All The Lifestyle, Wellbeing & Experience Picks R29 Loved In May
11 Mins Read
At least once a week — let’s face it, at least once every day — the writers and editors across Refinery29 discuss the latest and greatest products in our lives, from some cool new water bottle that’s been absolutely saving our lives to a state-of-the-art sleep product that’s changed our eight hours for the better. And gatekeeping isn’t in our vocabulary, so we’re here to share the wealth and highlight our favourite products, just for you, each month.
All linked products are independently selected by our editors. If you purchase any of these products, we may earn a commission.
Tanyel Mustafa, Senior Writer
Photo: Courtesy of Tanyel Mustafa.
For £15 a month, free to cancel at any time, you can try different oils produced around the world in small batches by women farmers. It’s like wine tasting, but with oil. As a foodie, I’ve really enjoyed trying this out as a little treat, and have been surprised by the different flavours I’ve tried. If you love an oil in particular, you can then buy a full bottle of it. Given how much supermarket olive oil has climbed in price over the last year, spending that little extra for something that’s likely been better produced and supports women working in this trade feels worthwhile.
You can sign up here.
I got to preview In Pursuit of Repetitive Beats, a VR experience that’s just opened at the Barbican (but then is later touring other parts of the UK). For 40 minutes, you get to live like it’s 1990 again and attend an acid rave party. You learn more about that scene, how it operated, get to dance, interact with other people doing the experience at the same time, and listen to music of the era. By the end of the rave, which took me from pre-drinks to warehouse to journey home, I felt nostalgic for something I never got to live through. If I could go back in time for a night, I’d go to a rave in Coventry and take part in the hedonistic chaos. But seeing as time travel hasn’t been invented yet, this VR experience gets me close to the real deal and put a big grin on my face.
You can book here for £25.
Merrell is easily one of the most comfortable shoe brands on the market. I have slightly wide feet, and Merrell shoes never rub. I recently saw someone on TikTok predict Merrell will become the next “it” shoe brand, and I have to agree. I’ve been wearing these while rushing around London, clocking in 20,000 steps in a day, and my feet have been blister and ache-free. Not to mention, these also look very cool.
Merrell Women’s SpeedARC Matis, $, available at Merrell
This bag is an investment, but it’s one I’m confident I’ll be using for years. I’ve taken it with me for weekends away and used it as a swimming/gym bag. It fits so much, resists light rain, looks striking with the vivid orange-red shade (which has earned me lots of compliments), and has tons of pockets making it useful and easy to organise my things. It also has nifty areas to hide straps if you want to detach them, and a separate pouch inside to also hide things away. I love a bag with functional zips and pockets. It’s even better when it looks as chic as this.
adidas by Stella McCartney Logo 24/7 Bag, $, available at adidas by Stella McCartney
Susan Devaney, Life Director
Photo: Courtesy of Susan Devaney.
Never in my adult life have I owned a butter dish — until now. This ceramic matte white version by Rebecca Williams for Toast is just so damn cute. I love that it doesn’t take up too much space in my kitchen (read: lack of space in London) and it’s handmade. Disclaimer: it doesn’t fit a whole Lurpak butter so you’ll need to eat some first before transitioning it to your cute butter dish! (If, like me, you keep it in the fridge).
Toast Rebecca Williams Butter Dish, $, available at Toast
I have finally got round to replacing the hand towels in my bathroom. Enter: super soft striped towels. My bathroom is all white (landlord’s choice, not mine) so I thought some stripe would be very much welcomed. Made from 60% cotton and 40% bamboo, they feel a little luxury which is a nice touch.
Cozy Earth Striped Luxe Hand Towels, $, available at Cozy Earth
Avid R29 readers will know a few editors on the team own a Our Place pan. I long joined this gang, having been a convert for a while now. So when the brand launched a titanium version I, of course, had to try it for myself. Like the other pans from the brand, it’s coating-free and made without PFAS (music to my ears). However, unlike the other Our Place pot I own, the titanium version can go in the dishwasher which is such a time-saver after a long day at the office when all I want to do is catch up on The Last Of Us.
Our Place Titanium Perfect Pot Pro, $, available at Our Place
I can’t think of anything more inviting than summer evenings in London eating fresh mozzarella, basil and hot honey pizza straight from an outdoor oven, can you? Sipping on an Aperol Spritz, soaking up the sunshine and grabbing your fifth slice is really what it’s all about. This summer, I’ll be doing just that with my Gozney Tread oven. It’s portable — you can buy a stand, carrying bag and a roof rack — so you can take it with you wherever you want (just remember the gas!). It’s so easy to carry that you can literally pop over to a friend’s place with it which I plan on doing all summer long.
GOZNEY Tread, $, available at GOZNEY
Alicia Lansom, Culture Editor
Photo: Courtesy of Alicia Lansom.
As someone who has been doctor-ordered to start taking omega-3, the journey to finding a supplement that doesn’t taste of the literal ocean has been hard. I don’t eat fish, I’ve always hated the taste of it, which means taking a pill filled with fish oil was always going to hard. Thankfully, these capsules from Bare Biology have no taste, don’t repeat on you (sorry) and most importantly, are small enough to actually digest without panicking. Horse pills are a horrible experience, so I would much rather take four of these tiny capsules a day, spread out between meals. They also include 860mg of EPA and 440mg of DHA (the most useful omega-3 fats) which is double what most standard pills offer. Here’s hoping for lower levels of inflammation and super boosted brain power soon.
