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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.
Eyebrow razors: $4.99. Never having to have someone yank a wax strip off your face again: priceless.
Y'all, this stuff is no joke — you can check out the earwax removal kit customer reviews to see the GOBS it is taking outta people's canals.
Promising review: "My right ear has been plugged up for months. I squirted warm water in there, peroxide, tried various ear scraper tools, then just gave up. A month or so later, I saw this product at local CVS, and gave it a try. Laid on couch with several drops in my ear for a half hour. I could hear weird fizzing noises. Then I flushed warm water in my ear with the included soft bulb syringe, and out came the culprit. Had to have been deep in there." —fixitforgood
Get it from Amazon for $5.98.
This tool also helps soften skin by gently exfoliating as you use it!
Promising review: "I had been getting a professional lip and chin waxing every three weeks for the past 10 or more years. I was VERY nervous about switching to shaving. After all, we have been indoctrinated with the idea that shaving will only make things worse. I did some research online, and read over and over that shaving does not make hair get darker or grow faster. Of course, unlike waxing you are cutting it off at the skin line, not pulling it out below the skin line. I finally tried shaving, and I love it. I still pluck stray hairs regularly (as I did with the waxing), and shave about every two weeks. I can determine when I need it, and I don't have to let the hair grow out to a certain length, as I did with waxing. Saving money, saving time. What's not to like?" —Deb
Get a set of three from Amazon for $4.99.
Promising review: "I likes the painless and effortless but effective results and the fact I can do this as often as I like. No more $40 monthly facial waxings at this time of shut down for indefinite future and this was my alternative, will save me a whole lot of money!" —Dreidel Collector
Get it from Amazon for $13.99.
With all due respect to that one weird patch on my right brow that grows faster than the rest of my hair, could you just ... not?
Promising review: "Amazing the sharp crisp clean smooth cut is so amazing, like surgical cut. I use mine for more than cutting cuticles. I get really clean cut for cutting my lace on my lace frontal wigs, I cut the thread and never get frying it's clean cut. Of course I use on my cuticle. I can get very fine details on any cutting I do with these. I trim my eyebrows and was able to avoid shaving or plucking because these got the smoothest cut. I highly recommend these cause they are an all in one many uses. I'm extremely satisfied." —EsteeDarla
Get it from Amazon for $6.49.
Blume is a women-owned, POC-owned small business based in Canada that specializes in cruelty-free, vegan, and environmentally-friendly products for skin, body, and period care.
Psst — you can use this oil to either spot treat acne or mix it with your moisturizer or a clay mask, *plus* you can wear it under your makeup, so it's super versatile to your needs, too.
Promising review: "I've had hormonal acne for years, and have been on the hunt for a more natural product without harsh ingredients. I was nervous to spend a good amount on yet another acne-fighting product that could ultimately be disappointing, but after reading the reviews here, I decided to give Meltdown a shot. Well, let me tell you that this stuff is the real deal and worth every penny! I seriously cannot believe what a difference this product has made! Seriously life-changing, and I hope you never stop making it!" —Melissa G.
Get it from Blume for $28.
Promising review: "This is the perfect tool to invest in to maintain soft and healthy feet in between pedicures. It has saved me lots of money because I'm able to space out my pedicures more often now. I've found the best results are when I use it after I shower and then I moisturize when I'm finished. I would recommend going easy the first couple times because it's difficult to know how much callus/skin you're actually removing in the moment. Highly recommend though!" —Nikki Moody
Get it from Amazon for $9.95.
Promising review: "I rarely take the time to write product reviews, but, honey, this stuff is the real deal. My feet were gross. Thick skin, crusty-looking. And, to make matters worse, the salons here do not allow razors to be used when getting a pedicure. I have tried using blades myself to no avail. Then a friend told me about this stuff, so I decided to try it. I showered, and then put on the 'boots' and taped them closed and covered my feet with two layers of socks so the gel wouldn't seep out. I waited for an hour, then took them off. They didn't look any different. So, I patiently waited to see some action. Today is the third day and I cannot believe my eyes! The skin is literally coming off in big sheets. If you are the kind of person who loves peeling skin and wants to see a drastic difference, you should buy this stuff. I love it so much I want to buy it for people. Even people I don't like. LOL. I know a lot of people with gross feet, who I think this would be perfect for. Don't walk. RUN and buy this stuff." —Annie
Get it from Amazon for $25.
