What we bought in June 2021

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If you follow Mashable Shopping’s coverage, you know that we live to bring you the best product recommendations we can find based on countless hours of online research. But what about the stuff that we buy for ourselves? The stuff that made it into our shopping carts? Well, we’re here to tell you about those things, and we’ll be back every month to do so again.

Here’s what the staff bought in June 2021.

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Something to get rid of the bugs once and for all

“I have a truly unreasonable number of plants for how small my apartment is, and the plants have brought in gnats, which irritate me to no end. I’ve tried sprays, apple cider vinegar traps, mosquito bits, and sticky traps (which work for the most part, but I still have a few stragglers). I decided to kick it up a notch with this contraption. It uses UV light to attract small flying bugs and then uses a fan to suck them down into the device where a sticky trap is waiting. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the results in the few days I’ve used it. Unfortunately, this gross shit is the most exciting thing I bought in the last month.” —Miller Kern, Shopping Reporter

The key to a better night’s sleep (hopefully)

“My most recent purchase in my never-ending quest to fall asleep is a Bluetooth sleep mask. I fall asleep to ASMR every night, but sleeping with AirPods in was too chaotic and playing it out loud probably isn’t my boyfriend’s ideal white noise. This mask puts the sounds right in my ears while keeping light out, and allows me to comfortably lay on my side without shoving earbuds into my eardrums. (I bought mine on Mercari but it can also be purchased at Amazon.)” —Leah Stodart, Shopping Reporter

A Game Pass machine

“This definitely was not a responsible purchase on my part (considering I already dropped way too much money on a PlayStation 5 not too long ago), but once Xbox’s E3 showcase happened, I was convinced that it was time to pick up one of their next-gen consoles for those sweet incoming exclusives. I got the more budget-friendly Xbox Series S, and I couldn’t be happier with it. I’m basically using it as an Xbox Game Pass machine, and it’s been extremely fun to work my way through its vast library while I wait for those E3 games to come out” —Dylan Haas, Shopping Reporter

Some chunky loafers

“My trusty pair of loafers that I’ve had for years finally gave way to a massive hole in the sole, so it was time to get a replacement. I’ve seen a lot of people wearing these super chunky Doc Marten loafers and really wanted to pick some up for my next pair. They are extremely stiff right now, but they’re super high-quality and I know they’re going to last me a long time once I break them in.” —Dylan Haas, Shopping Reporter

A new beauty staple

“For as long as I can remember, my lips have been chapped. And for long as I can remember, balms and ointments have only ever been able to do so much. So when I tell you Smith Rosebud Co.’s Strawberry Lip Balm is it, I’m speaking from a lifetime of experience. Since I picked it up a few weeks ago, based on a friend’s recommendation, I’ve had no flaking, peeling, cracking, or bleeding at all. Which, for me, is nothing short of a miracle. I don’t know what magic separates this lip balm from literally every other product I’ve ever tried, including the line’s other flavors. (Maybe it’s the lanolin?) I just know that whatever it is, it works. And the experience of using it is pretty nice, too: It smells like those strawberry hard candies and comes in a cute old-timey tin or a convenient plastic tube. It looks light pink in the package, but goes on clear and not too glossy — perfect even for those who hate makeup. I plan to buy a million more of these and put one in every purse, coat pocket, and corner of my house, but I’ll start by spreading the gospel here for my fellow chapped-lips sufferers.” —Angie Han, Deputy Entertainment Editor

A summer skincare necessity

“I found this sunscreen via a friend and I am so excited for it! As someone who is painfully pale, reapplying sunscreen is very important, but it’s always hard to figure out how to reapply on my face when I’m wearing makeup. Also, it’s supposed to have a light scent which sounds like it smells amazing so I was sold. Fingers crossed this will be the answer to all my summer face sunscreen problems.” —Lily Kartiganer, Social Media Editor

A bucket hat with an important message

“I am currently obsessed with this hat. Bucket hats are A Thing now so I was looking for one and when I came across this one I couldn’t buy it fast enough. It comes in various bright colors and has a wide brim that protects your face from the sun, so it’s perfect for summer. What really sold me was the message, though. I am happy to be a walking billboard to remind everyone to wear sunscreen. Honestly, I don’t think I could’ve found a better summer hat.” —Lily Kartiganer, Social Media Editor

A much-needed WFH desk

“After over a year of working from home, I finally bought this two-tier foldable desk. The shelf is perfect for the extra monitor I also finally bought. When I have a meeting or film a video, I can put my laptop on that second tier so that my eyes are at webcam height for the most flattering angle (pro tip). I liked that it’s a simple enough design to fit into pretty much any decor. And the desk folds flat and is easy to store, making it the perfect solution for the approaching hybrid office season.” —Chandra Steele, Senior Features Writer for PCMag

A new patio set for the new digs

“We recently bought our first house, and we were so excited to get our first outdoor set for our otherwise empty deck! We went with the Luna set from Yardbird because it is classic and easy to keep clean.” —Barret Wertz, Style & Grooming Editor for AskMen

The ultimate epic medieval fantasy

“In theory: a strategic, team-based multiplayer game with complex sword-fighting mechanics. In practice: I killed an archer with a chicken.” —Pete Haas, Social Media Manager for PCMag

A more convenient comforter

“I got a new duvet cover set that looks like washed linen but more affordable and has a zipper close, which is the best part, in my opinion” —Megan Siler, Senior Product Manager

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