Weekly Pickups: The sleekest charger, microbatch chocolate, and more...
Ft. Kendall Dickieson
Welcome back to Weekly Pickups!
We know you’re all probably wondering, did Express Checkout buy *the* cod from David? Sadly, the answer is no. But, it is real and it is definitely just…cod. Sean Riley, founder of Dude Wipes, posted a two-minute video unboxing of his cod order and, though he says almost no words, he says it all.
Anyway, onto our weekly pickups… →
Nate’s Pickups
Counterpart Charger
I'm a self-proclaimed consumer tech nerd (well I’m a nerd about a lot of things tbh). I'll watch 30-minute YouTube reviews of the most random accessories and even phones I'll never buy just for fun (here’s a list of great tech channels 😊.) But beyond the gadget obsession, I'm all about being prepared and organized. Enter Counterpart: the charger that actually makes me want to show off my charging setup.
Quick Facts: A designer USB-C charger with a 4-foot retractable cable that looks more like wall art than a wall wart. Created by Portland-based artist Chloe Fields, it's made from soft silicone and post-consumer plastic, available in 5 colors that actually complement your space instead of cluttering it.
Reasons to love:
It doesn't look like a charger. This is the big one. Instead of another ugly white or black box sticking out of my kitchen wall, Counterpart's rippled silicone design in earthy colors feels closer to a West Elm catalog than a tech accessory. I actually want people to notice it.
That satisfying retraction. Press a button and the 4-foot USB-C cable disappears completely. No dangling cords, no cable management needed.
The perfect gift sweet spot. At under $50, it hits that ideal gift zone. It feels like a splurge but won't break the bank. And it's the kind of thing people don't necessarily buy for themselves but absolutely love receiving because how practical and beautiful it is!
Where to buy: counterpartcharger.com
Cleo&Hooman Spritz (Dog Shampoo & Conditioner Duo)
I'm obsessed with this brand, what it stands for, and honestly all their products. But the real game changer has been this shampoo & conditioner duo for Ginger (my pup).
Quick Facts: A soap-free, hypoallergenic dog shampoo and conditioner infused with mandarin orange and basil.
Reasons to love:
The Ginger glow-up is real. After bath time, she smells incredible and is ridiculously soft. The citrusy scent is fresh without being overpowering, and it lasts for days. It’s not that artificial "clean dog" smell that some other shampoos have. Even my friends comment on how good she smells even after a few days post bath!
Clean ingredients that actually work. So many "natural" pet products sacrifice performance, but not this one. They've nailed the formula, it’s gentle enough for sensitive skin but effective enough to tackle whatever mystery substance Ginger rolled in. The soap-free formula means no irritation or dry skin, and I've noticed she scratches way less since we made the switch. Plus, knowing there are no sulfates, parabens, or synthetic fragrances gives me peace of mind that I'm not exposing her to harsh chemicals during cuddle time.
A company that genuinely cares about dogs. They host community events, and even have a lost dog section on their site to help reunite pets with their families. The whole brand started when founder Louie couldn't find the right products for his Frenchie Cleo's skin sensitivities, so he created his own. That personal touch shows in everything they do.
Where to buy: cleoandhooman.com
Jenna’s Pickups
Beyond Good - Microbatch Collection Dark Chocolate and Rum Raisins
Quick facts: Deliciously rich, silky smooth, small-batch dark chocolate made from bean-to-bar in Madagascar.
Reasons to love:
Feel-good chocolate. There’s been a lot of industry chatter about the cocoa shortage (and corresponding price hikes) and unfair labor practices + environmental impact tied to the chocolate supply chain. Being a chocolate lover comes with a lot of baggage these days—but Beyond Good is giving us a new reason to fall back in love with chocolate.
Beyond Good sources and produces its chocolate directly from the source—as in, no middlemen stripping profits from the farmers. Beyond Good partners directly with farmers in Madagascar (you can meet all of them here!) and pays them ~5x typical wages by making the chocolate at a factory in Madagascar, not some far-off European factory that pockets most of the profits. The company is also dedicated to protecting the 89 species of wildlife in Madagascar through agroforestry. Through and through, this is a truly thoughtful brand that anyone can get behind.A seriously luxurious experience. This chocolate is phenomenal. I had a hard time choosing my favorite from the four bars in the microbatch, but ultimately fell in love with the Rum Raisin, a 70% dark chocolate speckled with juicy, rum-soaked raisins. If you have ever been shamed for choosing Raisinets as your movie theater treat (like I have…), this bar will prove to all of the haters that raisins + chocolate can not only be delicious, but utterly decadent and luxurious.
