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Shake off your boring-ness with the help of these new pickle-flavored lip balms and limited edition “Sad Daddy” sponges.

As a Senior Shopping Writer at BuzzFeed, I specialize in a broad range of topics, including beauty, cleaning, fashion, personal care, home, fitness, and my beloved “TikTok made me buy it.” My work has been featured across lifestyle and writing publications during my ten years in the digital media space, including Bustle, HuffPost, HelloGiggles, and The Washington Post.

Promising review: "This lotion smells so good! It truly gives me confetti cake vibes with vanilla icing on top. I was hesitant to buy this lotion because I am usually an EOS girl, but I couldn't resist trying this confetti cake scent. I am very impressed with this lotion. It is moisturizing without feeling heavy or greasy. The formula is thick and creamy, which makes application a breeze. Jergens needs to reconsider making this a permanent scent! It has made me want to try the other Jergens scents." —amber

Check out a TikTok of the butter squishy in action. 

Promising review: "I absolutely love this butter stick squishy! The soft texture and slow-rising design make it incredibly satisfying to squeeze and play with. It’s perfect for relieving stress during busy workdays and keeps my hands occupied while I focus. The bright yellow color is cute and cheerful, and it has held up well with regular use. It also makes a great desk toy, party favor, or small gift for kids and adults alike. A fun, calming, and high-quality squishy that I highly recommend!" —Milagros Lopez

Get it from Amazon for $7.59+ (available in a two-pack and in gold). 

Check out a TikTok of the swinging ghost in action. 

Promising review: "I can see why this went viral! So cute, easy to put up and adjust as needed. It’s bright enough to be seen from far away but not obnoxious." —KC

Get it from Amazon for $47.99+ (available in a larger size). 

Promising review: "I have bought these over and over again for gifts. My own children have played with these balls repeatedly. We even left one on the ceiling to see how long it would stay for. It lasted four months before we decided to take it down. Since they are so sticky, they get dirty pretty quickly. All you have to do is a quick rinse in the sink and an air dry, then you are good to go. Great for adults and children! Will be buying again." —Valerie Young

Get a set of six from Amazon for $11.99. 

Check out a TikTok of the rainbow Astercook knife set in action. 

Promising review: "These things are SHARP! Lol. Nice, clean, easy cutting. Have zero problems cutting into anything. Watch those fingers! I haven't worked with such sharp knives in a while, and these will bite if you're not super careful. But I also like to sharpen knives after almost every use as well. Sheath is a must-use for safety. Very durable, handles well. I haven't experienced any rust, and they're comfortable to use. And the colors are a nice contrast to the bland everyday of regular knife sets." —Shawna

Check out the rest of Scrub Daddy's products for more fun versions!

Touchland is a small business that specializes in hand sanitizers. Check out a TikTok of the Disney x Touchland Power Mist in action. 

Promising review: "The perfect accessory for my last Disney trip. Not only is it adorable and add a bit of that Mickey flair, it is reusable (so I can just pop in another one of my favorite Touchland hand sanitizers), the initial spray is delightful and fresh, and the little key ring allows me to attach it right to my park bag, providing a simple ease and access to spray our hands after each ride around the parks. Super cute and highly recommended!" —Shelby Piper

Get it from Amazon for $20 (and check out Touchland's Amazon storefront for more options). 

The kit comes with three different numbered canvas designs, seven paint pots, a mini brush, and an easel.

Promising review: "I have to admit I was skeptical because of the price and size. However, I got these for my husband for his birthday (he loves Bob Ross), and what a find!! We had so much fun mixing colors and painting. Would definitely recommend. The fact that they are small makes them even more special. I wish there were more to paint!" —slb m

Psst — you can snag a Bob Ross color-by-number coloring book on Amazon, too! 

Promising review: "I bought all the bouquet sets to make with my daughter and son's girlfriend. We had so much fun making these, and the quality was amazing. Even came with a vase to place them. Will definitely be buying the other sets I've seen out. You won't be disappointed buying these." —Angela

Get it from Amazon for $39.97 (available in two sets). 

Promising review: "I love this! It’s well painted, and the solar light works great. It is the cutest thing on my patio table." —solowithpits 

Get it from Amazon for $15.58 (available in two other styles).

Promising review: "This retro gumball machine is an absolute delight! It has that classic old-school look that instantly adds charm and personality to the room. The colors are vibrant, the globe is clear and sturdy, and the metal base gives it a solid, well-made feel. It works smoothly, dispenses gumballs perfectly, and is fun for both kids and adults. Whether used as decor or for actual gumball duty, it’s a fantastic conversation piece. If you love retro style and a touch of nostalgia, this gumball machine is a must-have. Highly recommend! 🍬" —Debra

Get it from Amazon for $30.24+ (available in three colors). 