Minimo Skin Essentials is a Black-owned, woman-owned small business established in 2016 that specializes in paraben-free beauty products.
Promising review: "THIS!!! DID IT!!! And did it all. Nothing ever works for my skin and this did almost instantly. After two weeks my dark spots were almost gone and my breakouts were minimal to none. By one month, I had the tone I had years ago. I HIGHLY recommend this product (but don’t buy it all up from me lol). My skin is sensitive and EVERYTHING triggers it but this addressed both breakouts and skin toning. I wouldn’t recommend anything else. I’ve sent it to everyone I know lol it’s magical like unicorns." —Roshaunn E.
Get it from Minimo for $16.95 (available in four scents) or Amazon for $16.70 (get this price by clipping the "15% off" coupon on the product page).
Psst — reviewers of all hair types mentioned this dupe working for them!
Promising review: "I'm typically one of those people that will write a review when a product is bad but never really ever good. But I HAD to write this review ... So I recently dyed the ends of my hair blue and it made my hair feel 'stretchy,' which usually means that it's lacking protein. I was going to buy my normal Olaplex 3 but I was affected by COVID-19 and it really wouldn't be smart right now to buy a product that expensive. Well, I was reading an article and it mentioned this stuff and it was calling it the Olaplex dupe. Eight dollars isn't bad so why not. I bought it. Now, I have dry hair from mid shaft to ends from bleaching and I'm letting my natural brown hair grow out. First use, it's a little shiny, nothing spectacular but I noticed barely any stretching in my hair (I left it on for three hours). My hair is SO SOFT ... Olaplex never left my hair feeling this amazing after just one use. This is my new holy grail product and will recommend to everyone!" —lynn
Check out BuzzFeed's full review of the Elizavecca hair treatment for more deets!
Get a bottle from Amazon for $6.98.
Promising review: "Best low porosity curl smoothie. Love this for my low porosity 4a/4b Hair. My hair is so soft, curly, and moisturized after using this curl smoothie. I also do the LCO method on my hair and it performs well. Even two to three days after a twist-out, my hair is so soft!" —Bonner
Get it from Amazon for $10.12.
Each kit comes with a UV LED nail lamp, six colors of gel polish, three bottles of base coat, cuticle oil, a toe separator, a nail file, a buffer, nail clippers, a brush, two cuticle tools, and a brush duster.
Promising review: "I am a low maintenance kind of girl and have tried other gels that require more steps than this gel. This gel literally is bottom coat, let dry under light, color-dry, touch-up if needed, and top coat and dry, DONE. Takes maybe five min total after prepping nails. Prepping is filling or clipping to desired length and cleaning up cuticles. Again process takes five minutes, all in is ten minutes to do your own nails, and polish looks professional. You have the choice of matte or gloss finish. I always like the gloss. I am saving so much time and money using this package rather than going to salon." —Elizabeth Stonitch
Get it from Amazon for $31.44 (available in five styles).
Tattoorary is a Netherlands-based, family-run Etsy shop established in 2014 that specializes in colorful temporary tattoos and nail art.
Promising review: "So fun! Really pretty in person and easy to put on — I didn't even use tweezers, just swiped the flowers off the paper on to each nail. Going to buy more!" —Ava Lauren
Get a set of 60 micro-nail tattoos from Tattoorary on Etsy for $4.
