We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
1. An Essence Cosmetics falsies effect mascara because once you open that tube, the transformative cosmetic is only good for two to three months. Prepare to get grilled about where you got your eyelash extensions.
Promising review: "Holy grail mascara! I've used this mascara for about three years now and it still tops any other mascara I've tried. It will transfer if you apply it to your lower lashes, so I use a different mascara for my bottom lashes, which I don't mind at all. I always get asked if I'm wearing falsies! It's a mascara that stays wet longer, so I always apply one coat, let it get tacky, then apply a second coat, for best results." —Joseph Gonzalez
Get it from Amazon for $4.99 (also available in waterproof version).
2. Teeth whitening pens you used a few times on your outside bones, then forget about after they moseyed their way to the back of the medicine cabinet. Those oldies may not have an expiration date, but let's play it safe.
You can use each pen ~20 times and should expect your teeth to lighten four to eight shades.
Promising review: "These are my new holy grail. I have always dreaded whitening my teeth due to the fact that I have very sensitive gums. With this it doesn't hurt or cause any sensitivity. As long as you don’t go too close to your gum line, it’s fine. Plus, I love how this is so easy and convenient to use on the go. Will buy again when I run out." —Amazon Customer
Get a two-pack from Amazon for $15.99.
3. A "flossing toothbrush" you can swap in for a toothbrush older than three months. This one has two layers of bristles — regular firm bristles PLUS longer ones that are 10 times thinner to *really* get in between teeth and gums, mimicking flossing. Psst, it's also safe for sensitive teeth.
Mouthwatchers is a small business by Ronald Plotka, DDS, that specializes in antimicrobial toothbrushes designed to get deeper cleans — which are great for targeting stuff often missed with traditional brush and floss routines.
Here's what BuzzFeeder Emma Lord has to say about them: "I personally bought this a few months ago and love it! I use an electric toothbrush usually, but I feel like I'm getting a much more satisfying clean from these?? Especially because I tend to get yellow stains between my teeth no matter *how* much I floss, and these bristles seem to actually target that a lot more effectively. I've switched to using this in the morning and the electric one at night and definitely see a difference in that area in particular."
Get a two-pack from Amazon for $8.91.
4. An exfoliating scrub mitt that if you've already jumped on the (v smart) bandwagon, you should be swapping out about every four months. And if you aren't a devotee yet, it helps you part with excess dead skin and particles while you use it a couple of times a month. Reviewers find it super helpful for removing self-tanner, addressing ingrown hairs, and increasing circulation.
Promising review: "I have very thin and light body hair, so any form of removal (shaving, waxing, etc) usually leaves me with a lot of ingrown hairs. I've tried body scrubs and washcloths and neither really do a great job. I saw this product recommended by a dermatologist on TikTok and thought I'd try it — it's amazing! I also have very sensitive skin, and this mitt doesn't leave my skin irritated at all. However, absolutely do not use this mitt on your face, neck, or other sensitive areas, it would be way too harsh.
I like to use this mitt first when I get in the shower, then use a body wash (a gentle chemical exfoliant) and follow up with body lotion for dry and sensitive skin. This whole routine is fragrance free and leaves my skin feeling very soft and moisturized." —Kat
Get it from Amazon for $6.99+ (available in two set sizes).
5. A silicone toilet brush and bowl set that'll do a mighty fine job replacing your 6-month-old toilet brush. With this silicone version, you can get away with using it for about a year. Reviewers swear it gives a *legit* clean thanks to its construction that works (and cleans up) way better than traditional toilet brushes.
(Oh and there's a tweezer in the handle to help you clean it!)
Promising review: "This is a great item. I also found this on TikTok." —Laura Young
*Another* promising review: "This is a surprisingly great toilet brush. I never thought there was such a thing as a 'great toilet brush' or that I would feel compelled to write a review for it. However, it cleans up toilet bowl stains quickly. The brush is tough enough to clean the bowl. Additionally, the silicone dries quickly, so there is less of an opportunity for germs to reproduce. Dirty water never accumulated in the holder, as it does with some traditional bristle brushes. The brush also doesn’t stain, so you don’t have a dirty brush by the toilet advertising the fact the you needed a toilet brush in the first place. I also like the bowl, which neatly holds and hides the silicone bristles while the brush isn’t in use." —Alexander Abels
Get it from Amazon for $9.99.
6. And in case the situation is a bit more dire, a toilet wand cleaning system with removable heads so you'll stop regretting your decision to potty train your cats.
Includes a wand, storage caddy, and six disinfecting wand head refills.
Promising review: "So, we have a toilet that belongs to the cats. We don't use it, we don't look at it, we like to pretend it does not exist. Even with semi-regular flushing, cat waste is pretty nasty stuff and built up quickly in the bowl. One of these wands cleaned it up in a single session! Before and after pic attached." —Whitney
Get it from Amazon for $15.45.
