barely any difference between her everyday look and her look with the Subtl Beauty Stak.
The swim trunks Aaron Levine wore for six days straight on vacation in Saint John
“Whenever I go anywhere, I end up bonding with one thing — that thing you wear the most on a trip,” says Aaron Levine, a designer and brand collaborator. Before his trip to Saint John, Levine ordered these swim shorts and immediately knew they would be the ones. Levine describes them as “tremendous” and “like not-even-wearing-shorts short,” and says he appreciates that the nylon material is structured without feeling heavy. “I would swim in them, snorkel in them, and then go to lunch in them,” Levine says. “That was the uniform right here.”
Gold-plated, butter-shaped earrings
If you’re looking to up your earscape, our writer Ambar Pardilla explored the world of stud earrings and rounded up a list of timeless pearls, precious stones, and these novelty sticks of butter. We think the gold-plated (and under-$50) earrings are perfect for the foodie in your life. If butter isn’t their thing, there are egg, olive, and corn-on-the-cob designs, too. (They would also make a great Mother’s Day gift.)
The (still) trendy Drunk Elephant bronzing drops for a radiant glow
You’ve likely heard of Drunk Elephant’s TikTok-viral D-Bronzi drops — and for our My Week With series, Strategist contributor Zing Tsjeng tested the bronzing serum that claims to imbue skin with a natural-looking tan. After a one-week trial period, Tsjeng concluded that the antioxidant-rich, peptide-infused formula created a glowy haze she’s never been able to achieve with bronzer.
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.
