Welcome to Your Shopping Cart, wherein we break out the top-ten products that you, devoted Strategist UK readers, bought in droves. Think of this as the TL;DR of the Strategist UK: If your like-minded brethren are buying these items, maybe you’d like to as well.
This month, the usual suspects continue to be must-haves for Strategist readers, such as a foaming cleanser, spray bottle, and gel moisturiser (which was on sale during Prime Day). But there are some new entries, too, like a star projector that’s perfect for kids and a highly rated (and very quiet) tower fan.
This month, the Neutrogena gel moisturiser took the top spot once more, and June marks the product’s 15th month in our top ten. One reason it might have overtaken the Flairosol bottle: It was half price during Prime Day, though it’s now back to full price again. The light and cooling moisturiser comes recommended by experts for dry-skin types, the rosacea prone, and even pregnant women. It contains glycerin and hyaluronic acid, meaning it can hydrate skin without the need for emollients, which can make skin feel heavy. It’s free of both alcohol and oil, too, and converted staff writer Chris Mandle, who orders a jar every month.
Once more, the Flairosol spray bottle has been one of our best sellers. June marks the 14th month that this mister has been in our top ten, with Lisa Muñoz, interior plant designer and founder of Leaf and June, calling it “small and lightweight, even when full of water, and it creates a gentle, steady mist.” You can find more plant misters (all recommended by experts) in our comprehensive guide. (And if you want plants to mist, read our beginner guide here).
Though our most-bought is dominated by the Neutrogena gel moisturiser and the Flairosol mister, our third entry has remained strong month on month, too. The Cerave foaming cleanser has now spent 12 months in our most-bought — a rare accolade — and it hasn’t moved since last month. It was first featured in our roundup of the best face washes for oily skin, where it was called a gentle product, suitable for all skin types. Dr. Michelle Park of Washington Square Dermatology told us that because foaming washes get deeper into your pores than creamier solutions, they can leave the skin feeling dry. “It’s important to remember to continue to moisturise the face,” she said.
These soft, squidgy, and chewable building blocks debuted in our top ten last month, and have gone up four places since then. Natasha Crookes, director of public affairs and communications at the British Toy and Hobby Association, recommended interlinking tactile cubes for little ones at this age, but also said that soft toys are an important consideration, since 1-year-olds are still very much in the teething zone.
This personalised book first made an appearance in our top ten back in April, and it’s now risen two places since then, to No. 5. It was featured in our look at the best gifts for 1-year-olds and came recommended by Siobhan Freegard, founder of channelmum.com, who said children love hearing stories about themselves, so this is a fun way to make story time more personal.
This charming wooden piano first appeared in our most-bought in March 2020, and has been a mainstay for the last three months, too. Experts told us this makes a great gift for 1-year-olds, thanks to the magic-touch technology, and it also has a dial for controlling the volume, should little ones enjoy it a little too much.
Our first new entry this month comes courtesy of these magnetic cubes. Good Play Guide founder Amanda Gummer says putting blocks together and pulling them apart will help develop kids their fine-motor skills and encourage collaborative play. These colourful magnetic cubes are a great choice, says Gummer, as they are easy for little hands to manipulate.
Our third new entry this month is the best-rated quiet tower fan on Amazon (according to hyperenthusiastic reviewers). Over 200 customers mentioned the barely perceptible noise levels in their reviews; one five-star review said the sound was so unobtrusive they could watch TV with this fan on in the background. It even comes with a white noise option.
This aerosol-style SPF by Garnier debuted at No. 9 last month, and has dropped one place in June. Conservation expert Katie Fidzcuk-Sterry, who spends the majority of her working week outside from spring to autumn, told us this offers “broad-spectrum protection, is totally sweat-resistant and doesn’t irritate my skin.” She also likes that the spray applicator makes it quick and easy to reapply, and that it’s nongreasy, no matter how many times she reapplies.
Our fourth new entry, and tied for tenth place this month, is another warm-weather beating fan. It was the best-rated desk fan in our guide, with a total of 680 positive reviews mentioning how powerful it was. These included someone who bought it to keep them cool during their intense Peloton workouts, while another customer used it to keep her Bernese mountain dog cool during the summer, as she could point it directly at his face
The Strategist UK is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Read about who we are and what we do here. Our editors update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.