Blog

Feb 21, 2024

36 Problem

We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed collects a share of sales and/or other compensation

We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed collects a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.

We're getting secondhand embarrassment watching you think you wouldn't use any of these helpful products.

BuzzFeed Staff

A set of kegel weights to not only help with incontinence but also potentially make sex easier, less painful, and more enjoyable. These are especially great for people who've just given birth, though anyone can benefit from strengthening their pelvic floor muscles.

An eco-friendly hard water stain-remover that'll help you wipe away soap scum and residue in your shower in half the time it normally takes you to clean. It's biodegradable so the scent won't singe your nose hairs and make you gag, plus it's safe enough to use on just about anything — including shower glass, tile, granite, stainless-steel, marble, brass, and porcelain.

A teeth-whitening pen if you want a brighter smile without the irritation of whitening strips that slip and slide all over your teeth. You can use each pen ~20 times and should expect your teeth to lighten four to eight shades.

Promising review: "I have only used the two original pens that I purchased and can already see an improvement. I am older than 60 and drink coffee daily and red wine weekly." —vicki houska

Get a two-pack from Amazon for $18.95.

Promising review: "Since starting, my bladder control has significantly improved. I am now able to sneeze or cough without peeing myself. Yes, that's right. I am able to hold my pee longer, which means I can actually make it to the bathroom without dribbling on myself. The best part is that just a few short weeks into the program you will have results you can feel. I think every woman who has ever had kids should try this, out. The overall quality of my life has improved. Ditch your panty liners, stop the embarrassing dribbles, no more mad dashes to the rest room because of a weak bladder. Even my sex life has improved; I have control of those pelvic muscles now. Just remember to wash the weights before and after each use with an antibacterial spray, and allow time to air dry before putting them away. I say air dry because if you wipe them dry with a cloth you run the risk of giving yourself a bladder infection or urinary tract infection, and those are no laughing matter. Easy to use, easy to clean, stores away quickly." —Lady Tauber

Get a set of six weights from Amazon for $54.99.

Promising review: "I am amazed!!!! I bought this product because of the reviews and wow!!! I just bought my home and my water is from a new well, which stained my toilets and I was so embarrassed when anyone would go to a brand new house with a dirty stained toilet but this did the job!!!! I have used many products and this worked perfectly!!! You need to do a bit of scrubbing but is all worth it. Extremely happy with the results!!!" —Luis Roque

Get it from Amazon for $16.99.

These are hands down the best pimple patches I’ve ever used. Why? Because they actually work. IMO they work best on whiteheads, drawing out the pus and preventing me from picking. Once all the fluids are drained (yum!), I plop a patch on what was once home to a very angry whitehead and replace it twice a day (once in the morning and once at night). In my experience, that has been the best treatment for preventing really noticeable hyperpigmentation and acne scarring, which my skin is really prone to after breakouts.

Promising review: "I heard all about these on TikTok so I decided to order. I switched my birth control and was having a ton of breakouts, these are amazing! They helped me stop picking at my face and my skin is so clear now. Will always have these in my house from now on!" —Kiara Galloway

Get a pack of 36 from Amazon for $11.97.

Check out the rest of my Hero Cosmetics Mighty Pimple Patches review for more deets!

Promising review: "What can I say? The process of excretion can only be compared to a real life exorcism where it feels, pleasantly if I may add, that the devil himself is trying to burst out of your gut. Needless to say, the stool changed my life. I found myself creating excuses to run to my magical place and discharge whatever little portion of food was left inside me; I was hooked. Soon people started wondering why I've become so distant; the stool had taken over my life. It would have taken over your life too if you would have experienced the kind of pleasure that I was now enjoying; it was my high." —Dino

Get it from Amazon for $20.33+ (available in two sizes).

Promising review: "How have I gone so long living like a barbarian, wiping my dirty bottom with the ground up corpses of dead conifers?! I can’t go back! I won’t go back!" —Cale C.

Get it from Amazon for $109+ or Tushy for $99+ (available in 10 colors).

Promising review: "New Year's Day 2019 I wake up at my friend's house after a night of partying to the smell of fresh coffee and bacon frying in the kitchen. So I get up and say good morning to everyone, get me some coffee, and think to myself, 'Hey! The entire house smells like bacon. It's probably an opportune time for me to 'drop the kids off at the pool' because no one will notice anything I'm making in the bathroom over what Michelle is making in her kitchen.' Anyway, I look on top of the bowl and there's this stuff. For added protection against embarrassment, I pump a couple of sprays into the bowl and do my stuff. Yup now I totally smell bacon and oranges, but not a whiff of anything else that might cause my friends to ask me if I need to see a doctor or something. So now I keep a bottle with me just in case I'm in one of those situations when I have, you know, a brown dog scratching at the back door, but don't want anyone to know that I'm letting him out." —D. Grieco Jr.

Get it from Amazon for $7.49.

Promising review: "This product is amazing. I've always had acrylic or dipped nails because my real nails have always been brittle and always break and peel. I decided to give my nails a break and wanted to try and grow them out. I can't even believe the outcome! They are stronger than ever and growing! I really wish I had taken a before pic to show the difference!" —JOE D.

Get it from Amazon for $9.90.

Check out my colleague's AeroGarden review for more deets!

Promising review: "I purchased this as a Christmas gift for my boyfriend's sister-in-law who lamented not having a green thumb. I was somewhat apprehensive, having read a few reviews that mentioned pods not spouting. However, in the two months that the sis-in-law has had the AeroGarden, the growth has been tremendous. I'm constantly in awe when she sends me pics of the new growth. Only one pod failed to spout, but she reached out to customer service, and they are sending a replacement for that particular pod. All the others have grown quite large, and last night I received a picture of their dinner using herbs grown with the AeroGarden. Impressive!" —Mary A. Walls

Get it from Amazon for $89.99+ (also available in four colors).

