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These Cheap, Clever Things Make You Look 10x More Impressive Than You Usually Do

Look like a million bucks while keeping your cash.

by Christina X. Wood
Updated: 
Originally Published: 
Amazon
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You might think to look your best for a date, job interview, video call, or just to go out with your friends, that you need to spend lots of money and time. Maybe it takes 15 minutes to primp, another 20 minutes to choose an outfit and get your wardrobe in order, and 10 more to style your ‘do so it shines. Well, I am here to tell you that you can cut a good chunk of time out of the process with some clever tricks and hacks. And those hacks are not expensive — they might even be cheaper than what you are using now.

In addition to the time and cash savings, this collection of cheap, clever things will help you look 10 times more impressive than you usually do. Looking like a million bucks while spending (way) less? There’s a lot to love about the neat little finds below.

1

The Lip Repair Cream That Promises To Heal Chapped Lips In 1 Night

When your lips start feeling the effects of cold or dry weather and need a super-rich treatment, this lip repair balm is the solution. The deep conditioning oils and lush texture give chapped lips a deep, nourishing treatment that reviews say delivers remarkable results within hours.

“I was battling a crack on my lips that was not improving at all despite using my typical lip treatments,” said one reviewer. “... After one night, it was significantly improved, and after two nights is 90% resolved.”

2

The 8-Second Treatment For Luxuriously Hydrated Hair

Just eight seconds with this lamellar water rinse in your hair helps infuse strands with shine and silkiness. The moisturizing agents and amino acids in this Wonder Water work to smooth hair strands and coat them with a thin, protective layer. Over 25,000 people gave it five stars, and it promises to show results after just one use.

3

This Buffer That Helps Strengthen & Shine Your Nails

Give your nails a buff with this nail buffer to help even out ridges, remove stains, and give your nail surface a shine that rivals clear polish and lasts a lot longer. The three-sided block will also file and shape your nails so it’s an all-in-one solution. The buffing pads are replaceable so you can use this block for years.

4

A Pack Of 28 Pretty Hair Clips For Only $13

Put your hair up, tie it back, or clip down a few strays while adding sparkle to your look with this big pack of resin, pearl, stone, and geometric hair clips. The 28 pieces include colorful barrettes, decorative bobby pins, and pretty alligator clips, so you always have just the right tool — and look — you want.

“There is not one piece in this collection that I don't love,” said one reviewer.

5

This Dual-Sided Nail Brush That Gets Your Hands Seriously Clean

Get your hands really clean — even under the nails — every time you wash with this dual nail brush. It cleans the top of your nails with the big brush on one side and gets underneath them with the angled, single row of bristles on the other. Whether you want to tidy up after gardening or painting or do a full manicure, this is a fast way to get your hands and nails completely clean. You can also use it for dry brushing your hands.

6

These Lens Cleaning Wipes So Your Glasses & Screens Are Always Clean

It doesn’t take much to smudge your glasses, which makes it harder to see clearly. Dirty glasses aren’t the best look, either. These lens wipes make it easy to fix that with a couple of fast swipes. They are great for cleaning your phone screen and camera lens, too. There are 100 individually wrapped wipes here so you can tuck them into pockets, bags, and drawers and always have one handy.

7

This Oil That Moisturizes Cuticles & Helps Nails Grow

Help moisturize your cuticles and improve nail growth with this lush cuticle oil that is rich in vitamins and plant-based conditioners. It provides intense hydration with a grease-free formula with just a few drops that melt into the skin and nails. It smells like milk and honey or any of 12 other delicious scents.

8

This Pair Of Lip Brushes For Easy & Gentle Exfoliation

These two exfoliating lip brushes are gentle scrubbers that are just right for the delicate skin of your lips. Use them with your favorite lip scrub or just a bit of water to help treat chapped lips, stimulate skin, and boost the color and texture of your lips. The soft silicone tips won’t over-scrub and are easy to clean and sterilize.

9

This Hair Hack For Getting Flyaways & Short Pieces To Stay In Place

After you get your hair in a high ponytail or updo, tame all the strays with this hair-finishing stick. It’s easy to swipe through hair and makes all the pieces that got left out lie down and behave so your style looks finished, and you don’t have to embrace the “messy bun” or start over. It won’t make your hair look oily or feel crunchy either.

“I use a light hand with wispy strokes to guide the flyaways back into place,” says one reviewer. “... It doesn’t leave any sort of unpleasant residue or scent of any kind.”

10

These Drops That Dry Your Nail Polish Fast

Add a few of these drying drops to your freshly polished nails so you can go about your day faster with less risk of chipping or damaging your manicure. Instead of holding your hands up for 10 minutes or more, you can get going with your day in just 60 seconds.

