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    32 Things From Small Brands So Good You'll Wish You Got Them Last Summer

    "Summa summa summa timmmme." 🌞🎶

    1. Handpainted watermelon mason jars to give your picnic decor major summer-I-missed-the-heck-outta-you vibes from Redwood Home.

    mason jars painted like the outside of a watermelon on one half and the inside of a red watermelon on the other half

    2. A Radiate Portable campfire (yes, from Shark Tank!) for when you need a quick warm-up at the beach, in your yard, or when you're out camping. And all it'll take is a single match!

    3. Huarache sandals handmade in Mexico that'll have folks asking where you got 'em with every step you take. Take it all in (stylish) stride, babe.

    the ankle-strap woven shoes with black and white diamond pattern on the top

    4. A watermelon ball you'll be surprised to see move through the water nearly as easily as it goes through air. It's not magic. The ball's designed to be easy to throw underwater so game time in the pool is even more fun.

    left side shows a kid underwater with their watermelon ball in a pool and the right is an image of a reviewer's watermelon ball on their floor

    5. A yacht dog float made with puncture-resistant material to help your fur baby join you in on the water fun this year. Plus, it'll have a treat compartment so they won't have to ~ruff~ it out there. 

    white and orange pool float sized for a dog with a yellow lab chilling on it in water with a model next to it
    Funboy

    BTW — Funboy is a family-founded small biz that has been creating fun pool floats for all (including babies and pets) since 2015!

    Get it from Amazon for $59.99 or from Funboy for $55.46.

    6. An oversized baby doll dress that'll look so pretty with all your favorite summer shoes. And guess what else? It's got pocketssssssssss. 🥰

    7. A pop-up outdoor tent so you can get all your fun in the sun — with the luxury of lots of shade and privacy.

    blue tent that's pretty tall with a floor and coverage all around. The front has an opening.

    8. A sleep dress from the Sheex bedding brand that's made of the same performance fabric as the brand's breathable bedroom sheets so you won't overheat on those summer nights.

    9. A jumbo handwoven hammock so relaxing and beautiful it just might become your go-to sleep spot at home. It's also able to be hung indoors or outdoors.

    Hammock outside next to plant with pillows on top

    10. A soft gauze jumpsuit to hit the summer '21 functions looking like you actually, factually tried to dress up.

    11. Dry shampoo so you can literally wash-n-go without worrying about sitting under a hot dryer in this summer heat.

    reviewer's hand holding the bottle of dry shampoo

    12. A stylish DIY tabletop fireplace – it might make you wanna host fireside chats with the fam every evening this summer — especially since these glass panels can be removed for s'more-roasting.

    13. Garlic N Peperoncini sauce to drizzle over all the delectables you create during your outdoor grilling sessions. Spice level: 🌶️.

    bottle of hot suace

    14. Or! A chili sauce to upgrade your grilled eats with a fresh family-owned condiment you'll reach for on repeat. Ready your taste buds for a burst of spicy, sweet, and savory garlic flavor. 😋🌶️

    jar of chili sauce

    15. Ready-to-eat beans inspired by Caribbean and Latin American dishes — for dog days when ya don't have it in ya to stand in front of a hot stove. Eat 'em with rice, tacos, nachos, burritos, quesadillas, salads, chips and dip, or whatever. Endless possi-bean-ities here, folks!

    16. Pineapple Shea body butter hand-whipped with a yummy tropical scent and ingredients meant to keep skin popping with ingredients like jojoba oil, vitamin E, and 100% virgin olive oil.

    jar of body butter plus slices of a full pineapple

    17. A DIY rum punch cocktail (or mocktail!) kit because you def deserve to treat yourself to a tropical vacay in a glass babe!

    18. Or! A self-care cocktail kit that'll come with cocktail syrup and dried fruit garnish, a drink recipe book to guide you, and a positive thoughts massage candle to light while you're winding down.

    the cocktail kit box

    19. The Brilliant or BS card game to bring something fun and hella competitive to game nights at the crib. It'll be an easy play since knowing the *actual* trivia answers isn't really the point. It'll have players questioning their judgment, their friends' and fam's knowledge, and maybe doing a lil' lying y'all 🥴😂.

    20. And! The Rhyme Antics game — so all the people in the place with style and grace (and rap skills!) can flex right quick. Each player must come up with words that rhyme with the main word on each card — all set to a timer of course.

    the game box

    21. A science-themed eyeshadow palette called "Sodium Fine" (get it?! 🤣🧪🔬) so you can ~experiment~ with fun colors to go with all your bright summer lewks.

    22. A bottle of Black Girl Magic RosĂŠ that'll pair well with whatever you're eating in whatever season. Translation: It'll always be wine o'clock whenever this bottle's around.

    BuzzFeed editor Kayla Boyd's hand holding a bottle of the wine

    23. Luv Scrub mesh body exfoliators for a more sanitary version of those bacteria magnets — oops, I mean loofahs. Wet or dry, they can be used to cleanse, exfoliate, and remove ingrown hairs. Perf if you plan to have smooth, exfoliated legs out all summer long!

    24. A self-cleaning Larq water bottle that'll purify your water within 60 seconds on its own using a UV light and keep your water cool while you're out. No water filter around? No probs thanks to this genius invention.

    reviewer holding the black water bottle

    25. A vintage camper birdhouse so all the birds you typically watch come to and fro will have a nice place to stick around a stay awhile! An Airbnb for birds, of sorts. 🐦

    26. A multi-purpose grilling rack for any carnivores who plan to cook up as much meat as possible — and wanna do it fast. Flip it on one side to cook up to 36 drumsticks at a time and the other side for three racks of ribs. 🤤🍗

    27. Squat-proof leggings with pretty silhouettes of people working out. These are designed so they don't slide down or twist up when you're running — all thanks to a hidden adjustable drawstring to cut out an annoying waist gap.

    28. A fun pancake mold that'll successfully entice the picky eater kiddos that'll be eating breakfast at home more this summer. Just heat it up in a frying pan, pour the batter (only up to the line!), let it cook, then flip it, and eat. Easy peasy!

    29. A portable canvas cupholder so you'll finally, FINALLY have the answer to the iced-coffee-balancing-while-opening-a-door dilemma.

    30. A flutter-sleeve wrap dress made from breathable linen material so you can serve lewks in it this summer without catching the sweats.

    Model wearing the short-sleeved wrap dress in light blue

    31. An quirky-cool blanket perfect for pulling off your picnics in comfort and style. Plus, you could also use it as a throw in the crib.

    32. Tie-dye sweat shorts to serve up a '70s-inspired look on days when temps are in the 70s but you're still gonna wear sweat-something because that's who you are and who you'll always be. Me too.

    Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.

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    animated gift boxes and bags