Oprahs Favorite Things and some more affordable alternatives

From CB: As is our yearly tradition we’re highlighting some of Oprah’s favorite things, with some more affordable alternatives. First off I’m starting with the Laura Geller full face palette set. It comes with four palettes to mix and match for all your holiday parties and festive day looks, all at a very affordable $39. They’re compact, travel-friendly and labeled where to apply each shadow. I love that! Here are some of Hecate and my picks from Oprah’s list along with some more affordable options

Oprah’s pick: Peepers blue light blocking reading glasses, $29 each
Our pick: Miyya blue light blocking reading glasses with cases, 6 for $15 (after coupon)

From CB: Oprah recommended these gorgeous tortoiseshell reading glasses from Peeper which come in 0 to 3x magnification and in four different color combinations. I like these similarly styled glasses from miyya, which are just $15 for six pair (make sure to apply the $4 coupon) and have over 689 ratings, 4.6 stars and the same score on ReviewMeta. People say they get compliments on them and that they’re surprised at how sturdy they are. “These are great readers! They look so nice on and fit well. They are not flimsy and love that they each have a case!” “These glasses are so comfortable. I love every color in the collection. I get compliments every day.”

Oprah’s pick: The USB Lighter Company Electric Lighter, $45
Our pick: Ajijing Candle Lighter, $7.99

From CB: Oprah recommended this fancy electric lighter by the USB lighter company, which is pretty in so many colors and patterns, but expensive at $45. I have this rechargeable lighter from Ajijing, I bought over a year and a half ago for $9.99 and it still works great. This has over 3,200 ratings, 4.5 stars and a B on Fakespot. People say it works great and that a charge lasts a long time. “Easy to use to light candles or for anything you need to light. I’m not burning my fingers to get to hard to reach candle wicks.” “It is handy when you have a lot of large candles in the house! Just make sure to clip the end of the candle after being lit so the dark ash doesn’t get on the electric mouth of the lighter! The battery is fine and it lights perfectly! It avoids the whole struggle to reach inside tight candles.”

Oprah’s pick: Casafina oak baguette cutting board with knife, $130
Our pick: Ironwood Gourmet Avignon Baguette Miter, $27

From CB: Oprah had this very chichi baguette cutting board on her list and it’s super pricey at $130. I make baguettes often (here’s my recipe) and was excited to learn these exist. You can get a similar cutting board for over $100 cheaper from Ironwood. On this listing there are also bagel miters, a bread board and other baguette cutting boards designed to capture crumbs. Fancy! This has over 630 ratings, 4.4 stars and a B on Fakespot. People love it and say it looks great on the counter. “I leave this on my island for decor whether I’m using it for bread that day or not, and everybody asks me what it is! It’s not cheaply made, and makes slicing bread much easier and helps with slicing pieces evenly.” “ It is now one of the most useful tools in my kitchen. It is so easy to put a loaf of bread in, have neat slices and 95% of the crumbs contained.”

Oprah’s pick: Kule the Malibu striped tee, $98
Our pick: LilyCoco long sleeve striped tee, under $25

From CB: These black and white striped tee shirts by Kule are so nice, but are they worth almost $100? Doubtful. LilyCoco has very cute and versatile striped tees in 20 different colors and in sizes x-small to xx-large, all under $25. These have over 3,300 ratings, 4.3 stars and a B on Fakespot. People say they’re soft, comfortable, fit nicely and that they get compliments when they wear them. Some reviewers say to go up a size. “I bought it to travel to Europe. I needed some 3/4 shirts to layer up in the changing weather..worked like a charm!” “Such a comfy shirt. Perfect for work in the office or over Zoom!”

Oprah’s pick: Montes Doggett Handmade Oil & Vinegar No. 6 Set, $130
Our pick: Danmu two piece Ceramic Oil and Vinegar Dispenser, $20.99

From CB: This two piece ceramic oil and vinegar dispenser can also be used for bath gel and oil or for syrups. Oprah’s pick is lovely but not budget conscious at all. I like this black and white dispenser by Danmu, which is just $20.99 and is color coded to tell the bottles apart. (There’s also a version with gold etching if you’re fancy.) These have 293 ratings, 4.3 stars and an A on Fakespot. People say they work well and are a lovely addition to their table. “Great design. Easy to hold and definitely leak proof. I love the light and dark contrast. Very easy to distinguish between oil/white and soy/black.” “I ordered several and love these for homemade syrups at breakfast buffets or gravy for dinner. Easy to clean and they don’t drip.”