Promising review: "I can't begin to tell you how excited I am to have come across this product. As someone who enjoys doing her own nails using dip powder, gel polish and polygel, the most dreaded part has always been the removal of said products. I have extremely dry cuticles as is, and soaking my fingers for 15-20 minutes in acetone makes them so much worse. This product is the answer to my problems! Before putting on this product I just lightly buffed the top coat of my polish and then watched magic happen before my eyes. The product starts to chip and crack, and after about two to three minutes I was able to completely remove the gel polish I had on without the need for acetone! YAYYY! So happy with this product, and I love that the set comes with two bottles, so plenty of product to last a long time. Overall, this product is going to make changing polishes so much easier, and less time consuming. I absolutely recommended it and will definitely be buying more when it starts to run out." —Maria Camila
Get it from Amazon for $9.98.
This stuff is used in a lot of high end salons, too, so this tin truly pays for itself in "trips not taken to get professional waxed."
Promising review: "This is the best hard wax I have ever tried! I prefer to use hard wax over any other wax hands down. I use it on myself and on my friends, family and clients. I have found that this works best for me when used on clean, oiled (lightly) skin. Using a light oil helps prevent the wax from sticking to & pulling on the skin, therefore only grabbing the hair. Easy to use and easy cleanup. I have found my holy grail hard wax and will be repurchasing every time I start getting low." —Stillkickin
Get it from Amazon for $24.99.
Psst — if you're brand new to sugaring, you might want to try the soft sugaring kit first (depending on what kind of hair you're trying to remove and your comfort level). It's for fine and softer hair like peach fuzz or fine hair on your legs, but it's a bit less ~intense~ for a first round.
Blue Milk & Honey is a Texas-based, Black-owned business established in 2019 that specializes in sugar wax, sugaring paste, and body care products. Each kit comes with 8–10 waxing strips. To use, either warm by hand or in the microwave, apply to freshly-cleaned skin, and apply by hand; you can remove hair with or without the waxing strips.
Promising review: "New to sugar waxing and it is definitely beginner friendly with a few tries! Lol I received bonus reusable strips which were perfect for learning how to wax. The wax is perfect to use with or without strips." —Valerie Lopez
*Another* promising review: "I have gotten my armpits waxed professionally in the past and have also used an epilator for my legs, etc. I bought this wax to do my own Brazilians — it works great. Took me a few tries to get the hang of as I learned but now it’s running smoothly! I usually heat the wax in the microwave for about 40 seconds so I can handle it better but it does a great job. The strips definitely help and are easy to clean. Also love that it’s locally made. I will definitely keep buying and keep doing my own Brazilians with this wax." —Meg Campbell
Get it from Blue Milk & Honey on Etsy for $28+ (available in two sizes).
Promising review: "This is my go-to product to save me money so I don't have to go to the salon every month. Buys me a couple of months in between professional coloring. This is really easy to apply and I never have a problem matching whatever shade the salon uses on my hair." —Amanda Scott
Get it from Amazon for $9.19 (available in 17 colors).
Other reviewers note that this was effective enough that they didn't have to use mouthwash nearly as often to combat odors!
Promising review: "Unfortunately, I like many suffer from bad breath and have tried so many things. I read that sometimes it's the germs on your tongue that can cause it, so I went crazy trying to brush my tongue. Of course we all know how that ends — gagging, watery eyes, and it still looks like that gross film is on your tongue. I finally decided that maybe it was time to get a tongue cleaner and it had to be a stainless steel one because they are easier to clean and sterilize. This product is really easy to use and I can get very far back on my tongue without activating my gag reflex. Also, it doesn't have the feeling like brushing with a toothbrush does. This cleaner just glides across my tongue, taking all the icky germs and bad breath with it. I really like this product and I love that it came with a travel case. But not more than I love my nice new fresh breath and bolster or confidence!" —jordanlauren
Get it from Amazon for $7.97.
Promising review: "Love this product and I use it every three weeks now religiously! I apply it with a little angled eye brush and I started outlining the brow shape I wanted with Vaseline or ChapStick to prevent staining when I first started out. I let it sit about three minutes once I’m done applying to both sides. It starts out dark and then washes lighter after a few days so don’t panic if it’s dark right after. It lasts about three weeks but has lightened a bit by then. I never knew how many eyebrow hairs I had until I used this product! It also helped me even out my eyebrows because they tend to be slightly uneven!" —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $11.95 (available in four colors).
