Photo-Illustration: The Strategist; Photo: Getty
(You’ll notice that most of our regular buy buttons have been swapped out for Google Shopping links; these will take you to Google Shopping pages, where you can shop at the retailer of your choice.)
If you’re like us, you’ve probably wondered what everyday stuff famous people add to their carts — like hairspray or an electric toothbrush. We asked Maddy DeVita, the private chef behind the TikTok account Hand Me the Fork, about the moisturizer, lightbulbs, and bamboo sheets she can’t live without.
I have sensitive skin and never change products. Whenever I try something new, I break out. This is the only skin-care product I’ll buy at Sephora, and I go through it quickly. It’s super hydrating, and unlike other nonprescription skin-care products, won’t make me break out. I’ve been using it for three years after my cousin turned me on to the brand. I’ve gone through about 20 tubs.
This is a face mask that I use as a hand cream. I hate, with a burning passion, the feeling of dry hands when going to bed. That sensation is so grating to me. I keep this mask next to my bed. I travel with it and use it on airplanes. I like how thick it is. I originally included it in a birthday present to my boyfriend, who, as a guy, didn’t have a skin-care kit, and then I ended up stealing it.
Besides dry hands, the second thing I hate most is harsh overhead lighting. The house I cook at in the Hamptons — a few other people work in it and they’re always turning on the overhead lamps, and I’m like, Stop, I just want to cook in natural light. In my own apartment, I’m super particular about lights and love having lots of lamps with these bulbs. Even in my bathroom, I have a little lamp. I use it instead of the blinding bright overhead bathroom lights, which are headache-inducing. I think soft lighting lowers my blood pressure and keeps me calm.
I got this one seven years ago, but you would think it’s brand-new. The quality is fantastic. I got into yoga in college and went to a few different studios, but they all had these Manduka mats. During the pandemic, I subscribed to a bunch of home Pilates classes and I unrolled this mat every single day.
These are so soft and cooling, and they stay cool. I love getting into a cold bed. I think that’s a universal love. I visited a friend in L.A. and we stayed at her mom’s house, and her mom had these sheets on the bed. I was moving into a new apartment and buying a new king-size bed, so I texted her mom when I came back and said I need these sheets. I have two sets of them in plain white.
This was a Christmas gift when I was moving into that new apartment. I love having something on, whether it’s music or a podcast. I live in a one-bedroom in New York, so it’s not a big space. These speakers come in a set of two, and I have one in the living room and one in the bedroom. You can walk across the whole apartment and never be without the podcast or music you’re listening to.
It’s perfect for summer, whether you’re drinking a margarita or something else. It always makes me super excited at a restaurant to order something with a Tajín rim. I love sprinkling it on any type of fruit, like cantaloupe or watermelon, with a little squeeze of lime. I have every form of Tajín that they sell — mini-bottles, the one packaged for easy glass rimming.
It’s the only apron I use out in the Hamptons, and I’m truly doing everything in it: going outside and grilling, back inside and working over high heat, wiping my hands on it, staining it with oil and blueberries. It washes out so nicely. Working eight- to ten-hour days, the cross-back design is so great for shoulder relief as opposed to something that goes around the neck. The pockets are nice and deep, and I shove so much random stuff in there — my wallet when I go grocery shopping, my sunglasses, my tool kit. I’ve loved White Bark aprons for years, then met founder Charlie Pennes, who made a Fork-branded apron for me.
I’m a massive fan of Big Night, and I have a lot of products from them. My most basic one is this. I always have a little bowl of salt on my table. This one is such a gorgeous little statement bowl. I grew up in a salt-loving household, and my mom always had a salt shaker on the table, but having a bowl is a little more elevated. I got this one about eight months ago. They’re also great for cheese or to hold fig jam or a piece of honeycomb on a charcuterie board.
The Strategist is designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read about here. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.