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Whether it’s a super-glowy serum or a cult gardening tool, here are our writers’ favourite buys from the past year
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Prefer the Guardian on Google The Filter is turning two! To celebrate, we asked our contributors for their favourite products from the past year, and rounded up the team’s picks too.
From handbag-sized umbrellas and stylish yet practical wellies to reading lights and luxurious duvets, these are the products that stood out.
View image in fullscreen Revamp Straight & Go cordless hot brush
£90 at Argos One of the best tools I’ve tested this year is Revamp’s Straight & Go cordless for my review of the best hot brushes . It’s compact, so easily fits into hand luggage, a work backpack or even a decent-size handbag. It’s my hot brush of choice when I’m away from home (and at home: it’s cordless so I can use it in the bathroom without trailing cables all over the hallway). Lise Smith
View image in fullscreen Illiyoon ceramide ato concentrate cream, 75ml
£9.99 at Amazon The best product I’ve bought on another writer’s recommendation is the Illiyoon ceramide ato concentrate cream, which Sarah Matthews wrote about in her best facial moisturisers roundup . It’s rich but gentle and leaves my rather dry skin soft, smooth and plump. LS
I wrote about Brick, a device that helps reduce screen time, for my phone addiction piece . I didn’t view myself as having a problem, but after finding that Brick really improved my wellbeing, I became the first person in history for whom admitting you have a problem is the last step on the road to recovery. Alan Martin
View image in fullscreen Gozney Arc Lite
£349.99 at John Lewis I’m continuing to cook with the Gozney Arc Lite, which I reviewed for our guide to the best pizza ovens , and starting to relax more and enjoy it. Slowly, my hand-stretched bases are getting better, though I think I would still be laughed out of any self-respecting pizzeria: “Don’t quit the day job.” Rachel Ogden
View image in fullscreen Saie the Base Brush
£26 at Sephora I trust all beauty recommendations from my beloved colleague Sali Hughes implicitly, so after reading her guide to makeup brushes , I thought it was perhaps time I stopped slapping foundation on by hand and invested in this Saie brush. It makes foundation sit more lightly on your skin and makes blending at the neck and hairline foolproof. Jess Cartner-Morley
View image in fullscreen Town & Country square flexi-tub, 25l
£13.93 at Amazon For my rundown of items that make camping with kids easier , I tested a pair of square flexi-tubs during a trip with my six-year-old. They were a godsend then – helping keep everything organised and tidy – but they’ve since found a place in home life as indispensable declutterers. Kids’ toys everywhere? Throw them in the flexi-tub. Doing some DIY? Tools in the tub! Too many tubs? Stack them! You get the picture. Matt Collins
View image in fullscreen Barbour Bede wellington boots Men’s
£79.95 at Barbour In the past I’ve opted for more fashion-led wellies, but these days I use them more for dog walking than festivals. So I took Danielle Wilkins ’ recommendation in her roundup of the best wellies and bought her top pick of Barbour boots. With a classic look and excellent grip (even across muddy fields), I get to b…