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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.
It is truly a penguin-shaped dryer ball's world and we're all just living in it.
Promising review: "I originally picked these up to use in lieu of nasty, nasty dishrags that invoke my inner THIS IS NOT CLEAN demon. Since then, I have used them for everything from cleaning the kitchen to wiping up spills. After use, just toss in the wash and they are ready to go again. They are the perfect size and do an excellent job on every task to which I have applied them. They come in a variety of fun prints and I have yet to wear one out. Paper towel usage has taken a real nosedive, which is a good thing given its relative scarcity at present." —sandra simpson-kraft
Get a three-pack from Amazon for $10.44+ (available in 12 prints).
Promising review: "I am the kind of person who loves to order large drinks but never finishes them. I bought this as a way to not only save on the amount of plastic/paper cups I use, but as a way to ensure that I will actually drink whatever beverage I am purchasing. I mainly use this for coffee and tea, but I love how easy it is to clean. I love that the mouth part is silicone, making it easy to clean and easy to drink out of it. It is a great reusable little mug that easily fits in my purse and in my car cupholder. I highly recommend this product!" —Barbra
Get it from Amazon for $16.99+ (available in seven colors).
Promising review: "I have been using these for about two years and let me tell you, they look like the day I bought them! I was using them for school lunches, but now with the stay at home orders, I’ve begun making batches of rice and pasta and freezing those with these bags. They work great and heat up in the microwave beautifully. No damage to the bags at all! I actually ordered some more just to have plenty on hand since I’m using more of them now than in the past. I have tried other brands of reusable storage bags that got pitted and messed up in the microwave. These may cost a little more, but they are almost indestructible and last a long long time! Did I mention you can throw them in dishwasher? Just open the bag and fit it onto the upper rack spikes and they wash up great. I just shake them out and let them air dry. I’m not using plastic bags anymore! Thanks for the great product." —John S.
Get it from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in four sizes and eight colors).
Promising review: "I suddenly used this as a wallet and it's perfect, it fits a driver's license and business cards and keys, coins and dollars, etc... it grips to your clothes so it doesn't slip, the items on the inside are sealed and wouldn't slip out even if open. It's flawless and I wish I had more." —J
Get a set of two from Amazon for $13.99.
It's got two sides — one that can wipe off all your makeup with water and a light scrubbing, and another that exfoliates your skin. Plus, all you have to do when you're done using it is wet it and hang it up to dry! No more wasting money on icky washcloths that hurt your skin!!! I can hear your pores singing from here.
Promising review: "THIS. THING. IS. AMAZING. I have literally never had clearer skin. It does exactly what it says it does: erases your makeup. Waterproof or not, it all goes away with just a little water and a little bit of scrubbing. I will forever be amazed by this. Never buying another makeup remover product again." —Brittany
Check out BuzzFeed's review of the Makeup Eraser for more deets!
Get it from Amazon for $20 (available in five colors).
Ruby Love is a Black woman-owned business that not only specializes in period underwear, but leakproof sleepwear, swimwear, and activewear (check out more designs on Ruby Love's website).
Promising review: "You have a loyal customer here with me, already placed a new order. The leakproof stuff in your products worked for me all day, one day at work. I got caught up doing overtime and worked from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. last weekend and wore the underwear all day. At about 3 p.m. with nothing and then I added the double-sided pad in for the rest of the night. By 8 p.m., I still had no leaks. I am super happy. I did not feel a thing and they were super comfy." —Tanya
Get it from Ruby Love for $19.99+.
Promising review: "I bought these straws because I am very conscious of the amount of waste I create and try to do my best to minimize it. I just got these but I can already tell I love them. I love that they give you multiple different sizes, and they also include two cleaning brushes which makes cleaning them a breeze. I also just put them in the dishwasher if I'm feeling lazy. Great straws for the environmentally conscious!" —Kimberly
Get a set of 12 from Amazon for $7.64 (available in four colors).
The container even comes with an itty bitty straw cleaner so you can get even more long-term use out of it — and, more importantly, a silicone tip so you can use it on warmer drinks or hot days that might heat up the metal.
Promising review: "I bought this in an effort to be less wasteful with the plastics and also because I can NEVER find a straw when I need one — and this knocked it out of the park!! The awesome oil-slick coloring on the straw? Amazing! It collapses and opens smoothly and the little telescoping cleaner brush is fabulous! Everyone in my office is jealous and now wants one too." —Ashe
Get it from Amazon for $6.95 (available in 10 colors).
