May Testing Report: Better-Than-Melatonin Mushroom Chocolates

I flip-flop between usingsleep supplementsto help me get deeper, undisturbed sleep and trying to be completely nonreliant on them. But mycuriosity won out with this chocolatethat contains, among other things, zinc (which helps with magnesium absorption), reishi extract, and chamomile. The taste is mellow for dark chocolate, and the chunk melts on your tongue like a truffle. The first night I tried these, I slept like I hadn’t in weeks (no waking up in the middle of the night, plus a sleepiness that crept up on me slowly in the hour leading up to falling asleep). The second night, I’m ashamed to admit I was actuallydroolingon my pillow in the process of falling asleep. But I wasn’t waking up groggy — just well-rested. Suffice to say these haveearned a spot in my nightly peppermint-tea and sweet-treat pre-bedtime ritual.—Najwa Jamal, updates coordinator

I feel a sense of security using Cora’s cotton pads and tampons and was surprised to see the brand makes a product like this. I’d never seen a heating patch you could, in theory, wear freely all day or night, to bed or to work. The bean-shaped patch can be stuck on your lower abdomen or back (over your clothes; it’s not supposed to go directly on your skin) and becomes warm to the touch within five minutes of application. It creates a strong yet diffuse heat that’s never unpleasant and very soothing on pangs and aches, subtly warming your core (being cold on your period and cramping is the worst). I was shocked to find it still warm in the morning the first night I used one, and it didn’t move an inch or fall off either. It’s a small indulgence that I’m planning to afford myself monthly moving forward.—N.J.

I’m about five months pregnant and have been trying to find decent maternity leggings: cotton, thick enough that I needn’t fear for my butt, not too tight on my tummy but also not too flappy. It’s tricky! I’m not particularly tall (five-foot-two) and not particularly bump-y, so leggings that have a kind of “panel” are not great for me. I started witha horrid pair from ASOSthat were really tight on the ankle and baggy at the crotch.H&M’s Mama leggingshave been very serviceable — still a little baggy at the crotch, but I’ll live. For days I’ve been wearing a pair fromBumpsuit. They’re silky soft and cozy without being swampy. However, they are pretty butt-skimming, so I wouldn’t recommend trying to wear them as pants. But with a long sweater or an overshirt, they are hard to beat. I haven’t washed them yet, so I’m curious to know if they’ll remain as silky after a few spins in the washing machine.—Ailbhe Malone, senior editor

I picked these up at anEileen Fisherpreview a couple of weeks ago, and now they’re the only pants I want to wear. As I toldThe Green Spoonrecently, they are as comfortable as loungewear but polished enough to wear to the office. They have some pleating in the front, a zip-and-button fly, and elastic in the back, with a slight barrel leg. They just look and feel good. I put away all of myjeansonce the temperature goes above 70 degrees and also don’t likepull-on pantsfor going out in public (too sloppy), but sometimes I do have to wear pants (as opposed to skirts and dresses) in the summer, and these are the perfect pair for those occasions. —Lauren Ro, senior writer

I like the low-profile design, very subtle logo, and satin-y upper on the new Cloudnova Moon from Zendaya’s On collection. I’ve worn some other Ons and have found those to be too narrow for my feet, but these are stretchy enough that they feel comfortable for miles of walking. The burgundy colorway is great too but unfortunately seems to be sold out at some retailers in women’s sizes.—Winnie Yang, senior editor

I put SPF on every day as the last step in my morning skin-care routine, but I’ll be honest, I’m terrible at reapplying throughout the day. Especially if I’ve done my makeup already, the last thing I want to add is a layer of greasy sunscreen and risk ruining my carefully blended blush. Instead, I’ve been carrying around Eadem’s new Sunsuede, which combinessunscreenandprimerand can be applied under or over makeup. It swipes on with a weightless, invisible finish that blurs pores and leaves zero white cast. The solid balm format is super convenient for applying on the go — it’ll definitely be a staple in my tote bag this summer. —Kitty Guo, writer

I love and hate when expensive products really are worth every penny. I’d heard many a whisper that this mask isstinkybut has unbeatable results, and I saw videos of peoplecuttingopen their tubes to make sure they got every last drop. Now I understand why. It is indeed pungent — the first ingredient is yeast extract, and it smells slightly fermented — but swiping a thin layer atop open wounds or pimples for 20 minutes doesn’t sting my skin the way other masks with actives like lactic acid do (I’m also able to use it alongside my nightly tretinoin and the brand’s famedLotion P50Twithout irritation). My skin looks visibly “glassier” and almost blurred after using it. I’ve struggled with persistent flaky rashes from perioral dermatitis, plus picking at my pores, on and off since the winter, and have cycled through a number ofmasksand lotions, prescription or otherwise, toget rid of the scarsI’ve amassed in the process. I’ve used this once a week since I got it and have noticed aremarkabledifference in fading many of those of scars, too.—N.J.

I’ve been trying out Swan Beauty’s AI-poweredmakeup mirror, which comes equipped with a slew of techy features. There’s a skin analyzer that scores how your skin is performing across a range of metrics, like wrinkles, acne, and pigmentation; tutorials that create a dynamic overlay of different makeup styles on your face that you can attempt to replicate on your own; a shoppable marketplace where you can add products straight to your cart and check out; and exclusive content from Swan’s community of makeup artists and estheticians. The mirror was interesting to play around with, but ultimately I don’t think I’m the target audience for it (which, if its recentviral sponsored bachelorette tripis any indication, generally appears to be glamorous influencers who spend most days in a full beat). This mirror is for people who are serious about beauty, like aspiring makeup artists or beauty-content creators. But if you’re just looking for amakeup mirrorthat will help you make sure your foundation matches your skin tone, you likely don’t need all the bells and whistles — especially not for $795.—K.G.

Last year I named Alpine’s Silence earplugs the best reusableearplugs for sleep, so when I got a chance to try the brand’s concert earplugs,I was intrigued. I tested a bunch ofconcert earplugslast year and have continued trying more since then. I’ve had the Tune earplugs for several months and wore them to a few different concerts last year, including seeing Big Thief at an amphitheater and Eliza McLamb at a smaller club venue. Since I’ve been testing other earplugs lately, I pulled the Tune earplugs back out for a Wednesday show and a dance party a few weeks ago, and I’m still really liking them. They don’t block out too much sound, but my ears feel unharmed afterward (no ringing!). They fit nearly as comfortably as the sleep version, which are a bit softer and more pliable. And, notably, at the dance party, multiple people came up to me to compliment how cute my earplugs were — I have the neon-pink ones, so they stand out! —Amelia Jerden, writer

While working on a guide to the bestcat houses, I was able to try out this house by Design for Pets with my cats,which is absolutely adorable in person. It’s fairly large — similar in size to the large plastic carrier I use to take my cats to the vet — but it’s soft and cozy. The house is made of fabric filled with cushioning, but it’s held up with a plastic frame that was super easy to put together. It looks considerably more stylish than the standard pet store fare and would blend seamlessly into many homes, so long as you have the floor space. My kittens have only ventured in a couple of times so far, but it takes them a while to warm up to new beds. But when they have gone in, they looked so cozy on the fluffy bed inside. —A.J.