Welcome back to Your Shopping Cart, wherein we break out the top five products that you, devoted Strategist readers, all bought in droves. Think of this as the tl;dr of the Strategist: If your like-minded brethren are buying these items, maybe you’d like to, too.
The final few weeks of 2017 were a frenzied time here on Strat, with a flurry of gift guides that may have made your head spin. But after all was said and done, the winner was a familiar face: the gold-and-snail-slime eye patches that beauty writer Rio Viera-Newton hoards continue to be a favorite for many of you. Our silver medalist is a new entrant, the Belmint shiatsu massager that we suspect several of you bought for Mom after we included it in a gift guide. Lindsey Weber’s favorite Etekcity smart plugs — they turn anything you plug into them something you can control from your phone — took the third spot, while the super-comfortable underwear by Natori comes in fourth place. Rounding out the top five is the very best side-sleeper pillow we’ve ever slept on — which will only set you back $15 or so.
1. The 14 Products I Use for My Chronic Raccoon Eyes
The snail-slime eye patches that beauty writer Rio Viera-Newton swears by continued to dominate throughout the holiday season, buoyed by its inclusion in a few of our gift guides. Says Viera-Newton: “This is my favorite under-eye product, and don’t make me tell you again why I love snail so much! Its regenerative properties not only work wonders on blemish scars, but also help with any kind of hyperpigmentation, including dark under-eye circles. It’s also super beneficial for helping with wrinkles and dryness.”
2. Ask the Strategist: What Are the Best Foot Massagers and Foot Spas?
Late fall, one of our faithful Strat readers asked us to find the best foot massagers and foot spas, and senior writer Lauren Levy suggested the very highly rated (and heated) Belmint shiatsu massager. But when we put it in the holiday gift guide for moms just a few weeks ago, several of you heeded our advice. We hope she liked it!
3. These Plugs $33 Turn Any Home Into a Smart House
You may not be a full convert to the smart-house revolution, but here’s an easy place to start. Writer Lindsey Weber bought these Etekcity smart plugs on a lark, but they’ve turned out to be some of her favorite purchases ever: “All of my lamps can now be turned on and off with a swipe — I even set timers so that they turn on automatically, both to avoid arriving home to a dark house and to give the appearance that someone’s home even when no one is. I’ll switch on my air conditioner while out and about, as to hit that sweet 69 degrees before I even step inside. Anything you can imagine plugging in and turning on can be controlled with an app.”
4. What Is the Best Women’s Underwear?
In search of the best women’s underwear, we talked to 15 stylish women about the best mesh bikinis, thongs, and G-strings. One pair in particular, though, has been a runaway success: Dolly Frearson of High Fashion Home’s recommendation of the Natori cotton briefs. She says, “For everyday underwear, I need them to feel comfortable and breathable. I also need them to appear smooth, and not pinch my skin in any place or ride up. And this is the only pair that does all of the above! They will eventually replace almost all of your underwear in your drawer.”
5. What’s the Best Pillow for Side Sleepers?
Side sleepers have it tough when looking for pillows — those downy hotel-style pillows that sink like clouds do nothing for them, as side sleepers require firm and slightly elevated support. Speaking with The Happy Sleeper author Heather Turgeon, deputy editor Jason Chen discovered the Wamsutta Extra-Firm and never looked back: “Unlike other pillows that mistake plushness or fluffiness for support, the WEF didn’t sink as soon as I rested my head. Instead, it had a firm, satisfying spring — it’s a different sensation, but one I took to right away.”
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 women’s jeans, rolling luggage, pillows for side sleepers, ultra-flattering pants, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
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