7. A shower curtain liner with mesh storage pockets I love and will buy for as long as it's a thing I can buy. After all, you should be washing your liner every three months and replacing every six months. So I'd bet it's about time to upgrade.
Yep, you're looking at my shower! I upgraded from a corner tension rod caddy and never want to go back. The mesh pockets drain water so your liner won't get all icky. And they make it easy to tell the difference between the minimalist packaging for your face wash and shave cream when it's way too early in the morning. Read my full review of Maytex Pockets Shower Curtain Liner (#2) to learn more about why I'm in love with an object that can't love me back.
Get it from Amazon for $14.99+ (available in two colors).
8. Nyx Butter Gloss slides on *so* smooth that it'll feel less painful once you ditch all your glosses that are more than a year old. And at this budget-friendly price, you might just do more than replace and full-on *expand* said collection.
FYI, some reviewers say it's a dupe for Kylie glosses.
Promising review: "This lip gloss is my ride or die holy grail. I have almost all the colors. It's so smooth and moisturizing, lasts a long time, and I love the colors!!" —HatchMama
Get it from Amazon for $4.97+ (available in 35 colors).
Also, be sure to check out how long cosmetics and makeup last.
9. A beet and fresno hot sauce can doctor up most anything they already have at home...except for that bottle of opened hot sauce in the back of your fridge that looks unfamiliar. Toss it and replace it with this delish condiment.
Hot N Saucy is a woman-owned and NYC-based small biz that has some super flavorful sauce options.
I've had this sauce over eggs, with grilled chicken and just about everything else. It hasn't disappointed for anything! I'm somewhat obsessed with hot sauce and have five in my fridge at any given time but find myself reaching for this one often. The beet gives it a sweet twist and the fresno still gives it a bit of a kick that's not *too* hot. (Sometimes I like stuff that's too hot, but people who are OK with medium spicy would be happy with this.)
Get it from Hot N Saucy for $10.
10. Kewpie mayonnaise which, for the uninitiated, is soooooo superior to the ho-hum stuff that you get from the huge chain grocery store. (And I'm southern and saying this despite the regional holy grail Duke's.) After all, did you check the expiration date on the bottle in the fridge the last time that you made a quick 'n' dirty tuna salad sandwich?
Umamicart is a small online grocery store founded by Andrea, who is self-described as a "first-gen, third-culture kid." She was born and raised in Spain to Chinese parents who immigrated there as adults, then made her own move to NYC 10 years ago. She has long connected with her culture through food (her parents owned a Chinese restaurant) and her goal with Umamicart was to create a place to find traditional and staple Asian ingredients in one place.
Promising review: "We love Kewpie mayo on sandwiches, deviled eggs, tuna and egg salad, and almost everything to which you would add mayo." —Lynn F.
Get it from Umamicart for $7.14.
11. Or a washable, reusable sponge that'll stand in for your regular ole model and last you much, much longer. Plus, reviewers say that it's smell-resistant.
Porter Lee's is a Portland, Oregon–based small biz specializing in reusable goods.
Promising review: "These unsponges are absolutely wonderful! They are smell-resistant and do a great job cleaning my dishes! The patterns are so cute, I absolutely adore them!" —nataliemiller97
Get it from Porter Lee's on Etsy for $9 (available in two colors and with or without terry cloth backing).
12. Fridge bin liners because the ones that are in your fridge are kinda sorta stuck to the shelves and drawers in a way that's the complete antithesis of this product's purpose.
13. A pedicure pumice stone that needs to hit the road if you've been using it for at least three months. This one's rougher side will help attack calluses and the soft side will smooth out the offending areas.
I bought this after putting it in countless stories (like this one!) and, folks, the reviewers are right. This thing is LEGIT.
Promising review: "At the shop where I get pedicures I noted that they use these. The dark purple side is perfect for keeping my heels smooth. I live in the desert and go barefoot often so need something for my feet, but other products didn't seem to be very effective. I use this with a callus gel every so often and this seems to work better than all the other 'pumice' bars, etc. This isn't pumice though, but I never liked the hard pumice stones and they didn't seem to do much anyway." —Desert Rose
Get it from Amazon for $4.33.
14. A furnace filter because it's that time of the year again when you're thinking, hmm why am I sneezing so much? Well buddy, an old filter might be why. Time for a swap!
Just be sure to check the sizing that you need before you hit Add to Cart.
Promising review: "I bought more expensive filters, thinking that they would filter more stuff. Well yeah, there is some truth to that. Then my furnace guy told me that the more it filters, the harder your furnace motor will work to pull air through it. He said to use the cheapest filters you can find, and just change them more often. You can tell if it's working harder because the filter will be curved after awhile. That means your furnace motor is working harder trying to pull air through a thicker filter." —BigChiefS4
Get a 6-pack from Amazon for $36.99.
Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.