Where to buy: Online
Act + Acre - Anti-Frizz Leave In Conditioner
A few Weekly Pickups ago, we featured Act+Acre’s founder, Helen Reavey, as our special guest—and since then, I’ve gotten to try her incredible products. I’m always looking for new products to help me manage my frizzy, damaged, thinning hair—and Helen, as a certified trichologist (AKA scalp specialist), kindly recommended a full hair routine for me to try. I’ve been loving the full line, but have been especially obsessed with this leave in.
Quick facts: A lightweight (but buildable), silicone-free leave-in conditioner to detangle, hydrate, and protect hair from heat damage.
Reasons to love:
Ingredients that (sound made-up but) are actually genius. This leave-in’s ingredient label looks nothing like the Garnier’s of the world. Instead, it features ingredients like snow mushroom (tremella fuciformis) which can hold 500x its weight in water (think hyaluronic acid for your hair), meadowfoam seed oil which creates a protective film that locks moisture, and squalene, the lightweight, non-greasy oil that mimics your skin's natural moisture barrier. Combine them all, and you get a leave-in conditioner that locks in moisture and keeps my frizz at bay without that crunchy, product-y feeling.
Cold-processed perfection. Act+Acre uses a cold-processed manufacturing method, which preserves the integrity of those functional ingredients. Translation: the good stuff actually works instead of getting destroyed in high-heat production (you know how cold brew is stronger than iced coffee? Like that). You can feel the difference.
It smells fancy. I cannot explain this further, so you’ll just have to take my word for it :)
Where to buy: On their site!
✨ Special Guest ✨ Kendall Dickieson
We're thrilled to have
join us for this week's picks! Kendall is the social strategy mastermind behind some of CPG's biggest launches—think Graza, immi, and Point of View Beauty. With over 5 years crafting strategies that actually break through the noise, she knows what makes brands stick.When she's not building influencer playbooks or advising brands like Ripi, she's sharing unfiltered insights about social media and internet culture in her newsletter,
.Let’s dive into her weekly pickup! →
What was your favorite pickup this week?
Alec's Ice Cream Culture Cups. Alec’s Ice Cream is a premium, mission-driven ice cream brand that uses regenerative organic, A2 dairy for a ridiculously creamy, better-for-you indulgence that’s easier to digest (shoutout to my dairy sensitive friends!) and easier on the planet.
Their flavor lineup is elite. They actually just released a Pistachio Crunch collab with Graza that I also need to get my hands on. When it comes to the cups, they are all fab, but the Dark Chocolate Honeycomb is perfectly sweet.
What about this product intrigued you?
I had the honor of working with the Alec's team a bit a few years ago, but when I caught up with their team earlier this year and got the news that the cups were about to hit the market my jaw dropped. Growing up, I always really loved those old school ice cream cups you might get after school or at camp.
I waited MONTHS and i didn't go to Expo West this year so the FOMO was really real and then they sold out in Whole Foods so fast that when I found them I bought 4 boxes. You already know I definitely bought 5 boxes when WFM ran their ice cream sale the other week.
Where did you purchase it, and why that channel?
Whole Foods! Union Square location for the first time if we want to get specific. Unfortunately, I have a really bad habit of going into WFM every single day even if it's to just walk around.
Why do you love it?
Personally, what I put into my body means a lot to me. From the quality of the ingredients to how it makes me feel, it's very important. With Alec's, it's one of the few dairy-made ice creams I can consume as someone who usually has to be that friend that says no when going out for ice cream. So, if you're a fellow dairy-avoider who wants to dabble back in it, this is key. Also, Alec's does a great job at their flavor selection and has opened up my palate.
Also, who doesn't love a chocolate shell????????
Anything else you’d like to share?
Fun Fact: I ate a whole box of their Peanut Butter Ice Cream Cups on July 4th.
If you want to share a brand you’re loving for us to review, or if you have the perfect special guest in mind, email us: nate@expresscheckout.co and jenna@expresscheckout.co :)