Going-Out Nikes and Resuable Post-its: What You Missed on the Strategist Daily Newsletter

“I love how a blotted lip looks, but it’s usually the first part of my makeup to come off — and constantly reapplying lip product is annoying. I finally found the solution in Maybelline Super Stay Teddy Lip Tint. It’s a liquid lip tint that gives me that elusive smudged-lip look and actually stays on all day. I picked up one in the mauvey-pink shade Kneehigh and it lasted through my birthday dinner and drinks afterward. What’s especially nice about it — aside from the drugstore price point — is that it’s buildable from a sheer wash of color up to a bolder lipstick look. I now own it in three other colors: the warm pink Petalcore, the classic red July Forever, and the darker red Wild at Heart.” —Margaret Eby, contributor

“In December, I saw a girl at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles wearing a prim pencil skirt with a pair of sneakers that gave me a (mild) shock. They were black with strips of shine and had nubby, airborne heels that were a bit sci-fi, a bit stodgy, familiar yet new. I discreetly took a photo and found (via Google image search) that they were black Nike Shox.

My Shox now add an element of unexpectedness when paired with secondhand Simone Rocha dresses and vintage evening purses. The toes are tipped and pointed, and the kittenlike lift of the heels gives me fleet feet on my long walks to the office. For an extra touch, I added a pearl charm that I got from work threaded on a gold chain to the laces. Charming, indeed. ” —Leigh Plessner, contributor

I’m an obsessive collector of kitchen tongs. They’re a tool I’m constantly reaching for, whether it’s the big-daddy long tongs I use for grilling or the sleek little kitchen tweezers I reach for when I’m finessing vegetables in a cast-iron pan. But the ones I reach for most are these brilliant all-stainless-steel Cuisipro basket tongs. I picked them up on a whim about ten years ago, and they quickly became one of the most used tools in my kitchen. Not only are they more efficient for mixing salad ingredients than slimmer-tipped tongs, the baskets on the edge also make them ideal for nabbing pasta out of a pot of water or scooping fritters out of hot oil. —M.E.

“Tiny but mighty, one of my most underrated tools for baking is this sauce whisk. It’s small and definitely not meant for whipping up a cake batter, but for making a small batch of chocolate ganache to drizzle on a cake or a lemon glaze? It’s perfect. Unlike classic whisks, this one has a flat bottom rather than a balloon shape and is the best for dissolving powders like espresso or cocoa into a small amount of liquid. Its nimble size and shape has made it one of my most-reached-for tools for almost every recipe.” — Audrey Leonard, Red Current Bakery

“I gravitate toward offset serrated knives because they simply work better for bread. Unlike traditional serrated knives, this knife lets you apply pressure from above while keeping the blade level, which matters when you’re slicing through a well-set crust. The thin blade moves cleanly without tearing or compressing the crumb. I also like how the offset handle keeps your knuckles clear and your motion steady, so the cut feels controlled rather than forced. My favorite, from King Arthur Baking, features a high-carbon steel blade, a rosewood handle, and brass rivets that set it apart. It’s a straightforward, well-designed tool that respects the bread and makes consistent slices feel easy.” — Aran Goyoaga, author of The Art of Gluten-Free Bread

“It’s surprisingly hard to find a good long-sleeve shirt that is both flattering and comfortable. When I ventured into the newly opened Los Angeles Apparel store on Broadway, I immediately flocked over to its Baby Rib 3/4 Sleeve Boatneck Top. I was allured by the various color offerings: a soft pink, a fiery red, a classy slate, and a couple of striped options as well. Trying them on, I was not disappointed. The fabric, at 100 percent cotton, is incredibly soft, and I love how the neckline is just slightly curved to create a pleasing silhouette. This shirt finally feels like a long-sleeve I can wear as a top and not just stacked between jackets and sweaters. And when I do use it as a layering piece, the multiple colorways allow me to boost my outfit with a small pop of color. I am hoping to collect them all, like Pokémon cards.” —Chloe Xiang, New York senior social editor