“I used to have to paint my nails before bed so I would guarantee enough undisturbed dry time,” reported one reviewer. “This is absolutely fantastic ... apply about five mins after your topcoat and you're free to go.”

11

A Delicate Layered Necklace Set For A Subtle Touch Of Bling

Add a minimalist and delicate touch to any outfit with this layered necklace set. There are so many different options to choose from you will be spoiled for choice, and all of them are just the right length to give a bit of splash to any neckline. The first layer is just over 13 inches long, and there’s an extender to make that two inches longer. You can wear the two pieces together or separately.

12

A Gentle Exfoliating Brush To Help Prevent Unwanted Razor Bumps

You don’t have to deal with razor bumps or ingrown hairs to get a smooth shave. Just treat your skin with this gentle exfoliating brush every time you shower, and help prevent those things from happening. It fits neatly in your palm to make an all-over exfoliating treatment easy. The short, silicone bristles are effective and don’t require you to apply a lot of pressure. Bonus points — it looks cute in the shower.

13

This Foot Peel That Helps Reveal Your Softest Feet

If the surface of your feet tends toward dry and calloused, there’s a simple way to unveil the baby-soft skin beneath. Just pull on a pair of these lavender-scented foot peel masks and put your feet up for an hour. Toss the masks, wait two weeks, and the magic will begin. Your rough, callused skin will peel away, exposing soft, fresh feet.

14

A Collection Of Scarf Scrunchies For Leveled-Up Ponytails

Dress up your hair with the cute vibe of a headscarf — while avoiding the battle to keep that scarf on — by using this 12-pack of hair scarf scrunchies. The headscarf is attached. Just tie your hair back and enjoy a bit of extra decoration with ease. Each one is a different pattern, giving you so many options.

15

A Pair Of Satin Pillowcases For Silky Beauty Sleep

Rest your head on these delicious satin pillowcases and enjoy the cool, silky softness against your skin. Unlike cotton and other rougher fibers, this satin is less prone to dehydrate skin or catch your hair. The colors look beautiful in the room and the clever zipper close keeps them from slipping off your pillow. Nearly 35,000 people gave these five stars.

16

This Ring Light Because With Cameras Lighting Is Everything

If you spend your workday in Zoom meetings, make sure the camera is showing you in your best light. Snap this ring light over the web camera and it will reduce shadows, ease the lighting, and help you look brighter on those calls. It’s rechargeable, has 10 brightness settings, fits over a phone or laptop camera, and comes with a 3-foot charging cord.

17

A Set Of Jewelry Extenders So You Can Layer The Necklaces You Have

Make all your necklaces work with your wardrobe and each other with this eight-pack of jewelry extenders. If one pendant crashes into another but you want to wear them layered, add two, three, four, or six inches to the length of one of them so it all works. There are four silver and four gold extenders so they will work with all the chains you have. Or choose all silver, all gold, or a mix that also includes rose gold.

18

This Ice Roller For Cool Treatments Anytime

Sometimes you need to apply some cold to a headache, puffy eyes, redness, or an insect bite to help it calm down and this ice roller makes that easy to do. Store it in the freezer and roll it over your temple, eyes, or inflamed area to cool it fast. The gel beads in the roller stay cool for a long time and the ergonomic handle makes it easy to get into a rhythm.

19

The Shoe Cleaner That Makes Kicks Look New Again

When your shoes start to look dingy or you accidentally take them through rough terrain and end up with muddy scuffs, this shoe cleaner will bring them back to spiffy clean fast. Just scrub them with a couple of drops and some water on the included brush and dirt, mud, and scuffs will disappear. Reviewers love it and nearly 21,000 of them gave it five stars.

20

These No-Show Socks That Don’t Slide Around In Your Shoes

These no-show socks let you wear your favorite flats or sneakers without having to work socks or stockings into your look. They are super stretchy, have invisible silicone grips so they cling to your feet, and are so low cut they are invisible to observers of your glam.

“I finally found a pair of socks that does not slip off from the back or front!” reported one of the 21,000 five-star reviewers.

21

A Fabric Shaver That Quickly Defuzzes Sweaters & Furniture

Revive your sweaters, jackets, coats, couch, and throw pillows — any fabric that has begun to pill or is covered in fuzz — with this genius fabric shaver. It has three depth settings to get a close shave on all kinds of fabrics, is easy to hold in your hand, and sports a large (2-inch) shaving head so it can cover lots of fabric area quickly.

