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You know what they say — the earliest bird catches the coolest worm.

Promising review: "This pen works on Black women! Finally found a pen that shows on my skin and stays on until you literally scrub it off with a makeup wipe. Very much smudge proof! I even cried and it didn’t come off. People actually think the freckles are real! I used sheer skin tint foundation before that I wore concealer with another freckle pen and it absorbed the product. Not sure if this is why the product didn’t work. But this pen is the truth!! And for a reasonable price! Will be buying again! By the way I’m 45 years old and this is amazing on my skin!" —Tanya

Get it from Amazon for $7.99+ (available in four shades). 

Promising review: "I just got this and I can’t even tell you how much I love this product! It has an awesome tint to it and is just amazing. It basically goes on like water and transforms into a lip oil. 10 out of 10, I definitely recommend." —aliceuny

Get it from Amazon or Sephora for $23 (available in nine shades).

Promising review: "This mug is exactly what I was looking for — sturdy, well-balanced, and holds a true 8 ounces without feeling oversized. The handle is comfortable and easy to grip, and the ceramic feels thick and durable without being heavy. It keeps my coffee warm and looks great on the counter or desk. The design is clean and modern, making it versatile for everyday use or gifting. It arrived well-packaged with no chips or flaws, and it’s held up perfectly through multiple washes. Highly recommend if you want a reliable mug that feels good in the hand and looks sharp in any setting." —Dana

Get it from Amazon for $21.88+ (available in eight colors; also available as dessert plates). 

Promising review: "I used it on top of frosted sugar cookies and it was so good. It has a nice lemon flavor with out being overwhelming. I cant wait until this summer when I make my frozen lemonade. I plan on mixing this sugar with the whip cream I put on top!!" —Savannah

Promising review: "Very silky and soft! Very cute print on it! True to size as well! Will be ordering more patterns." —Angel

Get it from Amazon for $14.99+ (available in women's sizes S–XXL and in 12 patterns). 

Meiiyo is a small Black-owned and -founded business specializing in skincare for every skin tone. 

Promising review: "I love these pimple patches! They do such a great job at helping to get the puss out of my pimples. The package is beautiful, they are pretty thin and easy to put on. I would definitely buy these again when I run out which is coming up fast." —C.A

Get the dark to deep shade on Amazon for $16 (and shop all the Meiiyo pimple patches on their store page). 

Promising review: "Do not hesitate to try this product if you have a hard skin problem on your feet. It takes a few days to see a difference, but now I can see a change. Just like that, the skin on my pinky toe is not rock solid anymore. Bye bye, pain — and I am not joking." —Majda

Promising review: "Got the eight-pack. Loved them so much I’m immediately buying a set for a friend who loves flowers. Fun to pick which flowers you can put in the vase. You can cut the stems to mix and match as well." —Nime

Get a set of eight on Amazon for $13.99 (also avaIlable in packs of five). 

Listen — and I'll tell you this because you're like my bestie, and I can literally feel our heartbeats syncing through my screen — my bright orange redhead era was also my fraudulent hair-a. But I had everybody fooled for a good three years...and I kept the long con going 'til the very end with THIS AMAZING MASCARA! While it works amazing on its own, when I wanted that beautiful ginger hue to shine, I paired it with a white primer (this one from Tarte, to be specific) to cover my black lashes and topped it with Tube Job in auburn – and boy howdy, did that color come through. 

My lashes are super. Freaking. Straight. But this formula actually held a curl, AND lasted through an impromptu bar crawl (I mention that it was impromptu because I wasn't planning on staying out in the Tucson heat all night, so I used no primer or setting spray — and it still STAYED PUT). 

And even though I've gone back to the dark side (with my hair...tsk, tsk), I went and bought the natural black color of this mascara, too...because I missed the little butterfly wings on my lashes. It's just that good. 

Get it from Ulta for $25 (available in five shades).

I am in LOVE with this little mirror. It's beautiful and sturdy — but it looks delicate. AKA, it's the best of both worlds. It's not flimsy plastic like other handheld mirrors at this price point, and it looks gorgeous on my dresser!

Get it from Amazon for $16.99+ (available in 11 styles). 

Kim Chi Chic is an Asian-American- and queer-owned (+ founded!) business created by RuPaul's Drag Race alum Kim Chi, who made herstory as the show's first Korean drag queen. 

Check out a TikTok of the primer in action.

I *love* this gloss. It's a bit of a thicker serum, which might not be ideal for those with thin hair. But as someone with a lot of split ends, this is the *perfect* consistency. I noticed right away that it seals them up and makes all that breakage way less noticeable. 

Promising review: "I love this stuff!! I just used it for the first time yesterday and I’m obsessed. My hair has never been so soft and shiny. I also used the shampoo from the same line and a bit of my regular bath and bodyworks conditioner. My hair feels bouncy and hydrated and not weighed down at all. You really only need a tiny bit. I have medium length, medium density hair and I used two pumps. The quality is fantastic and it works better than a lot of high end products I’ve tried, so it’s a great value. My hair tangles quite easily typically, and I feel like it doesn’t tangle as much after using this." —Serene Conaway

Check out a TikTok of the Prepara Salad Pod in action. 

Promising review: "An awesome invention. I take salads daily to work, and it’s so convenient. Also the dressing at the top makes mixing salad so easy." —Adrienne Williams 

Promising review: "A really fun, well-made Lego botanical kit. I always use the lego builder app which makes the instructions clearer. Really enjoyed putting this together. A good size and great value for the money." —Amazon Customer

Promising review: "Such a cute way to keep trivets handy for hot items. They seem to be built well, as they have held up, and I’ve been using them for at least six months now." —Wolff

Get it from Amazon for $34.99 (available in four colors). 

