We write about hundreds of products each 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 through the vast online-shopping universe — including a throuple’s favorite pair of sheets, some sturdy martini glasses, and a backpack for toting laundry.
A non-awful way to put sunscreen on your kids
“Thoroughly applying sunscreen to a small, squirmy child has an Olympic level of difficulty, and I am no athlete,” wrote Strategist contributor Matthew Schnipper this week. His solution: the Solar Buddies Sunscreen Applicator. “It’s a simple, ergonomic contraption with three main components: a reservoir into which you pour the sunscreen of your choice, a rollerball with a filter through which the sunscreen flows, and a small foam sponge with which to rub it in,” he writes. Though he initially used it to put sunscreen on his daughter, he now uses it to protect his bald head from the sun, too.
One writer’s simple sun hat …
This week, we launched “Strategist Brain,” a new series in which our staffers share what’s on their minds, from the stores they’ve popped into and the stuff they’ve spotted to extra tidbits from stories they’ve worked on. In the first installment, we heard from Strategist writer Lauren Ro, who shared her love for this cooling sun hat, which she says is “so lightweight and does an excellent job of blocking the sun thanks to its foldable brim.” Stay tuned for next week’s dispatch from Jeremy Rellosa.
… And a high-tech sun hat for runners
As someone who’s clocked many miles by foot in both Austin and New York, Strategist contributor Will Porter has learned one thing: “Hot is hot, no matter which way you slice it.” To stay cool on scorching days, he has a collection of running gear that combats excessive heat and the sweat that comes with it, including this well-designed sun hat for runners. “The removable neck protection is big enough to cover my entire neck while it’s snapped into the sweatband of the hat and doubles as a towel when I need to wipe down my face, neck, or arms,” he says.
The sunglasses a Strategist staffer and Ryan Gosling have in common
While Porter’s Ciele hat is designed specifically with runners in mind, this pair of Article One sunglasses is more versatile. The sunglasses are stylish enough to be worn at the Olympics — as Ryan Gosling did last week — and sturdy enough to be worn during a run — as Strategist writer Jeremy Rellosa has done since 2018. “What makes them great is their nose pads, which are wide and soft and don’t pinch,” he writes.
Sheets fit for a throuple
It was a big week for new series on the Strategist: In addition to “Strategist Brain,” we also launched “How I Sleep,” a series reporting on the ways people with highly specific sleeping situations fall asleep and stay asleep — and the products they use. First up: a throuple who share one bed. Their setup is somewhat complicated, but it starts with this affordable set of sheets from Costco, which balances their three preferences. “They tend to have good, high-quality stuff for cheaper, so we usually check there first for almost anything,” Rachael Meir, another member of the throuple, says.
Not your average martini glass
Clear some space in your cabinets because we have a new roundup of cocktail glasses for you: specifically, the very best martini glasses, brought to you by Strategist contributor Margaret Eby. While Eby heard about a number of classic, dainty martini glasses, the Cocktail Snob’s Camille Wilson recommended one sturdy option that truly stood out from the bunch. “I know it’s not the traditional martini glass with a long, skinny stem, but that’s exactly why I love it,” she says. “It’s lightweight but doesn’t feel flimsy, and I love the fluted design on the base.”
[Editor’s note: these glasses are currently out of stock, but you can find all the other expert-recommended martini glasses here.]
One chef’s open-air shelving unit
Whether you need extra storage for said martini glasses or just some unwieldy pots and pans, you might consider investing in a speed rack. Strategist contributor Jon Kung purchased this one when he was running a secret restaurant inside his apartment — but with those days long gone, he now uses it for open shelving. “It’s super-convenient if you’re a visual person like me and you need to see your inventory,” he writes. “I need to be able to see what I have in order to remember that I have it. If something is kept in a closed cabinet, I’ll forget about it. This way, I remember to use that jerk seasoning or za’atar.”
A backpack for laundry
It’s August, which means that college orientations are on the horizon and college packing is in full swing. To make things a little easier, Strategist writers Bella Druckman and Rachael Griffiths created “The Strategist Dorm 100.” Within it, you’ll find everything an incoming freshman might need to outfit their dorm, from a shower caddy and drying mat to this handy laundry backpack that makes schlepping down to the dorm laundry room less of a pain.
The Baggu collaboration that had our Slack channel abuzz
Griffiths wasn’t lying when she wrote, “Productivity drops to zero whenever a new Baggu collection gets dropped in our Slack chat.” This week, an especially charming Peanuts collaboration stopped us in our tracks. “Out of the dozens of bags, packing cubes, and rucksacks, I particularly like this pumpkin-patch colorway, for those who are spookily inclined,” Griffiths writes in this week’s installment of Don’t Dillydally.
Beabadoobee’s favorite eyeliner
Musician Beabadoobee, who has been wearing eyeliner since she was 15 years old, says her eyeliner is what “makes me feel like me.” Her favorite is this eye pencil from Givenchy, which “goes on easily and smoothly.” She adds, “I also wear this when I’m performing because it doesn’t budge. I’ll just extend the wing out a bit for a darker look.”
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.
