What Strategist Readers Are Buying: Black Friday Edition

This CosRX snail mucin was a reader favorite on Prime Day, and it’s back on sale — for the cheapest we’ve seen it since January. If you need a refresher, this K-beauty staple can hydrate and retexturize dry and acne-prone skin, according to our beauty columnist Rio Viera-Newton, who has beenrecommending itsince 2018.

Strategist readers love ZimaSilk’s pillowcase; itfrequentlyappearson our list of thetop products readers buy each month, often in thetop spot. And it’s a top seller again, at 20 percent off. While it’s “thinner and more textured” than other, more expensivesilk pillowcases, according to our writer Tembe Denton-Hurst, “it’s still soft and a good option if you’re making the shift from satin or don’t want to spend a lot of money.” Certain colors are as low as $19 today for Cyber Monday as part of a lightning deal, but even if that deal ends, you can still find most colors discounted by 20 percent or more.

AnotherrepeatStrategist reader favorite(that was a top seller for a year straight), thiselectric toothbrushis the one writer Arielle Avila bought back in 2020 when she first upgraded from a manual brush. It has all the main features dentists recommend, she says, but its price point makes it a great entry-level brush. Its soft bristles and pressure sensor helped protect her teeth from hard brushing, and its built-in two-minute quadrant timer ensured every area of her mouth got an even clean.

Every year, our gift-obsessed team of writers and editors compiles a list of hundreds of unusual gifts for every type of giftee, and this year, this “trippy nightlight” from Brewfish was one of their suggestions forgifts under $50. You can change the almost-lifelike jellyfish between 16 different colors.

Everlane’s been pulling out all the stops on its sales recently, and these black work pants have become a quick favorite. These Dream Pants are our pick for the best pull-onwork pants for women— but they’re comfortable enough to wear even if you have no desire to commute. Writer Ambar Pardilla tested them while working from home and said they felt more like “really well-madesweatpants.”

Among all the portablecarpet and upholstery cleanersout there, Bissell’s classic Little Green reigns supreme (especially if you can believe all of those incredibly satisfying TikToks). It gently lifts stains and dirt from secondhand furniture, and it’s especially great for pet owners who need a quick way to refresh furniture.

The Waterpik Aquarius — named ourbest overall water flosser— is yet another perennial favorite, landing in ourtop monthly productsmultipletimesoverthe years. Six dental experts recommend it above all other water flossers because it has the strongest engine on the market, meaning it gives the best clean. And while New York-based writer Arielle Avila said it was too large for her bathroom countertops, it’s a great choice for anyone with plenty of space, and its large water tank means you never have to refill it while flossing, which was the case with more compact models she tested.

It’s not the sexiest gift, but the right person will appreciate receiving this fleece heating pad. (One new mom told us that it’s one of the items she wished she’d put on her registry: “My neck got so sore that I developed ’mommy thumb.’ Because, apparently, the fascia is all connected.”)

While Black Friday and Cyber Monday are often billed as holiday-shopping events, they’re also a good time to stock up on super-discounted basics such as hair-care products, and it seems readers are doing just that with thisdry shampoo. This formula from French drugstore brand Klorane is especially good for thin hair or people with super-greasy scalps, and because it’s nonaerosol, it’s a bit better for the environment.

Brooklinen’s Super-Plus Robe is a favorite for holiday gifting — and is ourfavorite fluffy bathrobe. Our editor Maxine Builder bought one for her momlast Black Friday, as did our managing editor Kelsie Schrader (though she bought hers the quick-drying waffle robe version).