Promising review: "I’ve tried so many products to keep my hair sleek, but this one is definitely the best. It smooths down all my flyaways without leaving any greasy residue, and it keeps my style in place all day long. I also love how compact it is — super easy to carry in my purse for quick touch-ups. It smells nice, works amazing, and gives that perfect polished look. Highly recommend!" —Brendha Garabini

Promising review: "Wow!! Blown away!! Nyx Please don’t stop selling this product. Best foundation on the market. Out performing my Givenchy. ❤️" —Carrie Sessions

Get it from Amazon for $13.30+ (available in 45 shades). 

Psst...in the photo on the left, in addition to wearing the Faux Brow in dark brunette, I am wearing the Urban Decay Tube Job mascara in black, too! 

Promising review: "I’ve tried so many eyebrow products, and the L’Oréal eyebrow filler pen is the first one that truly delivers hairlike strokes that look natural and defined. It’s incredibly easy to use and gives a realistic finish that blends beautifully with my natural brows. What impressed me, even more, is the price — finally, a product that works and doesn’t break the bank! The cost is totally reasonable, especially considering the quality of the outcome." —Kelly V. 

Get it from Amazon for $9.97 (available in eight shades). 

Promising review: "Where was this years ago? Works great for sebaceous filaments on the nose, clears them up well. It's a powder, but as soon as you rub it onto your finger or skin, it turns creamy. A little goes a long way." —Anon

Promising review: "Pigmented, easy to blend, smooth, long lasting, and so much more. Maybelline Cloudtopia blushes are top of the line. The formula is exquisite. These moussey blushes feel and look a lot like the very popular Korean brands pudding pots. The texture is very soft and pleasant, they come in little glass jars that are thick and good quality, and the price is very affordable. They can be used in both cheeks and lips and a little dot goes a long way. The shade range is excellent. I bought Coral Illusion, Pink Daydream and Divine Crimson. I like how blendable they are and how you can build the pigment. They have a soft matte finish that is very blurring for both lips and cheeks. It is a very practical product, excellent for traveling and it doesn't occupy much space on your makeup bag. I am in love with these, and I highly recommend them." —Yise

Get it from Amazon for $7.98 (available in 10 shades). 

*I asked myself the question, "What would happen if I just called Therabreath up?" And then I verified with a brand representative that this toothpaste's pH is 7.5–8, which is alkaline enough to effectively clean teeth without harming enamel. Who says shopping writers aren't also investigative journalists? 

Always be sure to check with your dentist to make sure you are using the right toothpaste for you, though. 

Tragically, the one part of my beauty routine that I neglected as a teenager was maintaining the health and aesthetics of my (formerly) not-so-pearly whites. As an adult, I'm paying the hefty price — cavity fillings, root canals, crowns, and implants galore (do not be like me, me and my wallet are both begging you). I seriously am not sure that I have a single tooth in my mouth without some sort of restorative treatment. As a result of that, I have super fragile, sensitive teeth that I need to be *extra gentle* with...and that means staying away from harsh whitening toothpastes. And that's super hard, because I want white teeth! 

Luckily, this "deep clean" is enough to scrub the stains away without causing pain. No stinging, no sensitivity, and it still leaves my teeth looking about a shade whiter after consistent use. It obviously cannot undo the damage that is already there, but it's helped my teeth feel much cleaner, and helped banish my inflamed gums. A tip I got from my dentist that's REALLY helped? In addition to brushing and flossing, I put a tiny bit of this toothpaste on an expandable floss (like Cocofloss) and scrub in-between my tightly crowded areas that my toothbrush can't reach. It's like magic if you're prone to cavities in those spots. 

Get a pack of two from Amazon for $15.38. 

Silver Buffalo is a small business that specializes in fandom-themed homeware and gifts. 

Promising reviews: "Super good quality. Very, very, very soft. Super good artwork, but keep in mind the blanket is thin." —Michael Warren

"This blanket is SO soft and SO detail oriented. This blanket is both light weight and cozy at the same time (very helpful when sleeping because it feels so soft for the skin). Both the front and back of the blanket have the design. I’d love if it was a bit bigger, but honestly I’m so satisfied. This blanket does not at all shed! The design is so cute and intricate, I’d definitely recommend it as a gift to someone. Quality over quantity for sure !!" —Amazon Customer

Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (available in 30+ other pop culture–themed styles).

Promising reviews: "I received this on a Thursday with rather aggressively chapped lips. By Friday night, my lips were considerably less chapped and much more comfortable. By Saturday night, my lips were no longer chapped at all and very moisturized. While out tonight (Sunday night) I had a friend ask if I have had something done to my lips because they look so full!!! They are soft and moisturized and I feel like they have been revived from this cold dry winter! 100/10 recommend!" —Gordon S. 

"Best lip mask I've found in a while! I use it as needed as night or during the day and it has brought my super dry chapped peeling lips back from the brink when nothing else would. I’ve tried Bite's overnight lip mask (the OG mask was PERFECTION before they changed the formula), Laneige, and Burt’s Bees overnight mask. This one has by far been the best." —Molly B

Get it from Amazon for $15+ (available in a pink raspberry scent or blue unscented). 

BuzzFeed Shopping is service journalism first: Our writers and editors spend all day shopping so you don’t have to, vetting products, fact-checking brand claims, and surfacing what actually helps in real life. We center readers over revenue, recommend products with authenticity (using real experiences, not ad-speak), and reflect our diverse audience, inclusive of a variety of price points, people, and needs. We cut through fake deals, favor useful info over glossy fluff, and recommend both budget and splurge options with context so you can decide what’s right for you — and still have a little fun along the way.

Karly Jacklin is a resident writer, cat mom, and obsessive online shopper who is passionate about quirky pet products, home decor, size-inclusive fashion, and, above all, perfumes.

Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.