Editor Gets Lost In Turkish Bazaar, Fights Evil, Comes Away With Spiced Soaps

I am obsessed with the entire "Evil Eye" section of the online Istanbul Bazaar—evil eyes at wholesale prices! Options range from evil-eye-fighting cellphone straps to baklava-shaped paperweights, all with indigo blue glass "eyes" in concentric circles of milk-white, turquoise, and black, designed to protect you from general ill will. Almost everything is less than $50, and most is under $10, so I don't feel so bad about buying a bracelet and this strange, woozy-looking little owl, which I'm planning to pop out of the wooden frame; if you look closely, you can see the tiny evil eyes disguised as breast feathers.

On my way out of the bazaar, armed with my newly purchased positivity, I wandered into the Turkish bath section... and fell in love with this six-soap set—cinnamon, vanilla, and a very intriguing clove scent. They're super-moisturizing and a bit spicy—and the set comes with a bright sliver of tile that fits in quite nicely with my new slightly mystical decor.

—Cristina Mueller, senior beauty editor