4 days ago
57 Products That Are Very Good At Their Jobs
A cheap but incredibly effective instant foot peeling spray in case your at-home pedis aren't quite hitting or you can't make it to the salon before it's time to start wearing sandals. It'll gently remove dead skin and help moisturize cracked heels so you won't have to put off slipping your old dogs into your trusty Birks for the season.
Or some Nortiv 8 walking shoes with the pillowy comfort and bold color combos of Hokas on the cheap, so you can splurge a little bit on that boutique boxing class this week instead of shelling out more for the name-brand shoes.
A tinted lip balm you'd SWEAR is Clinique's $25 "Almost Lipstick" Black Honey for the lovely, sophisticated hue it'll turn your lips. This is great for people who 1) always want a little lip color, 2) hate a sticky feel, and 3) love a bargain.
Gold Bond's firming neck and chest cream to *gently* hydrate, exfoliate, and tighten the skin that's more sensitive than the rest of your body but less sensitive than the skin on your face. This makes for a lovely, quite effective in-between formula packed with aloe, salicylic acid, and jojoba oil in a formula that reviewers say works just as well as much pricier creams.
A Summer Lemon Marinara sauce that, quite frankly, is the best version of pasta sauce that I've ever had out of a jar. And much better than some sauces I've had out at restaurants! It more or less feels like "il dolce far niente" to me, even if I'm pouring it over some noodles that expired a month ago in my pantry.
A sturdy Pikk-It tool with sharp metal teeth that'll un-ensnare tangled hair from your vacuum cleaners, hairbrushes, and even your beloved round brush dryer. Raise your hand if you've ever broken a seam ripper cleaning a vacuum cleaner. (Meee.)
A Lululemon-inspired tennis skirt with built-in shorts and a secret inner pocket because are you even living your best summer life if you're not claw-handing your iced coffee and phone in one hand while you wildly gesticulate as you tell your friend a story on a neighborhood walk? No need to worry about a strong breeze.
A Creamy Coconut fragrance rollerball that'll have everyone assuming you paid full price for the $25 Sol de Janeiro fragrance. Even if your immediate plans don't entail sitting on a beach and drinking out of an actual coconut, you can still catch a whiff of the island vibe with this sweet scent.
A powerful dishwashing spray that, honestly, if you buy anything from this list, this should be it — especially if your old house *doesn't* include a dishwasher. You can spray down that casserole dish caked with enchilada sauce, let it sit, and you simply wipe and rinse away that saucy mess in a few minutes after you've conquered your meal. (Can you sense an enchilada theme here?)
An intoxicating Baccarat Rouge 540–inspired Cremo Body Wash can help you smell luxe without blowing your whole beauty budget for the month. It has a blend of white jasmine, red currant, and sweet amber that reviewers say stacks up to the real deal and sticks with them throughout the day.
E.l.f. Lash Xtndr Tubing Mascara if you've tried pricier versions but have shied away from rebuying because of $$$. Seriously, just try this! It's so good that I'm currently on my THIRD tube.
A $5 brass cleaner potion can bring some shine back to your designer bag's hardware (without a trip to the Louis Vuitton store). It just takes a tiny bit and some patient work with a cotton swab!
Good Molecules Pineapple Exfoliating Powder made with natural rice starches and pineapple, kiwi, and papaya extracts that'll foam up and *gently* polish skin, giving you similar results to the $68 Dermalogica version. You can use it up to four times a week to see (and feel) the benefits without harsh scrubs or panicking a little bit at your Ulta total.
Plus, Good Molecules Yerba Mate Wake Up Eye Gel. Reviewers swear that this works just as well as $$$ eye creams at minimizing puffiness and swelling thanks to a powerhouse duo of caffeine and hyaluronic acid.
Mise En Scene Perfect Serum, a K-beauty product that's probably come across your radar for its stunning before-and-after results *and* lower price tag than a comparable $46 Gisou hair oil. Locking down a cheap but transformative hair oil will soften the blow of putting off having your split ends snipped off for a few more months.
A leather stain remover spray that'll turn back time on your leather couch, purse, boots, basically whatever that, despite leather usually withstanding most stains, is really showing its wear. This stuff is transformative!
Oxo's portable Cold Brew Rapid Brewer if you guzzle coffee like it's your main salaried job where you have a corner office in the C-suite. It whips up cold brew in a mere five minutes, which is even better news if you've gotten sticker shock from Aeropress but need something that'll work both at home and on the go. (For the record, some reviewers call it "Aeropress 2.0" because they prefer the Oxo version.)