Bare Biology Omega-3 Fish Oil Daily Capsules, $, available at Bare Biology
I’ve been living without bedside tables for quite some time and let me tell you, keeping your glass of water on the floor is not it. Despite the many midnight spillages, I wasn’t going to lock in until I found the perfect ones. These milking stool-style tables from Sostrene Grene are the perfect minimalist accompaniment to my bedroom and don’t take up too much room in my small space. Made from FSC®-certified oak wood, they add a natural, rustic charm to my (damp) London flat, making it lean more Mediterranean than mouldy.
Søstrene Grene Side Table, $, available at Søstrene Grene
I’ve started to notice how cloudy and limescale-filled my water is looking and that means adding a filter to the tap. In some posh houses they have them built in, but this compact filter is easy to attach to your existing tap and requires very little DIY. The key thing about this addition is that it doesn’t filter out the essential minerals in tap water, instead just filtering the chlorine and contaminants. For someone with zero plumbing skills, this feels like an easy solution that leaves me with better-tasting water and a less scaly kettle.
Tappwater EcoPro Compact Filter, $, available at Tappwater
I’m about to move into a vegan household, which means no meat is getting cooked in the vegan food pans. This has finally given me an excuse to try out a proper cast-iron griddle pan, having been intimidated by the upkeep and care involved for a long time. This ‘grillit’ from Le Crueset (in a gorgeous flaming orange enamelled cast iron) seemed like the way to go due to the raised ribs and of course, the lifetime guarantee. While heavier than your average non-stick pan, this square skillet is still easy to manoeuvre and is ideal for getting proper char marks on a chicken breast while draining off excess grease and juices. Plus, unlike other cast iron, this pan has been designed to require no seasoning (meaning no messiness) and instead builds up a patina (natural non-stick) over time that helps with cooking and durability.
Le Creuset Cast Iron Square Grillit, $, available at Le Creuset
Irina Grechko, Fashion Director
Photo: Courtesy of Irina Grechko.
I have a lot of delicates in my closet — as such, hand-washing is a must. To motivate myself to tackle the stack of clothes I currently have sitting in the corner, I bought this ‘fancy detergent.’ Not only does it come in this chic metal container that can double as decor, but it leaves my cashmeres and silks smelling great of bergamot, amber, and white musk.
DedCool Dedtergent Milk, $, available at SpaceNK
Jessica Aureli, US Money Diaries Editor
Photo: Courtesy of Jessica Aureli.
Gift giving stresses me out. It’s not a money thing, it’s definitely a me thing: I struggle to part with possessions with sentimental value — yes, including cards, please never give me cards — and I hate the thought of inflicting others with a similar conundrum (because yes: everyone is exactly the same as me). Anyway, the solution, as it so often is, is cake. Specifically, cakes as gifts. But oh no: baking stresses me out as well. However, because I am persistent, and sugar motivated, I found success with The Exploding Bakery’s Bake It Easy. Low effort but high impact, all the recipes feature one pan and minimal equipment — there’s even a no-weigh lemon cake, which was music to my measuring-averse ears. Sweet.
The Exploding Bakery Bake It Easy: One-Pan Recipe Book, $, available at The Exploding Bakery
I have never hidden my love of Pophams’ rosemary and sea-salt twists and bacon and maple scrolls. Quite the opposite, in fact: I never shut up about them. But a girl can’t live by pastry alone, so I was pretty jazzed when a visiting friend gave me the bakery’s pantry hamper as a “thank you for letting me stay” present. I love that the ever-divisive cardamom got some airtime in the peanut biscuits, I had fun pretending the maple and pecan granola was a health food, and the figgy mustard quickly became my go-to hack for zhuzhing up a ham and cheese sandwich.
Pophams Pantry Hamper, $, available at Pophams
Yup, it’s me again: the one who loves talking about how she’s doing a 26-mile hike for charity in June. As it gets ever closer, I’ve been swapping my trainers for actual hiking boots when I go on long walks — even if it feels a bit like overkill when I’m wandering around Tesco searching for post-stroll snacks. Keen’s Targhee boots have been perfect for this: lightweight but still sturdy and stable, they’re super comfortable (lots of room for your toes, which sounds niche, but you definitely notice it), and didn’t even need a wearing-in period, which is unheard of. Plus, while I know aesthetics aren’t the main objective, details like mixed textures, chunky (recycled plastic!) laces and contrast details are fun little additions that offset the functionality.
KEEN Women’s Targhee IV Waterproof Hiking Boot, $, available at Keen
One of my favourite things is when you can tell someone’s really into product innovation and development (I also like the way hardware stores merchandise their windows, but that’s a story for another day). Demonstrating the value of picking one thing and doing it better than anyone else, Ventete’s helmet is LEGIT: Designed in the UK, made in Switzerland and refined over years of comprehensive impact testing (it’s fully certified to UK and EU testing standards), the original concept was a helmet that could fold down and fit in your pocket. Ten years on, Ventete has created a helmet that inflates and deflates in 30 seconds flat (with a pump that can also be used for your tyres), weighs just 465g and looks pretty amazing, too. As someone who was previously using a kid’s skate helmet that I bought from Argos for £15 (please don’t tell my mum), I’m 100% a convert.
Ventete aH-1 Helmet & e-Pump, $, available at Ventete
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The Lifestyle & Experience Picks We Loved In April
