Reviews
doublesoul
Experience
I like these, but the quality is hit or miss. I actually prefer the doublesoul construction, with the sheer/thin upper and cushioned bottom, over bombas, which are very thick and heavy to me. i don't agree with other reviewers saying they feel cheap – they feel breathable, and that thin layer is intentional. they feel like spring/summer socks, and bombas make me too sweaty in the summer. however, the seam at the top of the ankle sock, where the ankle cushioning is, started shredding, almost, after my first wear? i was really surprised by this and disappointed, because i like them and they feel high quality. the high socks are great and don't appear to have this issue yet.
Feedback
I assume there is a construction issue with the ankle sock they're working on solving – I hope to hear about a redesigned or improved version that'll make me want to buy them full price outside of a thingdrop. If it weren't for the fraying on the ankle, I would definitely repurchase.
Warby Parker
Experience
I've been using Warby Parker for years and they are the only place I buy glasses from. While a lot of other brands have also appeared in the DTC "buy glasses online for cheaper than the optometrist" space, I've been hesitant to take the plunge. I trust Warby Parker's quality, I think the styles are very aesthetically appealing, and the app is VERY easy to use.
Feedback
My only qualm with Warby Parker is when they discontinue styles I love. Bring back Louise in metal!
Bombas
Experience
These are pretty good socks! That's it. They're good socks. There are other brands of good socks. I am not sure the quality justifies the price tag – there are other good socks at lower prices. And they market some features ("no seam in the toe!") as innovations when they are in fact quite common. The gripper slippers are VERY UNDERRATED though, and make a great gift.
Feedback
I find the calf socks to be VERY narrow and constricting, to the point that they're uncomfortable and leave imprints on my legs.
Allbirds
Experience
I really like Allbirds's tree runners – I live in a city where it gets very hot in the summer and the streets are just gross enough that I don't like wearing anything open-toed. The tree runners are good casual shoes for specifically that scenario. Also, I really liked the "dashers" at first but the cushioning ended up basically collapsing with frequent wear, at a rate much faster than comparably priced running shoes from other brands. For a brand that's built on sustainability, I was annoyed at how fast they were practically unwearable.
Feedback
I find the sizing a bit inconsistent – the tree runners fit me perfectly but the tree skippers are surprisingly uncomfortable.
Fabletics
Experience
In general, I am a big fan of Fabletics. As a plus size person I've always had issues with leggings wearing out and developing holes in the inner thigh – Fabletics is the only brand where I have NEVER had issues with wear and tear, even when I wear their leggings every day. It's more expensive than I like to pay for athleisure, but it is unfortunately.... worth the money. Their leggings are simply the best I've tried, except perhaps Girlfriend Collective. I do have the membership and take advantage of it every few months. Even when I forget to "skip" the month and get charged anyway, I don't get too mad because I know I will use the membership credit in the future. I don't love the styles of many of the products, and I find myself very picky when browsing their site, but I think that's more of a me thing – i am very particular. I hate cropped "7/8" leggings, which most of their leggings are, and don't understand the sheer volume of cameo, leopard, and snake print products. But the other colors and prints are actually really nice, and retain their quality over time. The leggings are the standouts, but I like most of their sports bras that i've tried. I do wish they would expand their size range. It's notable that Yitty, a sister brand/imprint/whatever, goes to 5X or 6X in many styles while Fabletics only goes to 4X.
Feedback
My main issue with Fabletics, other than their use of camo and cropped legggings, is that their website SUCKS. I have never used a website owned by such a high-profile brand that has as many obvious, replicable, user-impacting bugs as Fabletics's website. If I were on their digital team I would be deeply embarrassed. As an outsider, it's not clear what the root cause is – there are a few nuances to their site (the membership structure, the nesting of "outfits" with individual "pieces") that I imagine add some complexity, but there must be something very odd going on to cause all these bugs.
Scrub Daddy
Experience
I am brand loyal to scrub daddy. it's just an objectively better sponge! and it's cute! i even have the scrub daddy sponge caddy!
Feedback
I have zero feedback. Scrub daddy loyalist.
