At least once a week, the writers and editors on Refinery29’s Life team get into a long Slack conversation about some cool new item that’s been absolutely saving or changing or elevating our lives. So we decided to share the wealth, and highlight some of our favorite products each month.
This month we’re loving a synbiotic, a hair bow, and an app that helps you keep hydrated. And just in time for Pride, we have gender-bending swimwear and the coolest rainbow pants you’ve ever seen. Keep reading to see what else we loved in May!
At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.
Seed Daily Synbiotic
“I am currently on a gut health journey (if anyone has tips… please hit me up) and I’ve been taking Seed for the last month — an old boss of mine swore by this brand and I trust her, so I took the plunge. It’s a probiotic and a prebiotic, so you get a double dose of digestive health help in one capsule. Seed’s website claims that the pill promotes healthy skin, heart health, and supports our gut immune functions. And so far, so good.” — Elizabeth Gulino, Senior Writer
Seed DS-01® Daily Synbiotic, $, available at Seed
Loverboy Limoncello
“Last September, I went to Italy and discovered my new favorite drink while lounging at a beach club in Sorrento: a limoncello spritz. I’ve been chasing that high ever since and may just have found it in Loverboy’s new flavor, which is — you guessed it — limoncello. It tastes exactly like you’d want it to but even better, and I’m not afraid to call it the newest drink of the summer.” — EG
Loverboy Limoncello, $, available at Loverboy
Strava
“Strava is my favorite social media app. Yes, it’s an app made for logging and sharing your runs, bikes, and workouts, why do you ask?
The thing I really like about it — even more than IG, TikTok, and (obviously) Twitter — is that there’s more intimacy than on other platforms. Instead of seeing the highlight reel, you know when your friends are injured, having a slow day, or having a record-breaking hike or run. In other words, it’s more real. The app also makes it easy to keep your privacy settings so you’re only viewing and sharing workouts with people you really know, like, and admire, which is great for personalization (and safety).
Rather than just “liking” a friend’s post, you can dish out “kudos,” which just feels super friendly and speaks to the “Midwestern nice” in me.
And the app is only going to get more social in the coming months, as they just launched a “clubs and groups interface” for deeper community interaction, and you can also now join larger “group challenges” if you’re in a fitness funk. I learned all about this recently at the brand’s event, Camp Strava, and am now one stride closer to deleting all my social apps but Strava (especially Twitter LOL). — Molly Longman, Senior Staff Writer
H&M Hair Bow
“Yes, this is a hair bow, which is technically a beauty product. But my super smart colleague Hannah Rimm says if something makes me feel good, it’s a wellness item and should therefore be in this slideshow. And this H&M number (which is on sale!) makes me feel GREAT.” — Carli Whitwell, Senior Editorial Director
H&M Hair Clip with Bow, $, available at H&M
The Guest by Emma Cline
I didn’t actually buy this latest read from Emma Cline about a 22-year-old grifter in the Hamptons – I borrowed it from the public library! It was sooo good, I cancelled plans and went to bed at 9 p.m. two days in a row so I could power read it. — CW
Amazon The Guest: A Novel, $, available at Amazon
TomboyX Swim
“My gender expression is relatively fluid and it can be hard to find swimwear that feels right all the time. As summer approaches, I’ve found myself endlessly drawn to TomboyX’s entire swim line. I especially love this top as it’s both full coverage for my DDs and is a feminine cut with out being too girly. I also love their compression tops and shorts for my more masculine days. But my favorite thing about TomboyX is their size range — going up to 6X I absolutely love to recommend them to all my friends no matter where they exist on the gender spectrum.” — Hannah Rimm, Senior Life Editor
TomboyX Swim Triangle Top – Black, $, available at TomboyX
Parachute Sateen Duvet Cover
“My wife and I bought our first big girl, luxurious duvet cover a few years ago and loved it to absolute shreds. And I mean actual shreds — we ripped a hole in it so large we had to tie it together so our IKEA comforter insert wouldn’t fall out. We chose this Parachute duvet cover in cream because we thought it would be perfect going into the summer months — and we were right. Our previous duvet was a bit heavier, but this sateen dream has perfectly transitioned us through spring — it’s warm, but not too warm and it feels so luxurious on the skin. Plus, I love the cream color — it’s beautifully clean without being stark white.” —HR
Parachute Sateen Duvet Cover, $, available at Parachute
Lee Rainbow High Rise Flare Jeans
“I first saw these jeans, and their matching vest, at a press preview and I’ve never run towards a piece of clothing faster in my life. As a queer person, finding the perfect outfit to wear to Pride events is like an Olympic sport — and in these, I feel like I won a gold medal. I’ve never been so excited to slip on a pair of jeans before — and they hold up. They’re buttery soft, tight in all the right places, and have a lovely flare. The best part, they’re a remake of a 1977 Lee campaign so they truly feel like wearing history. 1000000/10.” — HR
Lee Women’s Freeway of Love Rainbow High Rise Super Flare Jean in Mid Rainbow, $, available at Lee
Ford Bronco 4-Door
“As a person without a license, it’s rare that I am overly excited about a car, but after spending a weekend in the passenger seat of a Ford Bronco, I can’t help but scream it from the rooftops. I don’t love long car trips, but I could have sat in this seat forever — it was spacious, comfy as hell, and perfect for a weekend in the woods. I also loved that it had a huge back seat and trunk. We ended up giving a friend and her two kids a ride and there was plenty of space for all of us, our bags, and two car seats. Plus, as a nervous passenger, I felt insanely safe both on the highway and in the middle of New York City.” — HR
Waterllama App
“I am chronically under-hydrated and those water bottles that motivate you or yell at you just weren’t cutting it. Instead, I invested in this adorable app, which sends reminders all day and showed me just how behind I was when it comes to just drinking some damn water. I also love that it includes other beverages and can tell you how those hurt or help you reach your hydration goals. I wouldn’t say I’m fixed by any means, but I’ve been more hydrated in the last two weeks than I probably have in the last three years.” — Kelsea Stahler, Content Director
Babybel Plant-Based White Cheddar Cheese Alternative
“Babybel blew my mind recently by releasing a dairy-free version of their famous mini cheese rounds, and then they promptly blew it again by making a white cheddar version. I had the pleasure of trying the new flavor and I’ll be honest, the bag of six rounds did not last long in this vegan household. As with most vegan cheeses they’re a bit pricy for a constant purchase, but they make a great snack to have on hand if you’re feeling like making a little splurge.” — Annie Black, Social Editor
Babybel Babybel Plant-Based Vegan Cheese Alternative – 4.23oz/6ct, $, available at Target
Byroe Bitter Green Essence Toner
“I got this toner gifted by IPSY and BoxyCharm when the brands merged, and I’m absolutely obsessed. Somehow they’ve put 33(!) different greens in this bottle, including artichoke, holy basil and ginkgo biloba leaf. I’ve started using this toner after my face wash and before my Vitamin C serum in the morning and I notice that my skin tone looks brighter and more even almost instantly. It also has hyaluronic acid, a favorite ingredient of mine thanks to its hydrating qualities. It’s the first Byroe product I’ve ever used, and if the toner is any indication of how the rest of their products are, I will absolutely be writing about them again once I try them out.” — AB
Byroe Bitter Green Essence Toner, $, available at Byroe
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