This notebook includes lined and grid pages in addition to planner, calendar, and brainstorming pages, so it covers all your doodling and planning needs.
Promising review: "Loving using less paper. Got this product when transitioning to work from home. I am a math teacher and was using a lot of paper to write notes and to do lists, show students how to do problems, etc. This is amazing. Thinking about getting a class set for next year." —Alecia Martin
Get it from Amazon for $36.87 (available in eight colors).
Promising review: "These are the cutest tea diffusers I have ever bought! Super sturdy and come with a brush to help clean. I use these for loose leaf teas and haven’t had a problem, even when I placed one in still boiling water! Everyone who comes over fights over which one they get to use!" —Amanda
Get a set of five from Amazon for $19.95.
Promising review: "These beeswax wraps are so much better than plastic wrap for storing hard and semi-soft cheeses. Now our cheese never starts getting moldy before we have a chance to finish it. We’re cutting down our plastic usage more and more, and these wraps are much more eco-friendly. (We just need to do more to protect the bees.) Closing the wrap is quick and easy. It takes just a second or two, using just some pressure and the warmth from your hands. As long as you remember to rinse these reusable wraps in cold (not warm or hot) water, they last a long time. So, although the upfront cost is significantly higher than plastic wrap, the per-use cost is reasonable." —Mr. Schindel
Get a three-pack from Amazon for $18+.
Promising review: "This is such a great deal! This is a great set if you’re trying to be sustainable and eliminate waste. The nice thing is that everything is washable and reusable! I was able to use it on my different size bowls. An extra bonus is that the elastic covers have smiley faces on them to remind me how much good I’m doing for our planet :) I can use the beeswax wrap to wrap sandwiches and food and also use the silicone bags instead of ziplock bags for snacks such as chips, nuts or fruit. I can also use the covers instead of using Saran wrap or plastic wrap. I’ll also be saving money in the long run from having to buy these non-environmentally friendly products again." —Merriam W.
Get it from Amazon for $21.99.
Promising review: "These mats really make baking a lot easier. Nothing sticks to the mats. I used them for baking cookies and had no issues at all. Even with my flimsiest spatula, I was able to get the cookies off with no effort and nothing sticking. They are also super easy to clean, just wipe them down. And they are easy to store. I can either roll them up and tuck them in a drawer or leave them flat in a larger drawer. The best part about the mats are the 3 sizes. Lots of versatility." —Sweet Pea
Get a set of three from Amazon for $13.99.
Promising review: "Quarantine made me do it but I’m not sorry. Don’t bother buying the expensive name brand Orbeez — these are essentially the same and work great. My kids LOVE these! A million uses and great for all ages of kids (except for babies). We have filled up a huge bin and used cups to scoop and play. We have put them in the water table outside. We have used a funnel to fill up balloons and make homemade squishy stress balls. We have made foot spas. We have talked about filling a baby wading pool and lounging, but I’m not willing to buy enough. 😂TIPS — a small amount of these goes a LONG way. About half the beads in this container will fill up half of a Rubbermaid garage storage tub. Just pour them into your container with a large amount of water and wait, wait, wait. Did I mention WAIT — It will take ONE TO TWO DAYS for them to fully expand, so plan ahead!!! We’ve gotten hours of fun and I’ve also heard they’re good for gardens, so you can dispose of them there when you’re done (though you might want to do your own research on that one!)" —Deeber
Get a set of 50,000 from Amazon for $8.99.
Promising review: "So the first time I used these was for sandwiches and they stood the test of being leakproof with jelly. No leaks and once they were flipped inside out they cleaned up well too with no residue. So far these are perfect and I would recommend to anyone trying to save some money on plastic bags and save the environment a little at the same time." —Sammy
Get a five-pack from Amazon for $13.99 (available in nine prints).
It's also water-resistant, stain-resistant, easy to clean, and built to withstand outdoor activities like camping, hiking, and sailing.
Promising review: "I absolutely love this lunch box. I am able to stand out of the crowd while being functional as well. This lunch box does not necessarily keep things cold but it serves a good purpose if you keep your lunch box in the refrigerator. It is very roomy and can fit quite a bit of food. After use, it can also be folded and placed in a bag or purse. I love this thing. It is also very easy to clean." —Kimberly
Get it from Amazon for $17 (available in three colors).
This is made from 100% recyclable materials, is dishwasher-safe, and can also fold out as a plate if you're trying to go waste-free at fast-casual restaurants!
Get it from The Grommet for $24.95 (available in four colors).