Sheertex
Experience
I basically stopped wearing tights because they were so disposable. Sheertex tights are as advertised – stronger, longer-lasting, and overall just better than regular tights. There is some variation between the different styles – I've had a lot of issues with the "shaping" tights. While the "classic" ones stay up well and are very reliable, every time I've gotten the "shaping" tights, they roll down my waist and fall off my butt, and a couple shaping tights I've purchased have basically unraveled in the inner thigh area, making them unusable. I would not recommend those at all, but the classic ones are both more reliable and cheaper. I do also appreciate that Sheertex has expanded their size range in recent years, but it is still very limiting, especially because the larger sizes often sell out very quickly.
Feedback
One thing I don't love about Sheertex is that it, like many companies, sells its product at a very high cost and then runs near-constant sales. I wish it just priced the product consistently and did less frequent sales. I felt a bit scammed after my first purchase when a sale happened quickly after, and when I realized how frequent the sales are.
D.S. & Durga
Experience
I really really like some of the fragrances this brand offers. Debaser, I Don't Know What, D.S., Durga, Cowboy Grass, and Radio Bombay are all really complex, beautiful fragrances. Debaser is an amazing signature scent, and I really like having I Don't Know What in my collection – it's my favorite "skin scent." I've bought their sample sets multiple times. That said, I struggle with some of the brand choices, particularly with exclusivity and pricing. They upped their standard prices recently, and their most recent launches have been perplexing. Pistachio does not smell like a high end fragrance – more like a gimmick. And the recent run of "limited edition" studio scents at $400 and $700 strike me as bizarre. Who, exactly, is this brand for? In addition, for its price point positioning, I am not impressed with this brand's longevity, other than on a few very potent scents. I'm not sure anyone can really justify paying $190 for 50ml of Rose Atlantic, a beautiful and interesting fragrance that fades away in an hour. I will still come into the store and smell things, and maybe occasionally invest in their unique and interesting candles. But while I had previously been planning to spend a bonus check on a full size of I Don't Know What, I think I'd rather invest in another brand that caters more towards me as a consumer.
Feedback
If you have money to burn, this is a great place to spend it. And the fragrances are amazing. But I don't see myself in the marketing anymore, which is trying to be SO cool that it is too cool for me.
Experiment
Experience
I started following one of the founders, Lisa Guerrera, on tik tok when this line was still in development, and really appreciated her matter-of-fact explanations of the science behind skincare, PARTICULARLY how overhyped hyaluronic acid is. I was a chemistry major in college and wanted to go into beauty and skincare, but never did – Lisa is living the life I secretly wanted! So I was biased towards becoming a fan. I haven't bought the avant guard mask – it sounded kind of messy to clean, keep, and store – but am a big fan of the super saturated serum, which is exactly as advertised. It feels a lot like CosRx snail mucin, but is a bit stickier/tackier when it dries down. Initially I was irritated by that stickiness, but unlike snail mucin, when I apply it at night, my skin still feels dewy and moisturized in the morning. I started using Super Saturated when I was beginning using a lot of products at once (went from basically zero skincare routine to actually washing my face twice a day!) so it is hard to tell what changes are from the serum versus other products I started using. That said, I've started a low-concentration retinol, and exfoliating 3x a week, and haven't been irritated by either, and I do think super saturated has likely protected my skin from irritation and breakout during that period.
Feedback
Maybe explain / demonstrate storage and care for the avant guard in a video, or offer a reusable storage bag/case for the mask? Mostly, I am just excited to see what your brand does next.
Haus
Experience
I did not really like this product! I ordered a variety of flavors and was excited to have an after-dinner drink that was low-sugar and low-calorie. One thing I did not expect is how wine-y all the flavors are. I knew wine was an ingredient, but I envisioned these tasting more like Campari, Aperol, or Italicus, and imagined the flavors in their names (Rose! Yuzu!) would be prominent, like the bergamot in Italicus. They ended up tasting a lot more just like... weird mediocre wines, and those notes like Yuzu fell into the background. My favorite was Bitter Clove, which is also the one where the clove flavor was most prominent.
Feedback
I would revisit the marketing and packaging of this product – I felt a bit misled! I would maybe try packaging it like a fortified wine, and advertise the wine component more than the flavors, which are very subtle.