We write about hundreds of products a week. Here, in our version of the Sunday circular, we’ve plucked out some of our favorites — expert-recommended essentials, life-changing stuff you didn’t know you needed, newly launched gizmos, and the very good deals we uncovered while trolling through the vast online-shopping universe this past week, including Georgia May Jagger’s go-to tie-dye, a beautiful baby bouncer, and stylish rain boots for gardening.
A gentle gel cleanser that treats ‘chicken skin’
Those rough bumps on arms, legs, or cheeks that are often called “chicken skin,” might be keratosis pilaris, caused by a buildup of keratin in pores — and according to seven dermatologists, it’s very treatable with a “one-two punch of exfoliation and hydration.” And according to dermatologist Dr. Ainah Tan, less is more when treating KP on the face. So instead of using physical exfoliants — a “a major no-no for the more sensitive skin of your face” — both Tan and Dr. Annie Chiu recommend using a gentle, exfoliating facial cleanser like Glytone Mild Gel Cleanser. (Just don’t forget to moisturize after.)
Dog-friendly (and chef-approved) peanut butter
Peanut butter is a very good snack for humans, but dogs like it too — and one option that’s good for both canine and human palettes is Peanut Butter & Co. It comes recommended by chef Max Zumwalt of Hachi Maki, who likes its “consistent, rich peanut-y flavor and smooth texture” and the fact that it “isn’t as sticky as some other major brands.” That texture makes it dog-friendly, too, so he serves it to his Shiba Inu, Monica. “When she is well-behaved I give her some as a treat, and when she’s being a major pain and drama queen, as most Shiba’s are, I give her even more to occupy her, so that I can get some peace and quiet,” he says.
A beautiful — and functional — baby bouncer
When former Curbed editor Kelsey Keith built her baby registry, she looked for products that appealed to her on three levels: “price, looks, and function.” One such item that checked all of those boxes is this Bloom baby bouncer that helped her and her husband “make time for adult dinner — we’d just plop her in it with a blanket and a stuffed animal and sit her near our feet, beside the kitchen table.” And even better, unlike most other baby stuff, Keith says, “This bouncer is beautiful; it’s nice to look at them in something that looks so cozy and something you don’t hate.”
A mini-microphone that’s “survived every lick, sniff, and chomp”
If you’ve spent any time on TikTok, you’ve probably seen someone holding up a mini-microphone, and there are two reasons why: “Not only does it improve their sound quality, but it’s also aesthetically amusing,” writes Chloe Anello, who interviewed seven TikTok creators to figure out why these mini-mics are everywhere. Though there were several recommendations, the one Cara the Vet Tech uses one to interview animals at her work is this cheap but surprisingly durable one that features noise-cancellation qualities and a 59-inch cord length. “My mini-microphone has survived every lick, sniff, and chomp,” she says, and it held up for about a year and a half before she decided to repurchase it.
Georgia May Jagger’s go-to tie-dye
Though many of us got into tie-dying when quarantine started, model Georgia May Jagger has been doing it with her family since she was a child. “You know when you put something red in the white wash by accident and it dyes everything pink? My mom always did stuff like that. But instead of getting rid of things when that happened, we would just tie-dye them,” she told us. And one of the things Jagger can’t live without is “this Dylon stuff,” which she’s used to dye “bits of chiffon to make scarves, T-shirts, and I recently dyed a rug. It was white and kind of looking a little worse for wear, so I dyed it purple.”
Stylish rain boots for gardening…
You don’t need a ton of supplies to start gardening, but if you’re getting serious about growing plants, you’ll want a good pair of boots — ”something comfortable, waterproof, grippy, easy to clean, and easy to take on and off.” To find the best gardening boots out there, contributor Stacey Dee Woods spoke to gardeners, from influencers to ecologists “to get you through the spring — and many growing seasons to come.” Both Amber Grossman, creator of BlackGirlsGardening, and Katie Parks, who’s behind the Instagram Freckles and Sprouts, suggested these Merry People rain boots that are “comfortable and easy to clean,” according to Grossman. And Parks adds that while they “hold up well” and “have a nice grip” for wet weather, they’re also “cute enough to wear out,” making for a stylish pair of rain boots. “I get compliments on them all the time!” she says.
…and a garden illustration for your wall
If you want to add a little greenery to your art collection, instead of your lawn, consider this illustration aptly entitled “Spring Backyard,” by Lisk Feng, a New York City–based artist who hails from China. You can find this, along with 24 other prints “worthy of some vertical space, whether it’s in the bathroom, the bedroom, or the living room” in our round up of wall art from Asian and Asian-American artists.
The ‘fairy godmother of all hand sanitizers’ that’s under-$10
Anthropologie has been having a sale-on-sale all weekend, with an extra 40 percent off hundreds of already-on-sale items. Included is this celebrity-favorite hand sanitizer that I May Destroy You’s hair and makeup designer Bethany Swan calls “the fairy godmother of all hand sanitizers,” since it can be used on zits and small cuts, as well as keeping hands clean.
A microfiber-catching orb
Microfibers are “the biggest pollution problem you’ve never heard of,” according to Julie Peller, a chemistry professor at Valparaiso University. As senior writer Karen Iorio Adelson learned, it’s estimated that 1 million microfibers are released in every load of laundry, and those little threads can have a major impact on organisms that live in the water. You can install a microfiber filter to your washing machine to prevent them from entering the water supply, like the one that was recently launched by activewear line Girlfriend Collective, or you can pick up this “orb that bounces around in the wash cycle and captures microfibers in its stretchy plastic arms.” It’s a nice option if you’re using a communal washing machine or just don’t have the technical know-how to install a filter.
Rio’s guide for skin-care rookies and veterans alike
If you’ve been following Rio Viera-Newton’s skin-care journey since we published her Google Doc of skin-care must-haves in 2017, you’ll be delighted to hear that her beauty advice is now available in book form. In an excerpt from Let’s Face It: Secrets of a Skincare Obsessive, which came out this week, she makes a case for building a “self-nurturing and meditative” skin-care routine that’s “entirely adaptable to your needs and schedule.” To help you get started, she recommends some of her favorite products from her “quick and easy” morning routine and more “indulgent” evening routine. But you can read even more about it when you pick up a copy of her book.
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.