Promising review: "Super cute and great quality. Holding up well so far." —Amazon Customer

Get a pack of four from Amazon for $13.50 (available in four other designs).  

Check out all of the cult-favorite Magic Puzzles here for more fun options! 

FYI, depending on your situation, water may be enough to rehydrate you! Read more about electrolyte-enhanced drinks and hydration at Cleveland Clinic. 

BuzzFeeder Elizabeth Lilly tried the sugar-free Ring Pop flavor and says, "It truly does taste so much like my childhood candy aisle fave that it's a little spooky (in a good way)." 

Promising review (for Firecracker Popsicle): "Liquid I.V. does an amazing job hydrating. I purchase their product for 40+ employees who work in a construction-related industry. Hydration is so important while working in the hot Georgia Sun, and this product aids in this 100%. Now, let’s talk about the firecracker flavor! When we produced these for our crew, ages 23–60, all of their eyes lit up, and they were super excited. Many of them did not know this flavor existed. Quite honestly, I didn’t either until I came across them on Amazon. They all loved the flavor. In particular, the ones who were older kept telling me it tasted like their childhood. Seriously, who hasn’t stood outside an ice cream truck ordering the Firecracker Popsicle?" —Disney Diva

Get them from Amazon: $23.30 for 16 packets of Firecracker Popsicle and $21.84 for Ring Pop. 

Starface World is a small business that specializes in skincare products. 

Promising review: "These little holographic stars do exactly what they promised. Stuck one on an angry blemish overnight and woke up to noticeably less swelling and redness. The hydrocolloid does the work while the fun shape makes you feel slightly less miserable about having a breakout." —Brian Breton

Get a pack of 36 from Amazon for $13.29 (available in three styles). 

Demi's Colouring Corner is a UK-based business run by Demi, a mother of two who loves all things horror and coloring. 

Another psst — you can pick up a cult-fave colored pencil set on Amazon! 

Promising review: "This book is a must-have for horror lovers. So many adorable renditions of classic and newer horror movies that are a blast to color. I like the simple style because it allows me to add my own flair and techniques like a lot of the popular 'cozy' coloring books nowadays. I so hope this artist does a second version because I plan to finish every single picture in this book!" —AyemmeJay 

Promising review: "Absolutely love these. I work with boilers, so I am rough with my hands and these last. Also, if I happen to pop one off, I can pop another back on in seconds. The glue is very strong, and they come off so easily with the same brand removal oil. They are so quick to put on, I get a beautiful set of nails in under 15 minutes. Great value for the money. I like the thickness as they are not bulky, but definitely not thin. The color is stunning! I have purchased about seven different sets, as well as the toenails. Highly recommend." —Lynn

GUESS WHAT, they also have an entire line of NFL nails for fall!! You're welcome. 

Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (available in dozens of other styles for fall and Halloween!). 

Promising review: "This CD player is excellent; I can take it anywhere, it has Bluetooth connectivity, and the audio quality is very good!" —Gabriel

Get it from Amazon for $74.95 (available in six colors).  

Promising review: "CUTEST candles that were perfect for a dirty martini lover!!!!" —Gthair

Check out a TikTok of Murdle in action. 

The best part?? Once you finish "Murdling," you can use your sleuthing skills on Volume 2, Volume 3, and a whole BUNCH of other themed Murdle books — PLUS a Murdle board game and a book of Murdoku!!! 

Promising review: "The puzzles are a lot of fun, but the characters, story lines, and other details take the Murdle experience to another level. I have no idea how the author came up with all of this creativeness! You can Murdle solo or with friends. I look forward to future volumes, but this one will keep me busy for awhile!" —Liz Gately

The inflatable tube guy requires a 9V battery, which is not included. 

Promising review: "OMG! I love this guy! These things, large and small, will ALWAYS make me laugh. My husband bought the desk version for me, and I can always count on it to make me laugh. My co-workers love it, too. People just stop by to turn him on for a quick pick-me-up. I would recommend getting the AC plug since batteries can run down fast. I think we should create a community of fellow air-dancer-havers and post clips of our little guys dancing to our favorite songs. Anyone in?" —Mark

Promising review: "These are so good, I have tried nearly everything pickle there is. Including the pickle slush from Sonic. This is my favorite pickle-flavored item. It is actually pickle tasting, and the texture is amazing. The thing about pickle-flavored things I have the biggest problem with is the salt levels. The salt is so overwhelming usually that it almost isn't pickle flavor, or it's just dill flavor, and I personally hate dill, but love dill pickles!" —Brenna H. 

Promising review: "BEST SQUISHY EVER!! It's super cute, very squishy, and very survivable lol. Had it for multiple days, and it hasn't shown any wear aside from the little antennas having the usual rub off you'd expect from its material. Once squished, it will slowly rise back like memory foam, and I personally recommend squishing it and then setting it down to watch its rise. IDK, but it's just so cute to watch lol." —Madison Gillespie

Get it from Amazon for $5.69 (available in five colors). 

