What is the BEST thing that you’ve bought recently? I don’t care what category—I’ve been in a bit of a rut… I’m the GGIC (Gift Giver in Chief) of my fam and would love some fresh ideas as we enter the holidays.

Question

Rachel G · Answer

Omnilux red light: Is it expensive? Yes. Does it work? Also yes. Must be consistent but really brings down inflammation- didn’t have a single pimple while using this 3-5 days a week

Rachel G · Answer

Jimmy fairly sunnies: I’ve never seen anyone look bad in a pair of Jimmys. Never. This company has nailed the perfect price point for quality sunglasses. PLUS you get a cute tote to take around town with purchase and I’m a sucker for a tote. Worth every penny imo.

Mary · Answer

Piper & Leaf Tea Co.: I just ordered some of Piper & Leaf’s new holistic tea blends to try! I’ve been drinking their tea for years. They are based in Alabama and have their own farm for growing ingredients used in their tea blends. They started out in farmers markets here over 10 years ago, and they’re still a family-owned and operated. I love gifting their teas!

Darragh · Answer

Piano Lessons for my 40 year old son.: Because life is better wth music and he really wanted to learn to play piano, his partner gave him an electronic one but finding the time to start to learn was not happening. So 5 one hour lessons already paid for with a learned teacher in Monpelier VT. The Monteverdi Music School. info@monteverdimusic.org  |  802-229-9000

Sarah Cooney · Answer

Fellow Stagg EKG Electric Kettle: This has changed my life! Oh my goodness. I'm a big iced coffee drinker but my husband prefers hot coffee and I also drink about five cups of tea a day. This kettle is AMAZING. Not only does it make me actually think about what I'm doing (otherwise the hot water spills everywhere), I can set it remotely to run every morning AND it keeps the water hot in case I set it running then forget about it for an hour. Plus it will tell you what to do when making tea/coffee. It's life-changing!

Angie · Answer

An Oversized Stripe from Target: It appears to be out of stock, but other colorways are still available. I purchased an XL (wear a medium) on a whim and couldn’t love the fit more.

Present Perfect · Answer

Flamingo Estate Personalized Heritage Olive Oil: Hits the perfect present trifecta: Beautiful. Useful. Personalized. Flamingo Estate is a safe bet no matter the occasion, though the pantry stuffers in particular make for excellent, pre-wrapped gifts to keep on hand.

Catherine Davis · Answer

Lifepro Biocare Cold Sore Device: Deeply unsexy rec but this thing works. I used it at the first tingle (iykyk) and it kept the sore very small (smaller than the size of a lentil) and then instead of it getting bigger or blistering, by day 2 it was almost gone. Life changing. (I still took Valtrex at the same time though bc I’m afraid to give it up. I also continued with Quantum Health Lysine ointment but make sure there’s none on your lip when you use the device bc the red light needs to get into all the layers of the skin.) It’s unfortunately not inexpensive but after suffering since I was a teen with cold sores it’s worth every penny to me.

Jess · Answer

Shakti Mat: Yes, it's covered in spikes. They will press all the tension and sadness out of your muscles and leave you feeling like melted butter. I use mine at least three times a week.

Jess · Answer

Marabou chocolate: I used to think I didn't like chocolate. I have since realized that I only like chocolate that tastes like it's made for a small European child. This is the perfect example of that experience.

Jess · Answer

Dolce Vita Reyes Ballet Flats Cranberry: I bought these shoes based on this rec, and now I own three pairs: cranberry, gold, and sparkly black. They are indeed both comfortable and cute! I love them so much that I've started designing my outfits around them - my new favorite shoe!

Sophia Lucchesi · Answer

oversized ziggy: I’ve long wanted one of Perfect White Tee’s Ziggy sweatshirts, but was worried about sizing (long torso + big chest = crop top I didn’t ask for). The oversized Ziggy has a longer torso length and is so damn comfortable. I want them in every color (I’m a size 12/38F and a medium fits me perfectly - still roomy and cozy, but has enough torso room).

JV · Answer

Universal Book Recorder: Hands DOWN this voice recorder rocks. Before I travelled last week, I loaded it up with a bunch of books, jokes, and short stories for my 3-year-old daughter. I didn’t need to buy any add-on cards etc, I just cracked open some of our favorites, and now she can follow along. She’s been using it non-stop, apparently. Breaking my heart/it’s so sweet that she’s self-soothing with it. It’s cool and lo-fi which makes it 💯x easier to use than Yoto Player…(DGMW, I love Yoto but it’s got some technical issues, IMO).