“While the items I cover regularly, like chef’s knives and skillets, are obvious all-stars of the kitchen, sometimes more unassuming tools that are just as vital get left out of the conversation. This set of nesting stainless-steel mixing bowls takes up only as much space as the largest, but the various sizes come in handy for — truly, I mean it! — everything. I use them to toss salads and vegetables, to defrost and marinate meat, and to organize ingredients. I use the smallest size nearly every morning to beat scrambled eggs, and many nights to whisk dressings and sauces. There are fancier, prettier versions out there, but those are often cumbersome and expensive. Stainless steel is lightweight, indestructible, and a breeze to clean — which I do by hand since chances are I’ll need one again sooner than I’ll run a dishwasher cycle.” —Emma Wartzman, senior kitchen and dining writer

“A portable battery might not seem like the most romantic gift in the world, but that’s only until you consider what it symbolically represents: comfort, care, and safety. Owning a good powerbank means they’re always able to order an Uber late at night, listen to their favorite playlist on the train home, and use Maps to find the nearest bathroom. Also, nobody ever wants to buy one of these for themselves — they’re just slightly too expensive, and annoying to research. If I didn’t already own one, I’d absolutely love to receive Anker’s laptop power bank as a Valentine’s Day token. Or else this slimmer MagGo powerbank that sticks to the back of an iPhone and happens to come in pink.” —Katherine Gillespie, writer

“Last week, I realized I desperately needed warmer running pants to get me through the rest of winter. Already a fan of its regular leggings, I called in a pair of Bandit’s new Superwarm Cold Weather tights to test.

I love how soft they are; the top half is lined with a thick layer of fleecelike knit, and the lower half, while still fleece, is thinner and less restrictive. It was nine degrees Fahrenheit (with a windchill of negative eight) when I started my run on Saturday. Throughout my eight-mile run (and my 30-minute commute to the start), my legs never felt chilly. Even better, they never got overheated either. Dare I say, I actually enjoyed running in the subzero temps? I loved them so much I bought the pants version.” —Ashley Wolfgang, newsletter editor

“My mom, a fellow stationery obsessive, introduced me to these Post-it Tabs. They’re stiff, sticky, and infinitely reusable. I put them in my Hobonichi Techo Cousin planner to differentiate the month and weekly sections. I love their rounded edges and soft translucent colors and the fact that they come in different sizes. They stick securely but also come off easily without leaving a residue. I don’t write on them, but I imagine doing so would feel really pleasurable, given their smooth, matte finish. They’re great for when you want to implement a flexible, sturdy index system in a planner, journal, or notebook.” —Lauren Ro, senior writer

After maxing out our Ikea Kallax shelves, my husband became obsessed with finding the best way to organize all of our kids’ books and found the solution in our first-grader’s school library. He literally turned over a box in the library to see where it was from, and it was this. You can stand up the books like a display and keep them neatly stacked, so you can easily flip through them to find the book you’re looking for. They’re great for big picture books and smaller chapter books, depending on the size bin you get. —L.R.

“Fable & Mane’s Detangling Leave-in Conditioner is $30, which feels fair considering how incredibly healthy it makes my hair look and feel. But it’s a ridiculous price to pay for my 4-year-old daughter, whose own hair — long, soft, shiny — could be washed with dish soap and remain enviably gorgeous. Nonetheless, I can’t seem to stop dousing her head with it after every bath, and it’s all because of the scent: an amazing warm floral blend of saffron, nutmeg, rose, and jasmine with hints of incense and sandalwood. I could easily buy a great kids’ detangler for a third of the price at twice the size, but this spray is just that good.” —Martha Tuber, deals writer

“I’m a heavy sweater. My holy grail? The SweatBlock antiperspirant wipes. I use one wipe under my arms before I go to bed once a week, and it helps keep me dry for up to seven days. They’re also great as a full-body deodorant, and I’ve used them to treat other areas of my body that are prone to heavy perspiration, like under my boobs. I’ve used these consistently for the past six years — for everything from outdoor summer parties to steamy subway commutes in July — and they’ve never let me down.” —Dominique Pariso, writer

Having multiple charging cables snaking limply from outlets throughout my home is a necessary evil of modern life, and certainly not an aesthetic choice. But then there’s the Charger. It looks like a sculptural, space-age hockey puck, has a four-foot USB-C cord that retracts instead of just sitting there like a wet noodle (and makes it super-portable), and comes in five lovely, muted colors. I currently own one (in Heaven, a pale blue — though two more, in pine-colored Evergreen and the rusty red Oxide, are en route), and not only does it juice up even my Macbook Air as fast as those other (boring) name-brand chargers, it’s an actual pleasure to have in plain sight. — M.T.