Sampling Review Submissions, May 2021

Can't wait to hear your thoughts!

1. *FORMAT* [Brand] — [Product, linked]

[Your Name] / BuzzFeed

"[Your review.]" —[Your full name, linked out to your BuzzFeed page]

2. *EXAMPLE* Little Otsu — Weekly and Monthly Planner, Lisbon Edition

Rachel Dunkel / BuzzFeed

"I love my new planner from Little Otsu! It's obviously adorable, but most importantly, it's so incredibly functional. It doesn't have many bells and whistles, but the well-organized month, week, goal, and note sections have already helped me get my brain on the page and better plan by work days, as well as weekly chores and workouts. I especially love the dateless month and week pages, which ensure I won't 'waste' any precious planner pages when I'm on vacation, not super busy, or tbh just feeling a little lazy. Highly recommend this for anyone who'd like to get their schedule in a little more order while still keeping some wiggle room." —Rachel Dunkel

3. 1Thrive — The Casey Wall Organizer

Kayla Suazo / BuzzFeed

"Add this to the list of things I didn't know I needed but now am in total love with. This wall organizer is it. I've been doing the whole WFH thing for over a year now, and it's been super important to me to create a space that I actually enjoy WFH in. Not only does this thing make me just feel fancy and put together (the organization!), it looks great and is beyond easy to keep up with. Each component (like the cork board, mirror, and boards) are each hung with hooks, making it simple to rearrange and take off to write on. The set comes with erasable markers that actually wipe off with water (no lingering marks), as well as screws to hang the unit. If I can hang this thing in five minutes, I swear you can!" —Kayla Suazo

4. Misen — Essentials Knife Set

Kayla Suazo / BuzzFeed

"I am (I mean, I WAS!) one of those late twenty-year-olds still using the knives I bought in college from Ikea. Religiously. I didn't know the good life. I didn't know the world in which a knife could cut through veggies, meats, and other foods like absolute butter. I had been relying on a trusty knife sharpener to keep my cheap knives as sharp as they could be, but they didn't even come close to the Misen knives. These puppies cut through anything. Am I scared I will slice my finger off? Of course. But better than fighting a potato with a dull knife... I've been using them about a month, through many uses (I cook A LOT!) and washes, and they've held up well — no rusting or dulling. I only hand wash them, but even through the many cleanings, they are still as pristine as the day I opened them. I promise you, these will literally change your cooking life!" —Kayla Suazo

5. DRNXMYTH - Ready-To-Drink Cocktails

Emma Lord/BuzzFeed

"I am one of those people who made an abrupt pivot in their late twenties to 'I'll drink anything, it's fine!' to 'Actually wait I have standards and opinions about alcohol now, WHOOPS,' so this has been an interesting phase of my life where I try canned and ready-to-make cocktails and either viscerally hate or thoroughly enjoy them. I'm glad to say I was *delighted* by the quality of DRNXMYTH's cocktails — I tried a sampler and every single one of them impressed (even the gin-based one, which is not usually my favorite kind of liquor!). The flavor combinations were inventive and satisfying with that same kind of 'ooh!' factor you get when you see a fancy cocktail on a restaurant menu. My favorite by far was the Apricot Rye Smash (rye whiskey with apricot puree, almond syrup, lemon juice, and cherry bark vanilla bitters). Making it was also super simple — the top part has the liquor (to keep it separate from the fresh ingredients) so you pour that in first, then twist the bottom (sometimes with considerable effort, but I always got there in the end!!) to release the rest. I especially like that you have control over just how much of the fresh ingredients goes into each cocktail, because I don't like for mine to be very sweet (sometimes I saved a small portion of it to have with my own liquor later to make it last longer). Each bottle has enough for two cocktails, so you can either split one with a friend, orrrrrr do what I did and just have an *extra* special Friday night whenever I chose to indulge. If you're looking for a way to shake things up at home or just save money on cocktails — like, at $12 per bottle ($6 per drink), that's a THIRD of what some of the fancier drinks in the city end up costing, and these are every bit as good if not better!! — I highly recommend." —Emma Lord

6. Stunned Mind - My Hero Academia Sushi Set

Emma Lord/BuzzFeed

"I love My Hero Academia so much that I am one of those dweebs who stays up late on Wednesday night for people in Japan to leak spoilers from the manga (I buy them all too, but I just GOTTA KNOW!!!), so I was extremely thrilled to see this adorable Deku-themed sushi set. It's incredibly well-made and the illustration on it pops out nicely, and it's definitely stood the test of time it's in the dishwasher more often than not. Also I just love seeing a happy Deku on my plate, GOD KNOWS HORIKOSHI PUTS THESE PRECIOUS SUPER-POWERED BEANS THROUGH ENOUGH!!" —Emma Lord

7. Richer Poorer - Women's Recycled Fleece Classic Sweatpant

Emma Lord/BuzzFeed

"Before these sweatpants, I had three rotating sweatpants that each had like One Good Thing about them, but weren't overall great. After I got these Richer Poorer sweatpants, I straight up got rid of all the others, because this pair has it all. I'm talking ridiculously soft fabric on the inside, a comfy and wide elastic waist you can either choose to wear at the waist or the hip, and — be still my millennial heart — POCKETS. I don't go outside in sweatpants at all, but I do occasionally have to run down to the lobby of my building to pick up deliveries, and these make me feel very ~sweatpants chic~ (and the deep pockets are truly appreciated for holding things like my phone and keys and face masks). I like that these wash well, too — they don't lose any of their softness when they come out of the dryer. I can tell these are going to be a favorite of mine for a loooong, long time (unless I end up getting it in other colors, in which case it might tie for my favorite with those lolol)." —Emma Lord