Unlike other hairdryers, this one can be held closer to the roots and scalp for a higher volume and lift, and helps you curl hair at the end while it dries. It comes with three heat settings and is designed to work on all hair textures — reviewers with 3B through 4C hair mentioned it working for them, and especially noted that it helps cut down on drying time!
Promising review: "I have the thickest, most coarse hair. Hairstylists always are amazed at how thick it is. I never blowdried my hair. I was tired of leaving the salon feeling like a million bucks and then washing my hair and going back to having a frizzy mess. I can blow dry my hair in less than 20 minutes with this brush. It gives me that salon look: smooth and pretty. I do have to still straighten it but it doesn’t take nearly as long as before. For max effect, make sure you use smaller sections and use the same technique as your stylist, curling the brush under as you go. Wish I would have had this years ago!" —Derek
Get it from Amazon for $45.97.
Promising review: "I absolutely love the way this works on curls! The collapsible nature of the product does everything it promises and then some. It allows the curls to collect inside the diffuser and dry faster without too much expansion, thus preventing frizziness — the designated archenemy of curliness. This diffuser is exactly what the doctor ordered for keeping the moisture in the hair, which is the exact reason you are washing the hair in the first place. You can also use this when you decide to do a wet down with conditioner (caution: only do this when you are a truly skilled curlista!) and walk away with a DAY FIVE that literally looks exactly like a day one fresh wash. Love love love it! Five stars all the way." —QueenOAmazon
Get it from Amazon for $16.08.
Each set comes with color-coded blades that correspond to the trimmer, two combs, a scissor, and a carrying case to store it all. Psst — dog owners!! A lot of people are also using this on their furry friends, if they haven't been able to get to the vet or a groomer.
Promising review: "Bought this for the COVID shutdown, and my wife has used it to give five haircuts total to me and our teenage sons. It comes with directions that help a lot, tons of height selectors, and even scissors and comb: a very complete haircut kit. She's never cut hair before, but we look about like what we did coming out of our $15/cut local barbershop, so..." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $28.56.
The razor has two edges, a fine tooth one for thin hair textures, and a wider one for thicker hair textures. (FWIW, people also use this on their pets as a quick grooming solution!)
Promising review: "I recently got a pixie haircut, I was hesitant to get one based on the fact that I'd have to get frequent haircuts, the cost of which would add up quickly. I did some research on youtube and found some videos using the tinkle hair cutter to trim hair in between salon visits. I LOVE this thing! It is easy to give a little trim or a drastic cut, both of which I have done since getting the tinkle cutter. I was very nervous to try it fearing that I might mess up my hair so I just did a little bit first, but it was easy and only takes off small amounts of hair at a time, remember, I have a pixie cut — if you have long hair it will cut that off! Basically all you have to do is comb your hair in the direction it grows until you're satisfied with the cut. Seven months post pixie haircut and I have only been to the salon once to have a re-shaping done of my hair. I will say that when the cutter feels like it's 'pulling' your hair, it's time to get new razors. I still prefer my pixie cut to be pretty short and assuming I would have to go to the salon once a month for upkeep I have saved $210 since having my hair cut. TOTALLY WORTH IT!" —brandi in louisiana
Get it from Amazon for $3.93.
Promising review: "I am so happy that I bought this! I was skeptical at first but decided to but it anyway. It isn't a big, oversized mirror. It is easy to assemble and lightweight. The led lights are so bright and the multi angle with magnification makes it perfect for all aspects of my makeup routine. It does take AAA batteries or you can use the USB cable that comes with it." —Jess Y.
Get it from Amazon for $19.99.
