Men’s Raincoats, Women’s Sandals, and Other Recent Strategist Finds

While we’ve got nothing against tiny pots of expensive scented goo, the truth is that Vaseline Lip Therapy Original Mini—the classic, the staple—is the most effective everyday treatment for dry, cracked lips. Strategist beauty writer Tembe Denton-Hurst says that other popular balms, such as Burt’s Bees and ChapStick, provide only a thin layer of moisture, while Vaseline is buildable and can be applied as thickly as you’d like. According to the dermatologists, aestheticians, and makeup artists Denton-Hurst consulted, what makes Vaseline unique is that its main ingredient, petroleum jelly, is a strong occlusive that locks in moisture—and serious allergies to it are rare. In fact, recently, when Denton-Hurst had a freak allergic reaction to another balm, Vaseline proved to be the only thing that helped her lips heal.

“I was in Germany when I first found these kits. They have ones for baby blankets, and since a lot of my close friends and people in my life have had babies recently, I’ve loved making them. It took me so long to crack the code of crocheting, but now it’s fun.”

“A few years ago, this brand sent me samples out of the blue. Soon I found myself buying the deodorant, the bodywash, the candles, the hand cream, all of it—they smell delicious in the same way Tom Ford makes everything smell delicious. All of Salt & Stone’s scents feel quite unisex and blend well together.”

“My dad was a dental assistant, so he always said, ‘You need to floss, brush your teeth twice a day, and make sure you’re using mouthwash.’ So I’m really big on brushing my teeth. I have two of these brushes: one in my house and one for travel.”

On a trip to tokyo this past August, I bought this phone satchel from Topologie, a French Japanese shop that makes customizable bags, and it has become my default travel bag for personal items. Shaped like a folding document wallet and made of nylon fabric, it has four compartments that make it intuitive to separate categories of documents—like plane tickets, a passport, visa photos, and metro stubs. There’s also plenty of space for my iPhone Pro Max and cash in different currencies. I’ve already taken my Sacoche to at least six airports and on a train across India. –Katherine Gillespie

This jacket feels and looks more expensive than it is. It has three layers of fabric compared with the two and a half found in most jackets in this price range. Plus, it’s longer than many in this style, providing just a bit of extra thigh protection.

If you want a Gore-Tex rain jacket that will last for decades and look as good in the city as it does on the trail, the Beta is worth buying. The fit is tailored without feeling tight or reading as skinny.

This update of a classic adds a reflector, a repairable main zipper, and a PFC-free water-repellent finish—rare for this cost.

The thin straps on these sandals make them look expensive, says Catbird founder Rony Vardi. They could easily be mistaken for a “cool Japanese brand” instead of preppy J.Crew.

A new favorite of multiple Strategist staffers, the Newport H2 is an improvement on the Teva Voya Infinity— the popular choice of last summer— because it provides more traction.

Artist Melly Wirtes says the straps on these sandals are substantial; they don’t feel precarious, as if they’re about to snap at any moment.

Emilia Petrarca, author of the Shop Ratnewsletter, likes this line of sandals because they are “beautifully minimalist” with touches like toe rings to make them interesting.

Strategist writer Katherine Gillespie managed to wear these hemp-and- plastic-blend sandals right out of the box (after taking the advice of a Salter House sales associate and going up a size).

To deliver fragrance, perfumes for the skin usually rely on alcohol (such as ethanol), which can be drying— so a spritz on your hair could lead to parched and damaged strands, says Rogerio Cavalcante of the Second Floor Salon in Little Italy. Hair perfume is typically devoid of alcohol or contains only fatty (nondrying) alcohols. It also often has nourishing ingredients. For example, Gisou’s Honey-Infused Hair Perfume has argan oil and wildflower honey, and Sachajuan’s Protective Hair Perfume includes UV protectants. It’s safe (and affordable) to use hair perfume on your body. Just keep in mind that the aroma may fade quickly.

I see between one and three live shows a month and attend a couple of music festivals a year, which means my ears are bombarded with loud noise. After a long search for reusable earplugs that would let me hear music clearly without feeling obtrusive in my ears, these customizable soft silicone Earpeace plugs won me over. I wore them to see Moon Walker at the Pour House, a super-small venue in Raleigh, North Carolina, and again to see Free Throw at Cat’s Cradle, a somewhat bigger venue in Carrboro— and I was happy both times. I didn’t feel like I was missing any notes wearing the earplugs, nor did I need more hearing protection.