An Elizavecca hair treatment to give you "rich girl hair" thanks to its collagen and ceramide 3 formula. And it'll take just a few minutes of your time, like as little as five minutes post-shampoo. Because time is money, money is power, and power is pizza. (In case you were curious, lots of reviewers say they prefer it over $$$ Olaplex.)
A pair of wireless over-the-ear headphones you'd mistake for AirPods Max if you weren't paying close attention thanks to the similar shape and shade options. These beauts are at a small fraction of the price (I swear, that math is easy) with good noise-blocking, 10 hours of play per charge, a built-in mic for calls, and cushy padding so you can put those extra HUNDREDS you're not spending on AirPods Max for a flight to your college roommate's wedding.
Hanes Ultimate ankle socks can pass the comfort test for fans of Aritzia's TNA line. Yes, we're at that age where socks can be luxurious.
A multipurpose blush stick to help create the lovely watercolor blush trend. Y'know what's even lovelier? Paying $7 for this instead of the $18 Pixi Beauty version so you can build and blend color to your heart's content.
A no-scrub weekly shower cleaner to spray on after you shower, wait 8–12 hours while it tackles mold and mildew stains, soap scum, and just about any gross grime without YOU having to scrub. Talk about practical to the max.
E.l.f.'s Holy Hydration! Thirst Burst Drops made to help plump up (hydrating hibiscus complex and hyaluronic acid) and brighten (niacinamide) your complexion for similar results to the $35 Glow Recipe Watermelon Dew Drops. Reviewers say it works great alone *or* mixed in with foundation.
A Briotech spray can help soothe rosacea, eczema, rashes, sunburns, and other skin irritations for when your skin is just not cooperating thanks to hypochlorous acid (it's in your white blood cells and helps soothe inflammation). Tower 28 SOS Daily Rescue Spray is also what some call a miracle in a bottle. But Briotech is in a cheaper bottle.
Some mid-weight sweatpants in case you wanna bring some luxe feel to your couch-rotting. Folks on TikTok compare these to Aritzia's for a fraction of the price. Everyone wear sweats but they don't have to be expensive sweats.
A Thermacell mosquito repellent that also serves as a light source so you can squeeze in more hours on the patio without getting eaten alive by bugs. It works for a 20-foot zone!
A mini sprinkler pool to help the fam cool off and get some water time without having to dump out a kiddie pool's worth of water once the fun has wrapped.
Color Wow Dream Coat Supernatural Spray to stave off frizz and give you a glass-like sheen thanks to its anti-humidity powers. Even in the nastiest of weather. AND it's formulated for its effects to last through several washes. (Something to which I can attest.)
A bug bite suction tool that'll help you out with existing bites to remove the irritating venom, and help reduce itchiness, pain, and swollenness. Plus it works on other insect stings. Think about all the scratching you could've saved yourself!
A foaming garbage disposal cleaner to throw in your sink (the whole packet!), turn on the water, and watch fizz up as it does the tough work below on all the gunk that OTHER PEOPLE have let build up in your disposal.
Lanolips SPF 30 lip balm for a nice, light, pineapple-y treat so you don't get back inside after a picnic and start wondering why your lips feel so tights. Your lips needs sunscreen too! But with this, it doesn't taste like you're wearing sunscreen.
A set of limited edition wildflower Band-Aids so you can cover up all kinds of scratches from "exploring" in the woods behind your house with your toddler. Though, it was full of more sticks than wildflowers. This'll be a cute solution!
A 360-degree portable neck fan for those sweltering days on the beach when you just seem to be pouring sweat — even in the shade of the umbrella. Just be sure to charge it with the USB before you pack your beach bag!
Kimchi Almost Catfished finishing powder to help keep you matte on the go. It basically serves as a ~realistic~ filter for your face without looking like you put yourself through facetune like a Real Housewife who's running her own socials.
Olay Super Serum Body Wash has niacinamide, shea butter, and collagen peptides in a formula made to provide 24-hour hydration so you don't have to slather on tons of lotion post-shower just to avoid feeling like a dehydrated dinosaur.
Luigi's Sink and Drain Plunger — a mini plunger can find a spot under sinks around your home for when your roomie's meal-prepping routine wreaks havoc on your kitchen sink. Grab this and use it in the same amount of time it takes you to google a plumber.
Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream contains caffeine, coconut oil, and guarana extract, which all make a lovely combo to help smooth, firm, and add a glow to your skin. Reviewers especially love the intoxicating scent and sometimes opt out of wearing perfume because the vanilla/salted caramel/pistachio scent is quite strong.
A set of Liquid I.V. Hydration Multiplier packets, an electrolyte drink mix infused with potassium and vitamin C you can stir into a bottle of water to help speed up your hydration. After all, in the summer you aren't so good at drinking water. So this is a great preventative measure. (I also personally love these for travel and hangovers, and hangovers while you're traveling.)
A portable safe for securing to a beach or pool chair to keep your valuables safe and from getting water on them or falling in the sand.
Some Seastar neoprene slingback sandals that are *actually* water and boat shoes, though they look like regular espadrilles and you can wear them as such! These babies have TRACTION on them but are still comfy and won't rub. I own them and have worn them in the sea and on rocky beaches of France, Croatia, and Italy without slipping and hurting myself. Most recently, I used them to scramble over a bunch of rocks in Panama (as seen below).
A clinical-strength antiperspirant if you've tried just about everything to stop sweating but you haven't found your holy grail yet. It has 12% aluminum chloride, which blocks sweat for up to 72(!!) dry hours.
A pack of clinical-strength SweatBlock wipes could come in handy for hyperhidrosis, nervous sweating, and hormonal sweating any time of the year. But if summer really makes all that rear its ugly head, it's worth a try. You can apply it to your pits for bed and it's made to work for up to seven days.
A pack of spill-proof Munchkin snack catchers will keep the Cheerios where they should be, either in the container or into your kid's on the ground.
Some silicone can covers that'll make your Natty Lite look like a Coke Zero. But you may wanna warn your pals ahead of time before your day at the beach because everyone KNOWS you're a Diet Coke girly.
Some dishwasher-cleaning tablets can get rid of residue that ends up creating odor and buildup on your dishes. You were lucky to score an apartment with a dishwasher but if it's not super effective, what's the use?! These are honestly so cheap that you'll wanna *add to cart* rather than texting your super to come by for a look.
A flat RFID-blocking fanny pack can work underneath your clothes or as just a regular waist bag during travels. So it's a little go with the flow — within reason.
A digital luggage scale will make sure that you aren't slammed with an overweight luggage fee (ugh) or having to move stuff from your checked bag to your carry-on to avoid said fee (also, ugh).
A standing weeder (without the chemicals!) to help improve your view of your yard. You're not the only one who has trouble enjoying weed-filled scenery. If you normally recruit someone to weed for you because you can't comfortably (or simply don't enjoy) bending down to do it, you'll ADORE this tool.
And a crack weeder tool that'll go where the larger weeder (and your hands!) can't if you're not opposed to getting down on the ground to weed, as long as the weeding is far more efficient!
A set of three Cadence containers that are magnetized and'll stick together in your toiletries bag AND on your metal cruise ship bathroom walls. They're super sturdy, leak-proof, and even work great for a few days' worth of vitamins or holding small jewelry. They've quickly become one of my packing go-tos.
A special brush can keep your dryer's lint trap clear of debris and make drying cycles/the appliance more effective for longer. If you aren't already cleaning out the lint trap with every cycle, grab this before calling out a repair person.
Some vinyl picnic table and bench covers reviewers found extremely helpful for camping and park use. BUT they'll also give your sorry-looking backyard table a quick makeover.
A set of Sea Bands with a little nub that targets the acupressure point on your wrists meant to help reduce nausea. This'll be especially great on vacation, in case you get motion sick in the car or on a boatride.
A *foldable* wide-brim hat for helping you keep the sun off of your face, make your outfits look even cuter, and easily fit in your carry-on without crushing it.
An oil stain remover capable of annihilating that grease stain that you thought made your garage or driveway a goner. No need for a professional assessment!
A carpet cleaning solution with results so impressive (just cast your eyes below this text!) that you may have to bleep out your own reaction. Get ready to break up with your carpet cleaner rental spot. Remember when your carpet was beige instead of greige?
A carpet cleaner to transform all sorts of soft surfaces in your home BESIDES your carpet (though it'll do amazing work there too). Turns out, you don't need to buy a new couch after that huge accident. OR rent out a pro carpet-cleaning machine for about half the cost of this beaut. (You'll def use it more than twice and get your money's worth.)
