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What Readers Are Buying: Electric Toothbrushes, Headphones, and Multiple Moisturisers

Photo-Illustration: retailers

Welcome to Your Shopping Cart, wherein we break out the top-ten products that you, devoted Strategist UK readers, all 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’s roundup of the stuff Strategist UK readers have bought features our biggest month ever for skin care — 50 percent of the products are moisturisers, creams, or lotions. It also includes six new entries, including an Oral-B toothbrush we can’t stop talking about, noise-cancelling headphones, and the acetone our writer Rio uses to look after her nails at home.

This gel moisturiser debuted at No. 7 last month and has gone on to be the most-purchased product in April. It comes in two forms: a water-based moisturiser, which was featured in our roundup of the best moisturisers for dry skin (according to dermatologists), and a thicker, cream-based option. Both products contain hyaluronic acid and glycerin, which help lock in moisture while still feeling airy and lightweight.

It shouldn’t be too much of a surprise that people are taking extra care with their plants at the moment. The most-bought item last month is down one place this month: a plant mister we first featured in this recommended-by-experts story. Lisa Muñoz, interior plant designer and founder of Leaf and June, says this bottle is “typically something you’d see in salons,” but it’s her favourite mister for plants. “It’s small and lightweight, even when full of water, and it creates a gentle, steady mist.”

This foaming cleanser by CeraVe, which has gone up one place this month, was featured in our roundup of the best face washes for oily skin, where it was deemed the best overall by a number of our experts. Dr. Michelle Park, of Washington Square Dermatology, said it’s a gentle product that’s suitable for all skin types.

The Bordy is a Strategist UK staple (we have two in our London office), and the water-retaining bird has been selling highly ever since the Guardian’s Coco Khan first told us about how it saved her plants from dying. It’s gone down one place from March, but maybe that’s because we’re spending more time watering our plants ourselves.

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When we asked dermatologists about the best body lotions for dry skin, this simple, fragrance-free cream was recommended by five out of six of them. The all-round hydrating treatment, which makes its debut on our most-bought this month, contains ceramides and hyaluronic acid, which help attract and retain moisture to the skin.

This matte moisturiser was first brought to our attention by Hadley King, a clinical instructor of dermatology at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University. King says it uses “sebulyse technology” to target excess oil, “the brand’s proprietary new anti-sebum ingredient” (sebum being the substance secreted by your body’s oil-producing glands).

A potentially lifesaving addition to any work-from-home situation, these headphones were the eighth-most-purchased item this month. They have 2,641 reviews on Amazon — 74 percent of which are five stars. Reviewers say the battery life is astonishing, and the noise-cancelling is so good that one reviewer, who owns a boat, says they silenced the noise of his diesel marine engine.

Another new entry, this fragrance-free cream came recommended by four dermatologists, particularly for “extremely dry skin.” Dr. Annie Chiu says she is a big fan of this one because of its density. “Severely dry skin typically calls for a thicker cream, balm, or ointment because they can trap in moisture better.”

This dentist-approved toothbrush (which oscillates up to 44,000 times per minute) makes its first appearance in our most-bought. It features soft bristles, a pressure sensor, and a timer — all things our experts said are worth looking out for when buying a new toothbrush.

10. Mylee Pure Acetone
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£10

Staff writer Rio wrote a guide to (safely) removing your gel, SNS, or acrylic manicure at home, asking nail tech Fleury Rose for advice. “Typically, this is not something I would ever suggest trying at home,” said Rio. “Done incorrectly, it can badly damage your nail bed. But with salons closed, many of us don’t have much of a choice.” This acetone forms part of her routine; you can read it in full here.

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.

What Strategist Readers Are Buying This Month