Welcome back to Your Shopping Cart, wherein we break out the top-five products that you, devoted Strategist readers, all bought in droves. Think of this as the tl;dr of the Strategist: If your like-minded brethren are buying these items, maybe you’d like to, too.
The more things change, the more they stay the same. If you’ve paid attention to some of our top-selling items from previous installments, you’ll know we’ve had a few mainstays that refuse to budge from the top five. One of them — the Shiseido facial razor — has been on every one of these lists since we started ranking items back in early May (another, the Japanese exfoliator, has been on all but the first, and that’s only because it had only been up for a few days before we debuted our top five). This week, the facial razor reclaims its top spot after slipping to number three. In second place (and debuting on this list!) is the Soapwalla natural deodorant, which has become something of a Strat MVP due to its appearance on multiple posts, followed by the Cure exfoliator, dropping from second place. In fourth place, a set of very well-reviewed and affordable bed sheets hops on the list, and bringing up the rear is the super-popular Away carry-on that we rated favorably a little while back (and, for what it’s worth, continue to love six months and several trips later.)
1. The Best Facial-Hair Remover Is This Tiny Japanese Razor
According to the Cut’s beauty editor, Kathleen Hou, “They’re small enough to fit under your chin, with enough of an edge to remove peach fuzz, yet not so sharp that they’ll nick you.” Also, the Real Housewives and Bachelor contestants swear by the technique, too.
2. The Best All-Natural Deodorant: Her Edition
Writer Alice Gregory tipped us off to the virtues of this natural deodorant cream, “which has the consistency of gritty frosting, the vague scent of lavender, and the efficacy of substances usually formulated for the military.” Its effectiveness was touted again by Of a Kind co-founder Erica Cerulo, who told us, “I don’t just like this deodorant. I’m obsessed with it. This deodorant isn’t an antiperspirant, but it has clay in it that soaks up sweat in a different way. When I started using it, I felt transformed. I had email exchanges with people about it. I remember Edith Zimmerman wrote about it, and I felt close to her. It sells like hotcakes for us.”
3. My Friends Call Me “Babyface” Thanks to This Japanese Exfoliator
A favorite since it debuted during Made in Japan week. Writer Jinnie Lee loves the Japanese exfoliator (which, legend has it, gets bought every 12 seconds in Japan) because rubbing it will cause the gel “to shed … much like the way pencil erasers leave those squiggly rubbings behind (it’s similar to a foot peel in that way).” It’s made her skin “softer, fresher, and even more youthful — never dried out or tight.”
4. The 11 Best Bedsheets on Amazon, According to Hyperenthusiastic Reviewers
From one of our most popular ever People’s Choice entries, these sheets are what Amazon reviewers consider the best wrinkle-resistant sheets you can buy: “For many years, my adult son has insisted that nothing compares to 100 percent cotton sheets with the highest possible thread count. King sheets of that caliber can cost over $1,000. After reading the reviews for these sheets, I took the gamble and purchased them for my son’s visit. He claims they are the softest and most comfortable sheets he’s ever experienced … with the added benefit that they launder very well, and come out of the dryer with minimal wrinkles. If you place them on the bed while still warm from the dryer, it looks as though the sheets have been ironed. I will continue to purchase these sheets, exclusively. The price is incredibly economical given the quality and afforded comfort.”
5. The Best Rolling Luggage, According to Frequent Fliers
Strategist senior editor Jason Chen was skeptical of this four-wheeled suitcase — until trying it. “I liked the interior of the hard-shelled suitcase, which features a full-length zip compartment on one side (for smelly clothes and shoes) and an empty free-form compartment on the other. And truly, I was a fool for ever doubting the gimmicky external USB ports. When passengers at the airport circled outlets like buzzards, I comfortably snacked on CIBO Express almonds. At our shared eight-person house in Palm Springs, I never once had to borrow or break out a charger. Of course, the suitcase’s battery itself occasionally needs to be removed and recharged (an included mini-screwdriver does the job), but it easily made it through ten nights of charging my phone. It made me wonder how I ever lived any other way.”
The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best women’s jeans, rolling luggage, pillows for side sleepers, ultra-flattering pants, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
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