An all-over-the-place assortment of stood-behind products culled from this very website that appear in the July 31 issue of New York Magazine.
Best in Class
When Strategist writer Dominique Pariso reached out to bar owners and winemakers to find the best plastic wineglasses, only one stemmed version made the cut. For those who want a real glass feel without the fragility of the actual thing, it’s the Isabella Acrylic Goblet from tableware brand Juliska. According to Arden Montgomery Gilfillan, a sommelier and co-founder of wine club Argaux, the Isabella’s two rows of embossed trim and dramatic shape give it a more sophisticated look for, say, a backyard wedding, a summer party, or just making an evening glass of wine on the fire escape slightly fancier. It’s made of durable acrylic, so there is no need to worry about broken glass in the pool, and its goblet shape means it’s “versatile for red, white, and rosé,” says Gilfillan. And for those worried about how their Whispering Angel will taste coming from plastic (albeit very nice-looking plastic), Lucy Devlin, the vice-president of wine at Naked Wines, says not to be. “Plastic wineglasses don’t impact the taste,” she says. “Drink out of whatever you like.”
Celebrity Shopping
“When I’m not medicating my eczema, I’ll use this shea butter because my legs are super-dry and I want as much moisture as possible. It’s a female-run company that I learned about from a friend years ago. I also used it on my nipples when I was pregnant and when I was postpartum. I give it as gifts, too—I put it in Christmas stockings every year. The grapefruit scent is my favorite right now.”
“I do not buy new leather. So when I’m looking at bags that are good quality, it’s limited to Stella McCartney’s, which I love but are expensive, and Matt & Nat’s, which are well made and cool and more affordable. They are made of recycled water bottles, so they’re more sustainable than most vegan leather. I have four or five of them.”
“I have charge anxiety, so I have this near me at all times. In fact, I have two of them in case I need to charge my portable charger. It’s like something out of Inception: a whole metaverse of chargers and things that charge my chargers. I like this one because it’s slim, very sleek, and just feels like another phone in many ways.”
This Thing’s Incredible
Like many sick little Max-inistas out there, I’ve spent the salad days of this apocalyptic summer hate-watching The Idol. This means I’m also now following its star Lily-Rose Depp. So far, my journey has mostly been a gorgeous waste of time, but I have learned something: Depp can’t seem to get enough of these German orthopedic cork-wedge sandals by Wörishofer. As far as I can tell, Depp has been freaking it in these sandals since September 2021. According to a 2010 Slate article, Wörishofers became fashionable in the U.S. around 2006 when Lucky declared them “chic” and “ridiculously comfortable.” It makes sense that Depp, who was 7 years old at the time, would be discovering these shoes now, but she accomplishes something no nepo baby has done before: She makes these “grandma shoes” look hot. I had to have a pair, so I ordered them in red. The curve of the sandals’ wedge, the generous toe cleavage, the dainty perforations on the leather, and the cute buckle all screamed, “Touch me, touch me, touch me.” –—Emilia Petrarca
Please Advise
In his latest column, Chris Black heard from a reader who wanted to know if no-show socks were in style, to which he responded, “No-show socks are a crime.” He recommended the following crews instead.
“Buy a pack of these and stop thinking so much. They have no visible logos, they stay in place, and they’re cheap.”
“I buy the basic ribbed-knit navy version in bulk year-round, but there are several flavors available. I was shopping with a friend recently who bought a few pairs in red. Go crazy.”
I Keep Seeing This
“I can’t remember the first time I saw the Savant Studios trucker hat, but once I noticed it, it seemed to be everywhere— always at cool-people watering holes like Cafe Erzulie or on Tompkins Avenue on a warm day. One time I saw three in a single day, and at that point I knew one of two things had happened: Either I missed an important trucker-hat-purchasing meeting or it was blowing up. The hat is versatile; I’ve seen it peeking out from beneath a puffy scarf in the winter or paired with a black tank top in 80-degree heat. It accessorizes box braids and hugs Afros, obscuring the forehead but announcing the wearer’s affiliation, saying something about the kind of person you are or aspire to be. For Alex, a creative director at TikTok, it means family: “It’s an invisible string that ties us all together.” —Tembe Denton Hurst
Retail Secrets
We asked nine Sephora employees, many of whom are trained and licensed makeup artists or skin-care experts, for their insider wisdom on what’s actually worth buying. —Chloe Anello
Foundation is the favorite in-store purchase.
The most passionate endorsement was
for Charlotte Tilbury’s Hollywood Flawless Filter. Despite the price, customers consistently splurge on it. With good reason: According to one beauty adviser, it has an actual blurring effect and a buildable texture that few other foundations offer.
Rare Beauty isn’t the only blush worth the employee discount.
Rare Beauty is highly requested among customers, but if its liquid blush is out of stock, one beauty adviser recommended this blush from Danessa Myricks Beauty: “I’m going to buy more because I love to give my entire paycheck back to the company.”
The perfume sets are a legitimately good value.
While full-size bottles of perfume fly off the shelves during sales events, the best year-round deals are the sets labeled “Sephora Favorites,” said the employees. One associate explained, “If you spend $85 on ten samples, you get a full-size of your choosing for free.”
Don’t come to Sephora for the hair care.
None of the associates considered Sephora the best place to shop for hair-care products. “You can find better and cheaper products from Target,” said one employee.” But multiple said its hair-growth items are worthwhile, especially Vegamour’s. “I haven’t seen it get returned,” said another employee.
The Dyson Airwrap gets returned a lot.
But one New York City–based employee hasn’t noticed any returns yet for the Shark, which is also cheaper. Many felt the Dyson wasn’t worth the splurge in the end. “For the price of the Dyson, I would go get a membership at an actual blowout salon,” she said.
Sephora Collection makes amazing dupes.
One said its concealer is a great $16-cheaper dupe for Tarte’s Shape Tape: “Personally, I like it more.” Another described the powder foundation as a dupe for Kosas’s. And a third pointed us to the brush-cleaner, which she said is “literally the same” as Cinema Secrets’.
2x2
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 acne treatments, rolling luggage, pillows for side sleepers, natural anxiety remedies, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
