What Strategist Readers Bought in August: Neck Fans and Eye Masks

In at No. 2, making the list for the first time, is this disposable, surgical-type face mask. Last month, two essential workers told us that a surgical face mask is their go-to when in a potentially crowded, unpredictable space like a subway. It’s important that we leave PPE to those who need it most, but we totally get it, and so does Dr. Scott Segal, chairman of anesthesiology at Wake Forest Baptist Health. He told us, “If you’re going to have to be in a high-risk environment, something like the subway, with lots of other people in a relatively closely confined area, perhaps for a prolonged period of time, then mask effectiveness might really play a difference in protecting you.” Strategist writer Louis Cheslaw also bought himself a set of these masks, noting they are thin, but that’s exactly what he wanted as he tried to beat the heat. Maybe these will continue to fly off the shelves as we head into the dog days of summer.

This massager has made the best-seller list eight times since its debut in February 2019. And given that these are extremely stressful times, it’s no surprise that a Shiatsu massager that relieves back pain with heat and kneading would be a popular purchase. Not only do our readers love it, but it’s the best-rated back massager on Amazon. We anticipate that as more and more people perfect their work-from-home setup, tacking this massager to their new desk chair will become even more popular for our readers, so this little machine is probably here to stay.

Our beauty writer Rio Viera-Newton said this eye mask was the best, and you all listened, helping make its best-seller-list debut. It’s a memory-foam mask, which, according to Rio, “is the perfect material for an eye mask: just as a good memory-foam mattress forms to your body, this memory-foam eye mask forms perfectly to your eyes, sealing them from any outside light.” It also makes it a good option for stomach sleepers, because it’s “thick, bouncy, and cushiony — so if you happen to sleep on your stomach, like me, it almost feels like resting your face on another mini-pillow.” Rio said the first time she tried this mask she slept until noon the next day, so if you plan on joining the Strategist readers who bought this eye mask, make sure you clear your schedule.

Former Strategist writer Lori Keong first introduced us to this pillow back in 2018, and though this is only its fourth time on the best-seller list, it’s the second month in a row (and at the same spot at that). It’s a shredded-memory-foam pillow, which, to Lori, meant “it’s adaptable enough to auto-adjust to my sleep positions, evenly supporting my head no matter how I’m angled.” She ultimately compared it to “a warm hug for your head.” Amazon reviewers like it, too, confirming that this really does work for all types of sleepers. One self-described “everything sleeper” says, “Every day this week I’ve slept like a brick without waking up briefly to adjust my pillow.”

At the Strategist, we can’t talk highly enough about this Neutrogena moisturizer, so it’s no surprise our readers like it, too. This moisturizer has appeared on this list eight other times, and in several of our expert-recommended skin-care guides. Dozens of dermatologists have recommended this hyaluronic-acid-infused moisturizer for dry skin, mature skin, sunburned skin, Accutane users, and even for pregnant women. It also helps that it’s relatively affordable, which helped earn its spot on our list of the best drugstore moisturizers, too.

Working from home, it really does seem like we are on our screens more. There are no in-person meeting breaks, no walks to go get lunch, or zoned-out commuting time, and our readers seem to have turned to these blue-light-blocking glasses to help cope — and this is their third time on the list since May. These glasses come highly recommended from Amazon reviewers who say they help relieve headaches, eye strain, and are even comfortable to wear. “Prior to wearing these, I could ‘feel’ the pressure in my eyes from looking at my screens,” one user says. “I put these on, and I can ‘feel’ less pressure and less strain on my eyes almost immediately.”

Writer Alison Freer told us about this handy gadget at the end of July, which helped her beat the heat while in Palm Springs during a stretch of 100-degree weather. “I was shocked by how much wind this little device managed to put out, and by how much less red my face was at the end of my walk,” she writes. “It has three different fan settings (plus a set of colored LED lights, should you find yourself at a rave), and the short charge lasted the entire two hours I was out walking. Later, once I charged it fully, it ran for close to six hours on the medium setting as I cleaned up around the house and yard.” It has come in handy for less strenuous situations, like an outdoor, socially distanced birthday event on a hot day, and Alison has even figured out how to configure it into a desk fan. This is the first time this neck fan has appeared on the best-seller list, but something this versatile, we imagine it will make a second appearance.