Promising review: "This serum really helps to tighten your skin! I've used it for about two weeks now. I have an oily T-zone, and it dried my skin out in that area after about four days — to the point where my skin was flaky. I decided to alternate with a moisturizer for the day and to use this stuff at night, and now my skin looks amazing. I can't tell you how much I've tried and spent over the years trying to shrink my pores as I have always been self-conscious about my sebaceous filaments on my nose and cheeks. I've done chemical peels, facials, enzyme scrubs, you name it. I've come to terms with using face primer to spackle over them LOL. Within 10 days they've pretty much all dried up! I totally didn't expect this result and couldn't be more thrilled. I examine my skin in the mirror closely each time I go into the bathroom. Seriously. This morning I woke up and my skin looked so good that I was upset with myself for a second about falling asleep with my makeup on, and then I remembered that I did wash my face —and skin just looks even and fresh now! This serum is absolute gold. Just make sure to not put it around your eyes as it will dry them out big time, and if your skin gets too dry, alternate with a moisturizer (I recommend their Vit C moisturizer)." —Dana Morningstar
Get it from Amazon for $19.99.
Blk+Grn is a sustainable, Black-owned artisan marketplace established in 2017 featuring all-natural, environmentally-friendly Black-owned products across all categories, from home to beauty to groceries to menstrual care.
Promising review: "This cuticle cream is the answer to my prayers! Frequent hand washing left my cuticles dry and painful. After a week of regular use, there is definite improvement. Goodbye hangnails, hello happy skin! I will be reordering in the future! (PS - love the bright citrus scent as well!)" —Jen K.
Get it from Blk+Grn for $3.
People are also using it in quarantine to help with dry and painful skin on their hands from hand-washing and sanitizing. FWIW re: scars, though, this stuff really works. I had thyroid surgery a few years ago and Bio-Oil took me from looking like I'd stumbled out of the Red Wedding to virtually no detectable scar within a few months. All I did was apply it once in the morning and once at night.
Promising review: "This is great stuff! My daughter is a teen and has been having severe acne breakouts, we tried everything even a prescription from her pediatrician for Retin A cream. Her acne just kept coming back. I was skeptical about trying an oil for acne scars because I thought it would cause her to break out more but after reading the reviews I decided to give Bio Oil a try, what did we have to lose? She washes her face with CeraVe foaming wash and uses the Bio Oil at night and in the morning. She has been using these two products for about two weeks and we have seen no new breakouts and the scars on her cheeks have very much improved!" —Richandra Blake
Get it from Amazon for $8.92 (available in three sizes).
Promising review: "Love it! I already had a bleached ombre style in my hair but wanted to add some color to make quarantine less dreary. I went for the purple. I figured if it didn't deposit a ton of color at least it will take out the brassy tone from my blonde. I did as everyone suggested and applied it to dry hair, I applied it in sections pretty liberally to avoid patchiness. Left it in for 45 minutes. After rinsing it out I applied a few more pumps while I was still in the shower for no other reason than why not? Left it in while I shaved and what not. Rinsed again conditioned for a few minutes to make brushing easier. I know this is a conditioner/cleanser but my hair is pretty dry from the frequent bleaching I always shoot for more moisture. It came out perfect! Even vibrant color (not a deep plum color more of a medium purple) very soft, didn't stain my face, neck, or hands. So far I'm very happy with it. I am hoping it's very temporary and won't be a hassle to get rid of when I get to go back to work." —chelsea
Get it from Amazon for $11 (available in 18 shades).
Promising review: "I am on my feet a lot and I had two nails that had thickened to the point where I couldn't use the regular nail clippers any more because they didn't open far enough. I had nail scissors but they weren't nearly strong enough. I'm not going to lie — I was getting really self-conscious about them in addition to the fact that my shoes were getting more and more uncomfortable. I found these clippers and tried them out and I couldn't believe how smoothly they cut through my super thick nails. I thought I was going to have to apply a lot of pressure but the blades just slid right through. One of the best purchases I've made in a while!" —Katie D.
Get it from Amazon for $11.99.
This shampoo was designed to work for sensitive scalps, color-dyed, and chemically processed hair as well as for all hair types and textures, with reviewers with 3b-4c curls mentioning it worked for them.
Promising review: "After suddenly developing dandruff in my forties, and trying other medicated shampoos, this one knocked it out in two days! I use it about once a week for maintenance, and a tea tree oil shampoo in between. Very happy with personal results. Smells good, too." —rebeljack78
Get it from Amazon for $14.84.
Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.