Promising review: "These little guys sit on my desk like tiny, judgment-free therapists. Had a bad meeting? Grab a Pop-Tart. Long day? Pop-Tart. Questioning all life choices by 2:47 p.m.? Definitely Pop-Tart. They don’t solve my problems, but they do make me feel seen, supported, and slightly happier — which honestly is enough. Highly recommend for coworkers, offices, or anyone surviving adult responsibilities one day at a time." —Sherry

Get a set of six from Amazon for $16.97 (available in 18 other styles of emotional support snacks and figures). 

Ban.do is a US-based small business that specializes in quirky accessories, home products, and stationery. 

Check out more new finds from Ban.do on their Amazon storefront! 

Get it from Amazon for $9.34 (available in 18 other scents). 

Promising review: "I have never seen a more beautiful blanket in my life. The images of the red roses crochet blanket looked exactly like an actual blanket — it was warm, high quality, and cost way less than others of the same size. Not to mention, a majority of the other crochet roses I looked at looked like rolled-up socks to me, while the roses on this blanket were detailed with little crochet leaves. Even the packaging it came in was elegant. Recently bought a second one for my mother." —Jones

Get it from Amazon for $24.99+ (available in three sizes and 11 styles). 

Get it from E.l.f. for $9 (available in The Real Dill, Von Dill, and Spicy Lil Dill, in addition to 14 other flavors). 

The OP Games is a small business that specializes in games and puzzles.  

I played this at a friend's apartment with a mix of people I did and didn't know, and we all had a BLAST. It was a fun opportunity for us to reference hyper-specific things when trying to lock down a specific shade (if memory serves, "zombie Barney" and "aggressive banana" were the ones that got thrown around) and to get to know each other's tastes and ways of looking at the world. The rules and scoring system are super easy to learn, too, so there wasn't a big hurdle in getting everyone on board. I highly recommend for some good, wholesome, often laugh-out-loud party fun! 

Promising review: "Worked fantastically. My wife had doubts about how egregiously dirty and caked-on the gunk in our 15-year-old microwave was (she thought we'd need serious chemicals!), but with only one pass of using this, it got 80% of all the gunk built up. A second pass a few days later got most of the rest!" —Some Hyena

Promising review: "I love this little guy. I found him on a BuzzFeed list and had to have it as soon as I saw it! I’ve minced as many as five cloves in it in seconds. It’s a little tricky getting all of the garlic out once minced (I use a silicone basting brush to get most of it, but I always use more than the recipe calls for anyway, so it’s not a deal breaker). Cleanup is a breeze because he goes right in the dishwasher!" —Barbie

Promising review: "Bought as a gift, but I will get one for myself. I was totally surprised at the quality of the speaker part of this. Got it for my grandson for Christmas. He set it up while here after opening, and we listened to Christmas music all day." —Dawna324

Check out a TikTok of the cloud knife in action. 

Between my job on the shopping team at BuzzFeed and being a first-time mom, I have a LOT of packages to open, and very little time to do it while my creature "naps" (air quotes because naps clearly go against his baby religion). I am also very, VERY vain about my nails, so I refuse to open packages without some kind of blade. I ordered a pack of these a few years ago, and even though I have lost all but one of them (I am very disorganized, oops), it still performs as well as it did the day I bought it! It gives super clean cuts and gets packages open instantly, and automatically retracts when you're done, so you don't have to worry about putting it in a drawer. 

Promising review: "I love these — sturdy, sharp with retractable blade. I keep them in different rooms for opening packages or breaking down boxes to recycle. Would recommend and buy again." —Amy Yasneski

Get a set of six from Amazon for $6.49. 

Promising review: "Adorable heart shape. Takes a little longer to cook since it's so thick. It's adorable for making a soup or pasta dish for the kids on Valentine's Day, or to just show love to your partner. Good quality that you'd expect from Barilla. Everyone thought it was adorable and enjoyed it." —Amazon Customer

The GIF above shows the clouds syncing to the song "we can't be friends (wait for your love)" by Ariana Grande — you can watch the video with sound here, it's MESMERIZING how well it syncs, especially in the pauses!! 

Promising review: "This LED cloud is straight-up magical. The soft, fluffy look combined with the glowing lights makes it feel like you’ve got a little piece of the sky in your room. It’s lightweight, easy to hang, and instantly adds a dreamy, relaxing vibe. The RGB colors are a huge bonus; I can switch from calming blues to dramatic purples or party-mode rainbow with a click. Perfect for bedrooms, gaming setups, or just making your space feel unique." —Angel

Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (also available in two- and three-packs). 

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.

Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.