What the news.com.au team are loving in August 2023
The “handy” and “so easy” to use find from Amazon makes having your favourite perfume on the go possible.
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No surprises here but we love online shopping.
With just a click of a button, you can get everything from the viral serum you spotted on TikTok to the random Amazon home find that will change your life delivered straight to your door. We love the convenience.
But when you shop for a living (yes, sorry we know our jobs are … hard), it takes something truly amazing to wow us. Look, when you spend your work days sifting through thousands of reviews and testing the latest moisturiser or vacuum, you tend to become picky. Only the best will do!
So when we find something we love, we want to shout about it. And that’s what we’re doing here.
From beauty buys to appliances and gadgets, here’s what the news.com.au shopping team’s bought and importantly, why they love it.
Happy shopping!
Portable Mini Refillable Perfume Spray Bottle, $8.50 at Amazon
“Recently I dropped and smashed the atomiser of one of my favourite fragrances (Dior J’Adore – an oldie but a goodie) and was so disappointed I had a decent amount of expensive perfume left and no way to spray it. Enter: these ridiculously handy, refillable spray bottles and voila – I was able to use my perfume again. Simply fill up the five ml bottle (I promise it’s so easy a monkey could manage it) to have your favourite scents available in your handbag. Genius.” – Edwina Carr Barraclough, Senior Manager Content & Strategy
Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Universal Volumizing Mascara, $35 at Sephora
“With incredibly stubborn lashes, I am very picky with my mascaras. They can’t be clumpy, they need to last all-day with no smudging or fall-out and they need to have a natural-ish finish. So, after taking on my colleagues’ recommendation of trying the popular Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Universal Volumizing Mascara, it’s safe to say that it ticked all those boxes. It’s great at lengthening and adding volume to my lashes without looking too OTT and It’s super easy to remove as well which is a plus – goodbye panda eyes!” – Harriet Amurao, eCommerce Content Coordinator
Charlotte Tilbury Invisible UV Flawless Poreless Primer, $79.20 at Cult Beauty
“This sunscreen-primer hybrid from luxe brand Charlotte Tilbury is my new must-have. It layers amazing underneath makeup and really preps the skin, giving it a nice, flawless glow.” – Marina Tatas, Shopping Writer
Bento Box Lunch 3-in-1 Lunch Containers, $18.99 at Amazon
“I was TikTok influenced into buying this lunchbox and can honestly say it’s one of the best purchases I’ve made this year. The compact size means it fits easily into my handbag for work and the airtight compartments are big enough to fit breakfast, lunch and a snack. Plus it comes in the most aesthetic colours.” – Hannah Paine, Best Of Editor
Luxor Microfibre Weighted Blanket, $49 (down from $149) at Amazon
“I’m loving the Microfibre Weighted Blanket from Amazon, which we purchased for my 12 year-old daughter. Normally she has trouble going to sleep, but with the blanket, she drifts off in no time at all – it’s a miracle! We’re actually all fighting over the weighted blanket (even the dog), it’s so relaxing when watching TV or reading – we need to buy a couple more to go round. However now, I’ve got my eye on the lunch box purchased by my colleague Hannah, Best Of Editor – hopefully I’ll be loving that next month …” – Susannah Hardy, Best Of Parenting Shopping Writer
Ninja Nutri-Blender Pro with Auto-iQ, $149 (down from $199) at Myer
“I hated the taste of my protein shakes after morning gym sessions, and buying good tasting shakes/smoothies was too expensive (cozzie livs …) so I resolved to start making my own protein smoothies. It’s very good at getting a smooth consistency, the digital interface is excellent, you get three cups of different sizes included and you don’t have to deal with that horrible ‘oh no the suction from the blade attachment to the cup is too strong and I can’t get the lid off without smoothie spraying everywhere’ moment.” – Mike Cook, SEO eCommerce Director
Panasonic 5 Cup Rice Cooker, $149 at The Good Guys
“I bought this rice cooker recently and, as a terrible cook, it is my new obsession. I no longer have to rely on those sad, gluggy little microwave pouches for rice – this thing is idiot-proof. Measure the rice, turn it on, and about half an hour later I’ve got perfect white, fluffy rice ready to eat.” – Nick Bond, news.com.au Entertainment Editor
VEEKTOMX Mini Power Bank, $29.99 (down from $45.41) at Amazon
“I’ve trialled a few decent power banks over the years, but this little VEEKTOMX model is a new favourite. The charger is the most compact 10,000mAh option I’ve come across, and includes an LED display that tells you the remaining battery life. It juices my phone around two and a half times and lets me charge two devices simultaneously, making it a great little companion.” – Lauren Chaplin, Consumer Technology Reporter
Pikmin 4 Video Game for Nintendo Switch, $68 (down from $79.95) at Amazon
“As a newcomer to the series I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect when I booted up Pikmin 4, but the game has quickly won me over. Combining strategy, puzzles and adventure with cutesy, oddball characters, the laidback title is great for players of all ages and skill levels. It also brings some new additions this time around, including Ice and Glow Pikmin and your very own puppy pal, Oatchi.” – Lauren Chaplin, Consumer Technology Reporter
Early Learning Centre Bath Time Pink Tea Party Set, $27 at Target
“My two-year-old daughter is obsessed with this tea party set right now. She’s at that age where she does a lot of pretend play and before we go to bed she’ll use this set to serve mum and dad tea. It’s the perfect size for her to hold, has two cups for mum and dad and a teapot for her to pour imaginary tea. It’s light, colourful and is fantastic for motor skills and imagination.” – Stephanie Yip, Travel Writer
Bendon Body Contour Bra, $41.97 (down from $49.95) at Myer
“I recently got fitted for the first time in literally a decade (don’t be like me, go get properly fitted for a bra) and to my horror discovered I was wearing the wrong sized bra. Obviously I need to overhaul my bra wardrobe immediately. I’ve been wearing this everyday bra from Bendon (yes in the right size) for the last couple of weeks and it’s so comfortable. It’s seamless so it’s super comfortable to wear and the underwire provides great support and shape so it looks nice under clothes, plus there are no visible lines. I haven’t needed to yet but I like how the strap can be crossed as well if need be. For a comfortable bra you can actually wear all day, everyday, I highly recommend this one.” – Melody Teh, Best Of Deputy Editor
If you love a discount, make sure you stop by news.com.au Coupons. You’ll find impressive deals across categories from homewares to tech, on brands including THE ICONIC and Myer.
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