22

This Detangling Brush That Doesn’t Pull Hair

Nearly 48,000 people took to the reviews to rave about this hairbrush — because suffering through painful detangling efforts is not fun. This detangling brush glides through hair, wet or dry, without pulling or ripping it out. The cone-shaped bristles are gentle and very effective. It also fits nicely in your hand and looks good on the vanity. It comes in lots of cute colors.

23

A Gua Sha Tool For Everyday Facials At Home

This traditional facial tool is great for applying serums and moisturizers or giving yourself a nice facial massage as part of your daily skin-care routine. The smooth surface distributes serums beautifully, and a massage with this cooling stone promises to improve circulation and boost lymphatic drainage, too.

24

These Citrus Glow Drops For Dewy Skin

Pamper your skin with a few Citrus Glow drops. Loaded with vitamins C and E as well as argan oil, rosehip oil, and sea buckthorn oil, it’s loaded with nourishment and antioxidants that skin loves. It is non-comedogenic and absorbs quickly for nicely hydrated and dewy skin.

25

A Microfiber Towel To Dry Hair Quickly & Gently

Wrap your hair up in this microfiber hair towel when you step out of the shower and you won’t have to deal with the unpleasant sensation of water dripping all over you or a heavy towel on your head. When you take it off a few minutes later, your hair will be nearly dry because it gently absorbs a ton of water without frizzing your hair or changing your curls.

26

This Lip & Cheek Tint That’s Loaded With Botanicals

This easy-to-use cheek and lip tint is a simple way to give yourself of small pop of color. It is creamy, blendable, and made from so many lush botanical ingredients — aloe, camellia, safflower, ginkgo biloba, ginseng, and chamomile — as well as vitamins and antioxidants. And the subtle, sheer, buildable color also has a bit of shimmer for a soft-focus effect.

27

These Pasties For When You Want To Go Braless

Whether you’re wearing a backless dress or simply don’t want to put on a bra, these adhesive pasties conceal the areaola and breast. They’re designed to stay in place for up to 12 hours, even throughout sweating on a dance floor. They also come in five colors and two sizes (small for A to C cups, and a large for D+ cups). A major perk is that they’re reusable with a travel case to protect them when they’re not in use. “I've tried so many different nipple covers and these are the absolute best,” one shopper wrote. “They fit on smoothly, making them nearly invisible under clothing.”

28

This Whitening Toothpaste That Also Boosts Your B12 Intake

This whitening toothpaste provides a dose of vitamin B12 every time you brush your teeth. The vitamin is absorbed under your tongue while the toothpaste cleans and whitens teeth, using calcium carbonate instead of peroxide or fluoride. This formula is fluoride-free and vegan-friendly.

29

A Set Of Stick-On Templates For Perfect Eyeshadow & Liner

Use these peel-and-stick eyeshadow stencils to create the perfect angles when you apply makeup. It takes the “oops” out of the process by eliminating the need for freehand guessing. It also prevents spillage so you don’t end up with shadow unintentionally under your eyes or dusted all over your face.

“The adhesive is strong ... and the shape is perfect [so it’s] easy to make cat eye liner,” said one reviewer.

30

The Updo Kit That Makes Perfect Buns Every Time

This bun shaper set will help you make the perfect bun. Pull your ponytail through one of the four donut shapers and twist your hair around it to cover it up. Then pin it all into place with the included pins. You can have a big bun, even if you don’t have a ton of hair. For times when you need that bun to stay put, use the invisible hairnet to hold every strand in place.

31

These Light & Chunky Hoops In Multiple Sizes

Glam up any adventure with this pair of lightweight but chunky-looking hoop earrings. You can choose the color gold you prefer — silver, rose, or white — and the size of the hoop — 20 to 50 millimeters — to get exactly the look you’re after. Even if you go big, though, these are lightweight and over 32,000 people gave them five stars.

“They're very light,” said one. “I don't feel them at all while they're on and somehow they're also extremely sturdy.”

32

A Stain Remover Pen So You Can Deal With Spills When They Happen

When you drip on your white shirt, spill jam in your lap, or otherwise find yourself staining your clothes, hit that spill with this stain remover pen and carry on. This is a three-pack so you can tuck one in your bag, another in your desk drawer, and keep one in the car. The little scrubber tip and Oxi-Clean solution will help you get the stain out immediately so you don’t have to wear it for the rest of the day.

33

This Bra Strap Kit That Transforms Your Bra To Suit Your Fit

This clever collection of bra strap clips solves every problem in your bra collection. Turn any bra into a racerback with the strap clips or cinch the straps and simply make the back of your bra more secure. They can give extra lift, too, turning comfortable or perfect-fitting bras into push-ups.

34

This Makeup Hack That Makes For Perfect Brows

Take on wild or unkempt behavior from your brows. This eyebrow gel tames them with a quick swipe and they will stay that way all day. This surprisingly easy trick for on-point brows gives a fuller look, adding volume and feathery texture.

