sunday circular

10 Things That Delighted Us Last Week: From Tom Dixon Pendants to Deer-Antler Serum

Photo-Illustration: The Strategist; Photos: Retailers

We write about hundreds of products every 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 mega claw clip that’s safe for natural hair, Tamron Hall’s non-cheesy locket, and an on-sale bra you’ll forget you’re wearing.

The metal pendant Chloe Kernaghan built with her fiancé.

In the latest installment of “Steal My Registry,” we spoke to yoga and movement teacher Chloe Kernaghan about a stylish Berkey alternative, a “refined-looking” toaster, and this pendant light she and her fiancé assembled themselves. Kernaghan says the couple was gifted the fixture by two friends, one of whom actually worked with Tom Dixon, who told them, “You’re going to need both of you to do this, and you’re going to need to work together. But once you have it done and you hang it up, then it can forever be a reminder of your partnership.” Once it was complete, Kernaghan says it cast the softest light.

A matte wax for voluminous (and Cindy Sherman–like) hair.

Strategist contributor Brandon Sanchez tried all kinds of products to sculpt his hair before landing on Enjoy Dry Wax, which was recommended by his colorist. Now Sanchez swears by it and says it stays put in any direction no matter how he wears his hair, short or longish. “Like Cindy Sherman in character, I was myself but reoriented 30 degrees,” he says, adding that it’s completely matte and that a little goes a very long way. (He’s still on his first jar.)

The solution to Annie Murphy’s chapped lips.

“I don’t wanna brag, but I genuinely think I have the most chapped lips of anyone I’ve ever met,” Annie Murphy says. While on set in Boston, her makeup-artist friend did in fact notice this and bought Murphy this overnight treatment, which she also uses during the day and describes as “really moisturizing without being sticky.”

The smelly miracle serum one celebrity chef’s clients swear by.

For Assistant Files, we spoke to Brooke Baevsky (also known as @chefbae), who is a private chef for about 40 A-list actors, royals, top models, and CEOs. After she began working with professional athletes, she heard about deer-antler serum from an NFL team’s nutritionist, who said the ingredient allegedly improves range of motion, reduces muscle soreness, and shortens rehab time. But Baevsky says there’s one major downside: It “smells like a cow carcass.” Even though she tries to mask the odor and taste with almond, vanilla, and mint extracts or chlorophyll, she says that “these people are tough” for being “willing to eat or drink anything they need to get into the best shape or help with recovery time.”

The chaotic card game that might just tear your family apart.

Last Christmas, Strategist contributor Laura Guidry was introduced to Dutch Blitz, a card game her sister-in-law learned about on a backpacking trip and promptly shared with the family. Described as a simultaneous-play version of “very energetic solitaire,” Dutch Blitz was created to teach children numbers and colors, so it’s incredibly simple to learn, Guidry says. It’s also incredibly easy to get hooked on — Guidry says she now plays it in bars, on hikes, and even while working from home. “The dopamine hit from a two-minute game gives me a euphoric separation from the stress of my Outlook inbox,” she says.

An adorable sun hat for protecting newborn noses and necks.

As seen in our roundup of the best sun-protective clothing for kids and babies, several experts told us you should always have a hat at the ready, even on cloudy days. McLean Dermatology founder Dr. Lily Talakoub, who also founded the product-recommendation website Derm to Door, likes Coolibar’s head coverings because they each have a UPF rating of 50 and are sized to fit the heads of newborns and toddlers. (The splashy aquatic print doesn’t hurt.)

An XL claw clip for holding up locs …

We’re big hair-accessory fans — and our latest obsession comes courtesy of Strategist writer Latifah Miles, who uncovered a claw clip made by Kōv Essentials that is designed for thicker textures such as curls, coils, and braids. While Miles was nervous to risk snapping or breaking her natural hair, she ordered the brand’s XL clips and says they “are so effortless to use” because of the flexible plant-based material, rounded teeth, and sturdy spring. “And according to my loctician, my locs are still healthy and thriving,” she says.

… and an XL bouquet for maximalist moms.

Mother’s Day is over a month away, but it’s never too early to pick out the perfect present, like a cheery bouquet of a whopping 45 seasonal blooms. This extra-large arrangement of seasonal, farm-fresh flowers is swathed in an abundance of decorative foliage. Or go for one of the other 19 bouquets on our list — most of which we’ve written about — such as a plant she can watch grow all year.

Tamron Hall’s sentimental locket.

After Tamron Hall appeared in Monica Rich Kosann’s book, Possession Obsession, holding a photo of her modest childhood home, the jewelry designer and photographer gifted her this locket with the image inside. Hall says the necklace “isn’t your grandma’s Victorian locket” and calls it more “intimate and personal” than receiving a photo memory on your phone. “Especially with the photo of my childhood home — it’s protected in this locket,” she says. “Even when the picture fades, this is a way to preserve the home in this beautiful little locket, where it’s safe.”

A wireless (on-sale) bra for large breasts.

Nordstrom’s Spring Sale is in full swing with plenty of eye-catching discounts on beauty, apparel, and home décor. Strategist deals editor Sam Daly spotted our best seamless wireless bra for large breasts, which Strategist contributor Brodie Lancaster counts among her favorite work-from-home bras. Lancaster describes it as a second skin, in between a “classic T-shirt bra — with subtly molded cups — and a sports bra but without any of the heft.”

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.

10 Things We Love: Tom Dixon Pendants to Deer-Antler Serum