An all-over-the-place assortment of stood-behind products culled from this very website that appears in the most recent February issue of New York Magazine.
Best in Class
When the Dyson Supersonic came out in 2016, we wrote an early, excited review: Never had we seen a hair dryer so lightweight that could dry hair so quickly—without causing heat damage. In the ensuing years of testing hair dryers, we’ve found nothing beats the Dyson. Dominique Pariso—who’s on our hair-dryer beat—still hears about it constantly. It’s not only what stylists use in salons but what they rely on at home. It just makes hair look the most smooth and shiny. Plus it comes with five attachments, so “it’s great for all hair types,” says stylist Adel Chabbi. And its best feature remains its that unsurpassed speed: Pariso says it dries her long hair in under ten minutes.
Celebrity Shopping
“Paris came up with a line of kitchenware, and they said it was selling on Amazon. So I looked and I thought, Oh my goodness. I’d just broken my other French press when I saw hers with the little love hearts on it. It’s gold. It’s pink. Even the scoop that it comes with is heart-shaped. It’s so affordable and so sweet.”
“I used to wear kitchen clogs, and they were very heavy. The ones I bought from France were actually made of wood. After a while, I realized that my back started hurting and that they were probably not the best shoes. These sneakers from APL are so light you feel almost like you’re flying. My back pain just went away.”
“This is bigger and softer than an Altoid; it’s a mint that you have to commit to. You can’t buy it in the U.S., so I really stock up on it when I travel to the U.K. I’ve got, like, 40 rolls in my house. And I bring them everywhere. I always make sure that I’m not thrown into a situation where I don’t have a mint (and a Sharpie).”
I Keep Seeing This
About five years ago, I spotted a bright-green glass candlestick online. It was made by a Parisian glassblowing company called La Soufflerie. I had just moved to France and took the Métro across town to the glassblower’s atelier—not realizing it didn’t have a storefront yet. The company still accepted cash for a few pieces and in 2022 officially opened a shop in the heart of town. Its glassware—recycled, mouth- blown, antique-esque—is now stocked at other stores in the city, too, as well as by boutiques across the world. And I keep seeing people with excellent taste using its pieces. One of my editors picked up a big vase for his sister’s birthday. John Derian told me he reserves its bud vases for “the single-stemmed things I find in my garden.” And Catharine Dahm gifted me a grand vase of swirled clear-and-yellow glass. My cupboard is now full of La Soufflerie. —Chantel Tattoli
Our Shopping Cart
We came across a delightful toy store when we were in Rome, and my 8-year-old was immediately drawn to this wooden labyrinth on display there. I made a mental note to get it for her birthday last month. Like all of BRIO’s toys, the labyrinth is well made and meant for open-ended play. I like that this version comes with two additional boards, which you can lay on top of the built-in one for easier or harder levels (or you can play with two balls at once or against a timer to make it even more challenging). My daughter will happily spend an hour working the metal ball through the obstacles and holes and excitedly tells me when she has made it through. —Winnie Yang
Best of Brand
When you shop as regularly as we do, you learn that many brands just do some things better than they do others. Here, a few of our most-trusted, most-often-written-about items from Patagonia.
We’re big fans of the Black Hole collection, which includes duffels, totes, and more. In fact, we’ve been so impressed by the line’s sturdiness that we’ve recommended no fewer than nine bags from it. This one is our favorite weekender.
Contributor Chris Black recommends this waist pack (not from the Black Hole collection) should you need a practical and cool way to carry your phone during “big-boy weekend runs.” It has tons of storage.
Ty Morrison-Heath, a former Big Sky ski patroller, told us he wears these bibs when he skis uphill. The waterproof, breathable membrane prevents him from sweating plus the pants keep him warm and dry for the chillier descent.
Senior editor Winnie Yang puts her son in this snowsuit, which is insulated with 700-fill-power down, when it’s snowing. The outer shell isn’t completely waterproof, but it has kept him dry and toasty.
The Capilene tees are ideal for warm or wet weather because the material is lightweight, quick-drying, and anti-odor. They are editor Maxine Builder’s go-tos for most outdoor activities.
“I will die for, or in, my Nano-Air jacket,” writer Jeremy Rellosa says. “It’s the most versatile outdoor jacket I own. I can wear it for easy hikes in cool weather or use it as my main insulator on winter days around town.”
Strategist Explains
As the Strategist’s expert on personal hygiene, I talked to dentists and orthodontists to find out, and the short answer is “no.” In theory, the LED light in whitening kits is supposed to act as an accelerator to whitening gel, but Dr. Erin Fraundorf, an orthodontist, says at-home devices have significantly less power than professional ones. “You might as well be putting your phone flashlight up to your teeth,” she says. So regular gel trays and strips are your best bet for whitening efficacy. This kit is our expert’s No.1 recommendation. —Arielle Avila
This Thing’s Incredible
In an attempt to reclaim my focus, I ordered every imaginable timer off Amazon, but only one has become an important part of my life. The Mooas Dodecagon Mini-Timer has 12 faces. You press the power button until it beeps if you want the timer to beep; press that button till it buzzes if you want it to buzz. Then you put the number of minutes you want to time face up, and it sits there. Timing you. Judging. Watching. Waiting. Maybe supporting! It has a little blue light when it’s timing, and that light is saying, “Yes, you can. You can answer one more email! You can write one more paragraph! This too shall pass!” Some days I can do anything for five minutes; some days I can do anything for an hour. That’s between me and my timer. —Choire Sicha
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.