“Great eyebrow gel kit,” says one reviewer. “Makes my eyebrows on fleek!”

35

These 2 Chic Belts That Are So Versatile

Having a versatile belt on hand can help to rescue many a fashion crisis. If your coat is baggy, pants slip down when you walk, or your dress could use some pizzazz — belt it! These two faux leather belts are the perfect solution. Choose the colors you are most likely to wear — there are lots of options — and you will always have a belting solution that is adjustable enough to go from snugging a summer dress to holding a winter coat together.

36

A Fast Way To Clean All The Jewelry

Got a drawer full of tarnished jewelry? This jewelry cleaning kit will make it all like new so you can wear it again. Immerse your rings, earring, and chains into the cleaning solution using the tray so you can easily pull them out a few minutes later. Then pat it dry with the included cloth. It gets even intricate patterns and stone mounts clean.

37

This Garment Steamer So Your Clothes Are Wrinkle-Free

When that beautiful button-down you splurged on is hanging wrinkled in your closet — and you don’t have the time or energy for an ironing board and iron — pull out this handheld fabric steamer. It helps you bring back the drape and smooth beauty of that piece in the time it takes to brush your teeth. Fill it with water, aim it at the shirt while it hangs on its hanger, and press a button. You’ll get 10 minutes of steam from one fill of this ergonomic, powerful, and easy-to-use steamer, which is enough to do several shirts.

38

A Refreshing Facial Spray With Herbs & Roses

A little spritz of this facial spray before you apply your moisturizer is a great way to add a treatment, hydrate your skin, and wake yourself up all at once. It’s infused with botanicals like thyme, seaweed extract, and rose seed extract, and your skin absorbs the light mist easily.

“It feels so good on my skin,” said one of the 44,000 five-star reviewers. “I just spritz it on after cleansing my face — sometimes before moisturizer, sometimes instead of... It smells like you are in a rose garden!”

39

The Laundry Treatment That Helps Boost Color & Brighten Whites

If your T-shirts are faded and your white tops are dull, run them through a load with this laundry brightener to revitalize your whites and colors. It boosts and brightens, helps remove stains, and gives whites back their brightness in one trip — with hot water — through the wash cycle.

40

This Quick Tool For Cleaning Makeup Brushes

How many makeup brushes do you burn through when applying makeup for an evening out? If you’re like me, the answer is “too many.” This brush color remover is a quick way to use one brush with many colors so you can get ready faster and have less brush cleanup to do. Just swipe the bristles over the textured sponge and they’ll get clean. It’s infused with brush cleaner so you don’t even need water, making this perfect for a travel kit. Wash the sponge and add more cleanser to keep it working for a long time.

41

A Microneedle Roller For Next Level Facials At Home

Microneedling is a popular skin treatment involving using tiny needles to poke holes in the top layer of your skin, triggering a healing response that is said to produce collagen and elastin. It is expensive at the dermatologist’s office, though. This derma roller uses the same principle but you can do it at home. Simply roll it over your skin and the tiny needles in the roller do their work in a controlled way.

“I absolutely LOVE this and will be ordering more for friends and family,” said one reviewer. “I saw results within a day of using it.”

42

The Double-Sided Hem Tape That Makes Quick Work Of Tailoring Pants

When the hem of your pants is longer than you’d like, pull out this instant hem tape and sort it out fast. The double-sided tape is designed to grip fabric. Just place it where you need it and press it together. It’s great for simply repairing tears in clothing or home fabrics, too.

43

These Chic Head Scarves That Are Super Versatile

Whether you use one to wrap up your hair, tie around your neck for a pop of color, twist it into a headband, or even don it as a summer top, these large square headscarves will look beautiful doing that task. This is a pack of four so you can stock your accessories drawer easily and the fabric is silky and soft with vibrant colors and patterns printed on it. There are 20 colors to pick from.

44

This Scalp Treatment By Gabrielle Union For Happy Hair

Give your scalp the treatment with this soothing hair tonic designed to remove product buildup, help calm itching, and moisturize your scalp so your hair can grow more freely and happily. It is infused with delicious ingredients like aloe, Brazilian bacuri butter, lilac leaf extract, tea tree oil, peppermint, and passionfruit to nourish and detoxify the scalp.

45

The Facial Massager That Feels So Good

Help improve circulation, relax your facial muscles, and even soothe headaches with this facial massager. The elegant form and portable size make it easy to keep handy and grab when a headache strikes or you have a minute to give yourself a relaxing facial. Reviewers mention using it to aid with lymphatic drainage and to reduce unwanted puffiness.

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