Promising review: "I’m very impressed with these bags. I took two of them into Target today for groceries, and ended up only needing to use one. These bags can hold a lot of items. They are strong, easy to clean and fold up into the attached pouches within seconds. I store mine in my center console of my car. I have been promoting these to my friends and family, and they are already making purchases. These are worth every penny." —Cuesta Verde
Get a set of five from Amazon for $13.99 (available in 11 color combinations).
Promising review: "These are way larger than they appear. They hold so much stuff. Great colors, throw in the washer to clean. Compact and easy to carry in my purse for those shopping trips. Great value and price for a set of five." —MAKneeland
Get a set of five from Amazon for $14.98.
They're also dishwasher- *and* microwave-safe.
Promising review: "Overall, fantastic plates! These are the best faux plastic plates I've purchased. There was no funky smell and they have held up time and time again in the dishwasher and microwave. They are also incredible easy to hand wash. The plates are virtually nonstick. Melted cheese couldn't even bond to these little BPA-free beasts. Great price. Great product. Great purchase." —Alison and or Grant Meyer
Get a set of three from Amazon for $15.99.
Mind The Cork is a London-based, Black woman-owned Etsy shop established in 2014 that specializes in beautiful cork alternatives to leather goods.
Promising review: "I bought this for my dad who is hard to please and he loved it! It is the perfect size for him since he does not carry many things in his wallet. It is also small and thin so it fits in any pocket. Great purchase!" —Molly McGrath
Get it from Mind The Cork on Etsy for $24.54 (available in four colors).
Promising review: "This is my first safety razor; I could not stand the expensive, wasteful replacement cartridges anymore. The shaving has worked well for me as a beginner. I am no expert, but I would say this is a not too 'aggressive' razor, as it is quite hard to cut yourself with it. The illustrated user manual that comes with it is perfect to make sure to know how to use the razor at best. I am now slowly mastering this traditional shaving style and it is great. I like the blade-changing mechanism, which generally doesn't work its way loose, and I like the gunmetal color. The safety razor stand that comes with the safety razor is a great plus as it looks good and is very handy. As recommended, I purchased Astra Platinum blades with it, and change the blade every three months or so." —Corentin
Get it from Amazon for $17.49.
Psst — these also work on tea!
Promising review: "These are WORLDS better than the other ones out there. First off, you get four and you really don't need four. These are built with such a fine mesh, that the coffee and the loose tea I put in them don't end up into my cup. Minimal cleaning and maintenance especially compared to the other designs on the market. These are affordable and much easier and CLEANER to work with. I'd recommend these to any Keurig owner looking to stop wasting all of the plastic (and $$$) on K-cups and start using their own coffee/tea." —Hannah Simon
Get a four-pack from Amazon for $8.95.
Promising review: "Let me say upfront that I have tried most of the supposedly 'earth-friendly' bags on the market over the years. Yes, that's several dozen. When you read the fine print on most of the other 'biodegradable' bags, you'll realize that the vast majority are not what they claim to be. Of those that genuinely are biodegradable, such as bio-bags, all of those I've seen are a little too thin to really work, and it's safest to double bag. This is the first truly biodegradable AND truly effective poop bag I've seen. Look at the certification rating they got; cornstarch really is one of the best possible choices for earth friendly materials." —Gabriella Chartley
Get a pack of 120 from Amazon for $15.99 (or Subscribe & Save for $15.19/two months).
These are also super handy because they stay upright on flat pans, so you don't even need to buy cupcake pan to make cupcake-shaped goodies! They're also designed for easy release and are dishwasher-, microwave-, and freezer-safe.
Promising review: "Love these!! I have bought several sets, and including as gifts. They are totally nonstick. After use, you do have to wash them in hot soapy water to remove all grease. They take quite a while to dry — like water just sticks to this surface. I leave them out overnight, all separated and they are dry by morning. I make breakfast muffins (like crustless quiches). With egg, a non-stick muffing pan still sticks and requires way too much work." —jcavalon
Get a set of 12 from Amazon for $7.99.
Each set comes with six pieces of cutlery — two knives, two forks, and two spoons — in corresponding colors.
Get it from The Grommet for $17.95.
Promising review: "Writing this as the gift giver: there is enough paper in this box to wrap several good-sized gifts. The paper is easy to work with, and a good weight. I love the raffia ribbons that come with, and the gift cards that have instructions for the receiver on how to 'plant' the paper once the gifts are unwrapped. I LOVE the idea of this and am going to order at least one more box to have some on hand for future giving." —C. Keibler
Get a pack of four large sheets from Amazon for $14.99.
Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.