8. Truff - Black Truffle Infused Hot Sauce

Emma Lord/BuzzFeed

"I am not necessarily a hot sauce human — I like it plenty, but I don't necessarily eat things and be like 'this could use some hot sauce!' — but uhhh, this might change my mind. It's the truffle infusion that really does it for me. It complements the heat beautifully, and also just makes the hot sauce itself blend in really well and enhance the flavor not just of the sauce, but whatever you're putting it on. I really like it with eggs and will occasionally dip avocado rolls in it if I've gotten sushi (the truffle flavor pairs well with avocado like WHOA). What I also like about Truff is even though the price point is a little higher, I feel like the bottle is going to last me a long time. The quality of the flavor is so good that you don't need a lot of it to make a noticeable difference in your dishes." —Emma Lord

9. Tentree — Pacific Jogger

Danielle Healy / BuzzFeed, Tentree

"After a year schlubbing around in a pair of black joggers that were already six years old and that I never even liked that much, I decided I needed an upgrade. I was looking for a basic black pair that were comfortable but didn't feel sloppy, and these are IT. To start, these are not sleep pants — these are WFH, travel, hike, comfortably exist-in-the-world pants (all things we've done together). The material is a thick, sturdy cotton and the drawstring actually serves a purpose (gasp) so you can wear them on the hip or up higher on the waist. They taper nicely, have lots of functional pockets, and wash up well. The only downfall is they do attract a bit of lint, but that's a small price to pay for a pant that does its job so dang well, I feel like I'm going to have for years, and is made by a company with ethical manufacturing processes and environmental initiatives that I'm happy to support — every purchase means ten threes planted! Tentree, get it?" —Danielle Healy

10. Vanity Planet —Essia Ultrasonic Lifting & Exfoliating Wand

Danielle Healy / BuzzFeed

"I'm a Dr. Pimple Popper fanatic. Give me a video of an extraction ANY DAY! Because of that, I've seen this wand all over my feeds for a long time, pulling questionable goo out of people's faces. So when I had the opportunity to try one, I was pumped. Do you need this device? Frankly, no. Does it make my skin feel like a soft cloud? Yes. It is a nice moment of self-care every week or so to really spend some time pampering my skin? Also, yes! The exfoliating mode will deliver the most tangible results. The picture above is the goo I got out JUST from my nose, which does help my actually humungous nose pores look a bit small with regular use. TBH, I don't know if the lifting mode does anything, but the moisturizing mode feels very soothing after scraping at your face. Put on your favorite serum and glide the back of the wand against your face — it gets slightly warm and helps the product really melt into the skin. Overall, this is a satisfying way to pamper yourself, and if you're someone who regularly goes to an esthetician for facials, you might actually save some money giving your skin a little TLC from home." —Danielle Healy

11. Onekind — Glow Getter C E Serum

Danielle Healy / BuzzFeed

"Overall, this serum delivers on its promises. Initially, I was off-put by the very earthy smell. It has since grown on me, but be prepared for that. The serum itself is very lightweight (the scent doesn't linger on your skin especially if you're topping it off with other serums or moisturizers), absorbs super quickly, and is very moisturizing. In the last month-ish I've been using it some lingering hyperpigmentation on my chin and nose from past pimples has cleared up and, dare I say, my chronic dark circles are slightly less dark (Thank you, Vitamin C). This product is a slow burn — give it ample chance to work its magic and I think you'll be pleased with the results!" —Danielle Healy

12. BaubleBar — Tris Ring Set

Chelsea Stuart / BuzzFeed, BaubleBar

"I am really lazy when it comes to jewelry. Like, really lazy. I am always wearing four sets of earrings and at least six rings at once but that said — I never *ever* swap them. Once I find something I like, I wear them day in and day out and I don't baby them. I sleep in them, shower in them, slather my hands in hand sanitizer, etc. I've had this threesome of stacking rings from BaubleBar for a few months now and so far they're holding up beautifully despite it all! They haven't tarnished, left any tell-tale green rings on my fingers, or irritated my skin in any way. I like that I can stack them all together or wear them on three different fingers and they compliment each other and my other pieces. They're exceptionally easy to wear." — Chelsea Stuart

13. Dyson — Dyson Outsize Absolute+

instagram.com, Buzzfeed / Christine Forbes

"I have a lot of plants which means lots of dirt. Add the fact that several of my bed linens shed and my hair is falling out (stress), and you can probably imagine how often I have to clean my floor. Going back and forth from the pantry to grab my cord vacuum got old. This vacuum is more futuristic than anything I've ever owned, and was shockingly easy to assemble. It is slim enough to fit in my tiny NYC-sized closet, quiet, and has a long-lasting battery. I think I've charged it once in the month I've had it. Mind you, I use this thing twice a day to touch up my room. Yes, it's an investment but it comes with a great warranty. All my encounters with Dyson's customer service have been pleasant and helpful. Did I mention it's really light and easy to maneuver in tight spaces?" —Christine Forbes

14. Porter Road — Best of Porter Road box

Kayla Suazo / BuzzFeed

What to say about Porter Road? I honestly might just copy + paste the love letter I've written to them (not really, but I should???), because of how ridiculously delicious their cuts are. They've ruined grocery store meat for me. I can't even look at it the same after going through this box. Not only does it come with a great selection of meats, but the quality is unimaginable — like I am out fine dining every time I prepare it at home. I've made steaks, pork chops, hamburgers (OMG, the freakin' ground beef) and after every bite I am just as surprised at the first. You can taste the quality with Porter Road products. I was of course worried about the whole shipping raw meat thing, but everything came frozen and cold. I genuinely can't go back so I will 100000% continue buying from them, and gifting it when I can. If you've ever been hesitant to try a meat delivery service, don't be. Porter Road will DELIVER. —Kayla Suazo