Oprah’s pick: 1pt Cocktail Infusion Master Kit, $68
Our pick: Gin Botanicals | Spice Set for Cocktails & Gin Tonic, $29.50

From CB: Oprah’s pick, a cocktail infusion kit by 1pt, is actually competitively priced for what you get and it’s packaged beautifully so if you’re in the market for a high end gift for a cocktail lover go for it. My pick is from Gin Botanicals brand and includes test tubes of spice blends to add to gin drinks. There are lavender, hibiscus, green cardamom and rose petal mixes. The set comes with recipes too and has 910 ratings, 4.6 stars and the same score on ReviewMeta. People say these work great with vodka drinks too. “Brought this as a gift for my husband and he loves it. So far only made one gin but the flavours have been great. Really easy to do, and you don’t need much of each ingredient to make a decent amount of flavoured gin.”

Oprah’s pick: Alpine Cashmere Women’s 100% Cashmere Striped Travel Wrap, $199
Our pick: CVS Receipt Scarf, $24

From CB: These are some gorgeous Harry Potter-esque striped cashmere scarves/wraps that Oprah is featuring, but at $200 they’re pricey. This seems pretty standard for cashmere scarves. Is a fleece scarf that looks like a giant CVS receipt an acceptable replacement? Not at all, but it’s more my style and I love it. It’s also only $24 and I want about five to give as gifts! These have 466 ratings, 4.6 stars and an A on Fakespot. People say it’s a great scarf and that they’re surprised by the quality for the price. “I bought this for a while elephant Christmas gift and was so surprised at the exceptional quality of this scarf. The words are very clear, it’s a nice length and so soft. I absolutely love it. Too bad I didn’t get to keep it for myself.” “I gave this as a gag gift to a friend and it has gotten her so many compliments. Very soft. Thick feel to it.”

Oprah’s pick: Sterling Forever – Five Days of Hoops Advent Box, $200
Our pick: Gold Hoop Earrings Set for Women, $17

From Hecate: Oprah has a beautiful set of 5 hoops for $200. They come in a cute little “Advent” package for days 1-5. But this set of six hoops is on sale for $17 this week, so you can afford to get six boxes to put them in. They are 14K plated with 925 silver pillars. They come in silver toned as well. Over 3,500 customers reviewed these and ReviewMeta gave them 4.6 stars. And even though they look thick, they’re lightweight so they won’t weigh your ears down, “I love these earrings. They are not too heavy for my ears, they are fashionable, and excellent price.” Even people with sensitive skin said they had no problem with these, “Usually, earrings irritate me even after only wearing them for 2 hours, I can wear these all day and haven’t had issues.”

Oprah’s pick: iLOLA Tea Disc Essentials Set, $77
Our pick: Tea Forte Single Steeps Loose Leaf Tea Sampler, $17

From Hecate: Oprah has a bag of chocolate mint tea discs on her list that sound delicious. But they cost $77 and that’s not in my tea budget. But $17 is, and the Tea Forte Store offers tea sampling kits ranging from $17-$22, depending on what variety I want. The teas aren’t in cool little discs, but they are pre portioned in pouches to make the perfect 12oz cup. And the packs range from Wellness to Fleur, to Lotus to Warming Joy Seasonal. Over 16,000 people gave these teas 4.6 stars and Fakespot rated them a B. Many of the customers bought these as gifts, “​​bought twice and will buy again. this also makes wonderful gift for tea lovers comes in handy and elegant pack!!” And the tea is good as well, “The tea was excellent. Great mild test and good variety.”

Oprah’s pick: Softies Marshmallow Crew Neck Lounger, $119
Our pick: Long Hooded Zipper Bathrobe, $37

From Hecate: Nothing better than a comfy lounger waiting for you under the tree. Oprah has a Softie Heathered Marshmallow Lounger for $119 on her list. It’s very cute and has pockets. But I found this hooded, flannel version that’s $37-$39 this week. It comes in seven colors and two sizes (small-medium or large-x-large). And it has a nice embossed cable knit pattern. It also has pockets and is machine washable. Over 1,700 people gave these loungers 4.6 stars and Fakespot rated it with an A. Many of the customers talked about how soft it was, “I have looked forever for a warm, solid color, zip up, hooded robe with pockets for the winter. This robe checks all the boxes. It is really soft, too.” And it’s not just for laying on the couch either, “This product is great for early morning water aerobics when getting out of the pool.”

Oprah’s pick: Acacia “Gather” Wood Cheese & Charcuterie Board, $88
Our pick: SMIRLY Bamboo Cheese Board and Knife Set, $50

From Hecate: Oprah has a lovely charcuterie board on her list that costs $88. This board is $50, but it comes with a separate fruit board, cheese knives, ceramic bowls and stone plate. And it’s bamboo, which I love, both because it’s sturdy but also attractive. ReviewMeta rated this 4.3 stars. Customers said it was a great gift for many occasions, “Great craftsmanship and a perfect gift. Two boards keep fruit from touching cheese which is always a problem.” Many people said it exceeded their expectations, ”This is better than I thought it was going to be. Nice heavy and solid pieces and everything is made well. Great gift item.”

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