16 Things That Delighted Us Last Week: From High V-Necks to Mini Duckheads

“Peppermint spirits are a cure-all when you’re feeling off,” actressMay Hongtold us this week when we asked her about the items she can’t live without. Sure, taking them feels a bit like drinking mouthwash at first, but “when you have trapped gas or any other gastrointestinal issues, or if you’re just hungover, a dropperful in a tall glass of water helps a lot,” she says.

Just like formulas from Skinceuticals and Dr. Barbara Sturm, this serum from L’Oréal has two different molecular sizes of hyaluronic acid. “One is going to penetrate deeper, one’s going to stay a little bit more superficial,” says dermatologistDr. Michelle Henry. So, as temperatures continue to drop, she says this is a great time to incorporate it. “I put it on my skin before I put on moisturizer,” she adds.

Strategist senior writer Liza Corsillo’s son’s favorite toy is this littlepicture-book projectorthat falls somewhere between being a screen-free audio player, like theYotoor theToniebox, and an actual TV. Each set comes with three Little Golden Book stories, so your kid can immerse themselves in multiple worlds. But as Corsillo says, “Most of the time my son is quite content to watchThe Very Lonely Fireflyover and over while lounging on his play couch or in a blanket fort.”

According to Strategist writer Ambar Pardilla, ahigh V-neck“does for the base of the throat what a scoopneck does for the middle of the chest,” which is to highlight “the sinews of the neck.” It’s this hint of skin, Pardilla says, “which is baring rather than naked …and makes me think the best V-neck is a high V-neck,” she says. As of late, she’s seen them on everyone from Gigi Hadid to Jordan Bickham to Emilia Petrarca. If you’d like to get in on the trend, this $30 baby tee from Madewell is a great place to start.

Cosmetic dermatologistDr. Jessie Cheunghas designed her sleep setup to promote muscle relaxation and prevent wrinkles. In addition to a custom mouthguard and avagal-nerve stimulatorto calm her nervous system, she relies on this blanket every night. “I don’t really understand how it works, but there’s something proprietary woven into the fabric that is supposed to relax your muscles,” she says. “It sounds very woo-woo, I know. But I sleep very well with the blanket.”

Last week, Strategist senior writer Lauren Ro gave herDavek mini-umbrellaa rave review, and this week, our writer Katherine Gillespie wrote about the British brand Original Duckhead’s new release: a “(much more affordable but just as pocketable) rival design” to its famous duck-head-handed umbrella. “I have a feeling that we’re heading into a Tiny Umbrella Winter,” adds Gillespie inthe latest installment of “Don’t Dillydally.”

Our beauty columnist Rio Viero-Newton says her first real encounter with beauty was watching her mom, Cristina Viera-Newton, who is now in her 70s, get ready. So it only made sense that in honor of Wrinkles Week,Rio and her mom and sisterwould sit down to talk skin care — specifically their respect for sunscreen, appreciation for Dr. Loretta everything, and infatuation with this moisturizing spray that Rio’s sister discovered in Japan. “It’s the closest thing I’ve found to a spray-on moisturizer,” her mom adds. “It’s also a really nice, fine spritz.”

“Ask any tea connoisseur and they’ll tell you that choosing a teapot that serves your particular needs is just as important as investing in high-quality leaves,” writes Strategist contributor Oset Babür-Winter. As such, she tapped some tea lovers for theirteapot recommendations, which included this one from Parisian homeware brand Degrenne. “Its best feature is a hidden interior felt layer that keeps the tea hot for longer than other porcelain vessels,” she adds.

The best gift Larroudé co-founderMarina Larroudéever received from her husband was this infrared sauna. “It’s the thing that I use the most and when I’m traveling it’s the thing that I miss the most because I really like to sweat,” she adds. (And for what it’s worth, she says, “It’s cheaper than a designer handbag.”)

Since welcoming two kittens into her family last month, Strategist senior editorJen Troliois very much in the market for nice-looking cat stuff. While she’s testingTefi Pessoa’shigh-tech litter box, she recently picked up these raised feeders from Smalls. “They’re supposed to help with digestion and promote good posture as the fuzz balls are snarfing their food,” she writes. “They are quite smart-looking and, crucially, dishwasher safe.”

“We’re all looking for the same things in a bra: support without constriction and a form that complements the natural shape of your breasts,” says our senior writer Lauren Ro. Still, finding a comfortable bra that stayed in place seemed to be an impossible task until she discoveredPepper, a brand that makes smooth, moisture-wicking wireless bras for small-chested people. Her collection has grown to six, which means, she says, “I don’t have to search for another bra ever again.”

As someone with sensitive skin, comedianAlex Edelmanwould occasionally break out after his makeup artist onThe Papershaved his face and then put on a layer of makeup. So, it was only a matter of time before they turned him on to a trick of the trade: this Tend Skin solution, which prevents ingrown hairs and razor bumps. Since trying it, Edelman hasn’t had a single spot. “It’s simple and it stings when you put it on your face. That’s how you know it’s working,” he says. “I don’t go anywhere without them.”

Ahead of the holiday hosting season, Strategist junior writer Bella Druckman asked some of the most tasteful, prolific hosts she knows abouttheir favorite host giftsto give and receive. Of course, the list included classics like tubs of Maldon salt and bottles of fancy olive oil, but there were also some less-expected picks, like these rather chic wax tablets. “While Strategist senior editor Winnie Yang stores hers withher sweaters during warmer months,Mélanie Masarin, the founder of spirits-free apéritif brandGhia, says they’re like scented ‘jewelry for your closet or drawers,’” Druckman writes.