11 Things That Delighted Us Last Week: Sheer SPF and On-Sale Linen

While rounding up all the best Memorial Day sales this week, deals writer Sam Daly realized lots of linen is up to 55 percent off right now from many of our favorite brands, like these high-rise elastic-waist shorts from J.Crew that come in seven colors. “Whether it’s for professional work attire or a leisurely stroll through the park, the all-natural flax fabric wicks away moisture, breathes like no other, and is perfect for keeping cool in this sweltering heat.”

Linen’s not the only thing on sale for Memorial Day. Plenty of women’s, men’s, and kids’ summer-ready sandals, flats, and sneakers are discounted upward of 25 percent off for the holiday weekend. Among the Gap jelly flip-flops and Everlane clogs deals writer Cassie Hurwitz has found are these Rothy’s fisherman sandals. They’re sure to be as comfortable as the brand’s classic flats, with no break-in time needed, and they’re machine-washable too.

Senior writer Dominique Pariso has longed to be able to use Cocolab’s “cool” coconut-flavored floss (which happens to be our Best in Class floss). “But here’s the problem: I could never get the thicker string through my teeth, which have, according to my dental hygienist, extremely ‘tight contact,’” she says. She’d been relegated to using Oral-B’s Glide — until now. The brand recently launched its crowd-favorite floss in a 30 percent thinner version, and it’s the only floss Pariso’s using on her tight teeth from now on. It’s still thicker than your average floss, but thanks to its recycled polyester and wax texture, it glides smoothly and leaves her teeth cleaner than ever before. “I was only slightly horrified by how much more gunk was on the Cocofloss after I finished my nightly hygiene routine.”

For years, novelist Sarah Blakeley Cartwright didn’t realize how inconvenient it was for her to try to reach things high up in her closet. Her good friend and stylist Lilli Millhiser pointed it out — and shared an ingenious solution: the yacht step. Originally designed for the tight spaces of a boat, it gives you “instant reach to top shelves and high cabinets in a closet, kitchen, or library without dragging out a stool,” Cartwright says. It mounts directly to a wall or surface, is easy to install, and folds flat when not in use. “The yacht step provides one the peace of mind of an organized and high-functioning living space.”

Everlane was acquired by Shein in a $100 million deal earlier this week, sending ripples — and plenty of confusion — through the fashion community. We’ve been fans of the brand for years, so writer Kitty Guo rounded up a few pieces that may be worth stocking up on before any further major changes take place, like our best less-expensive black T-shirt. Writer Brenley Goertzen says it holds its weight against more expensive picks thanks to its breathable 100 percent organic-cotton makeup and a fit that “strikes a perfect balance between not-too-baggy and not-too-fitted.” And it just so happens to be on sale for Memorial Day.

A mineral-sunscreen boom is upon us, says writer Arielle Avila, who’s noticed many new formulas with claims that feel too good to be true — could they really be hydrating, lightweight, and, most importantly, sheer? She spent several weeks and many sweaty runs trying out seven of the latest ones. Korres’ came out on top: “It’s lightweight but not too runny, similar to a serum. I didn’t need to rub it in too vigorously for it to sink into my skin. Instead, it absorbed after just a few swipes and left the most subtle glow.” She still reaches for it the most, especially on no-makeup days.

Writer Emma Wartzman has been a fan of Misen’s Gestura cooking spoon for years now. While several new players have entered the cooking-spoon space since, like Hedley & Bennett’s Utility Spoon, Misen’s recently released set of five is smart and multipurpose. It includes a plating spoon, slotted spoon, measuring spoon, scraper spoon, and serrated spoon. What may appear as a bunch of spoons to some is a trove of possibilities to others. The serrated spoon surprised Wartzman the most. “This one is the least intuitive of the bunch but perhaps the most innovative,” she says. “I’ve used it to scoop and then slice avocado halves. I can see it being great for cutting into any cobbler-style dessert this summer too.”

While the benefits of press-on nails weren’t necessarily new to Avila — no dry time, less nail damage, and less money spent on salon visits — she’d always worried they’d look like press-ons or end up coming undone. So she tried a bunch to see if any could prove her wrong. Chill House’s did just that. Avila says they were incredibly durable, staying put through nearly a week’s worth of hot showers, heavy lifting at the gym, and doing dishes. “I still have the nails saved for reuses (the highest compliment for press-ons), and they feel as sturdy as they did when I first unboxed them,” she says.

It’s hard to list every reason why Weber’s grill topped our recently updated list of the best charcoal grills, as recommended by chefs and grilling experts. The 22-inch version is the perfect size “to cook more than 15 burgers or a pork butt, a full-size brisket, or a couple of chickens” and comes equipped with an ash catcher that makes for easy clean-ups. Plus there’s myriad other ways to manipulate the grill for cooking as you please, according to chef Kristopher Kostow, who grew up watching his father flip burgers on a Weber. “There’s a little bit of Americana in there,” he says.

Beauty writer Krista Bennett DeMaio asked makeup artists Danessa Myricks and Ashlee Glazer for easy ways to make your makeup look better, for those who think they’re “bad” at makeup. Turns out it’s not so hard — a lot of it comes down to having the right tools and knowing how to use them. Glazer says everyone should own a makeup sponge. “I love a Beautyblender,” she says. “It should be used damp, not dry — everything just melts into the skin.” Myricks agrees: “If you think you’ve blended enough, blend a little bit more.”