Read more about tonsil stone causes, symptoms, and treatments at Cleveland Clinic.

Promising review: "I'm in my early thirties and just started getting tonsil stones. Until a few months ago, I never even knew what these things were! I've been struggling with cotton swabs to fully remove the stones but couldn't get rid of them and they would just come back within the week. I received this and OMFG...best investment ever. No struggle holding my phone as a flashlight while awkwardly posing myself in front of my badly lit bathroom mirror. I sat comfortably at my vanity, used one hand, and removed the whole stone in less than a minute. Why did I not know this was a thing? Why have I been struggling? Get it! Stop struggling, suffering, and awkwardly dealing with this ridiculous condition...trust me." —Wren

Get it from Amazon for $9.98.

Promising review: "They don't call this Oh Yuk! for no reason. I previously used Jacuzzi's two-part system and this worked sooo much better. I was totally embarrassed not to mention grossed out at how much funk came out. It was NASTY! It definitely cleans your tub. You will probably have to clean the sides of your tub after it's finished because of how much stuff might come out. I swear I clean my tub on a regular basis, but I was amazed at how much better this worked. Highly recommend!" —Amazon Customer

Get it from Amazon for $17.84.

Promising review: "I rarely post reviews, but this stuff has completely changed our lives. Our dishwasher, utensils, plates, and glasses were covered with dry scale and nothing we tried came close to helping. After using the tablets three times our dishwasher looks like new; our glasses are sparkling like fine china and everything else looks fabulous. Highly recommend, worth every penny, best product BY FAR!!! One great advantage is you can use it with your dishes. Some other products are used to clean the dishwasher but not to clean dishes and glasses. Buy this, you will be blown away!!! It is astounding!" —Jenny

Get a pack of six tablets from Amazon for $8.99.

Why it's great: Home Chef's selection of recipes and ready-made meals changes weekly so your tastebuds can take a break from eating ramen five out of seven nights. It also offers custom meal plans including options that are oven ready, so dinner is easy peasy lemon squeezy.

What else to know: Menus change weekly so you're always in for a delicious treat. And it's easy to customize your recipes; substitute proteins if you don't like the meat in the picture, or double the protein if you know that one serving isn't enough.

Availability: Home Chef currently ships to 98% of the US. Enter your zip code during sign-up and Home Chef will alert you if you are outside of its delivery range.

Prices: $7.99+/serving (choose from two or four servings)

Check out the Tuscan-Style Shrimp and Peppers with gemelli (left) and Brown Sugar-Glazed Chicken Cutlet with sesame broccoli (right) featured above and current menu selections here.

Blueland is an Asian-owned business. You might recognize them from Shark Tank!

Promising review: "I love love LOVE how easy these are to use. Plop it in, wait a few, and swish the brush then flush. Plus they smell great!" —Alyson D.

Get 14 tablets from Blueland for $18 (available in larger quantities; try out the Toilet Cleaner Starter Set and get 14 tablets plus a reusable storage tin).

Promising review: "I have very hard water that leaves hard-water buildup and nasty stains. It’s embarrassing to have guests over because the toilets are so gross! I have tried so many products and cleaning solutions — from natural essential oils to harsh chemicals so strong I was lightheaded for the rest of the day. Well, I tried out this pumice stone after reading about it in a BuzzFeed article, and honestly the hype is real! It does take some elbow grease, but the after picture is from only 20 minutes of scrubbing, light enough that I didn’t break a sweat! The stone does get used up, but I think this one should last me a couple years at least. So if you have embarrassing toilets, try this!" —Stephanie Ray

Get it from Amazon for $11.99.

Promising review: "I'm not one to talk about my feet. I've had circulation problems for years that are just now resolving and that has lead to deep callouses on the heel of both feet. I bought this on a whim as I have tried other products in the past with no luck. Twenty minutes later I'm touching baby-smooth skin where there used to be deep cracks and rough broken skin. This thing is a miracle-worker and if I could rate it 10 stars I would." —Gully176

Get it from Amazon for $9.95.

Promising review: "I never usually write reviews but this is an exception. I've had my AirPods for over a year and when the sound quality was diminishing, I was afraid they had a short life expectancy and I would need to get a new pair! Even after using cotton buds to clean the AirPods out, I thought that was enough until my friend said there's stuff built up and hard to see, but there was nothing able to get it out! Enter this product — it literally took five minutes to clean each ear bud effectively and instantly the sound quality was as good as new! Loud, clear, less trouble connecting to my phone, etc. I really suggest giving this product. You don't need a full square to clean them, so you can pull a piece off or reuse a square with a side you haven't used! SO happy I found a solution!" —Amazon Customer

Get 12 from Amazon for $12.99.

Promising review: "I have long hair and recently had a baby. This means the poor tub drain is getting clogged every time we turn around, and we're spending ridiculous amounts of time with that spiky stick thing you shove down there and then pull out over and over. I figured if this even worked to catch half of my hair then it would be worth its salt. Holy moly. When they say it catches every hair they aren't kidding. We clean it off about twice A WEEK! And when they say it's easy to clean, they are right again. A swipe with toilet paper and the hair blob comes right off to be flushed down the toilet. I've already told so many people about this product because I love it so much. Fantastic!!!" —sasamo

Get it from Amazon for $11.99+ (available in five colors).

Promising review: "I used this product on my 10-year-old son. He sweats A LOT on his hands. He would tell me that he was embarrassed at school and he had problems making friends. My son told me he had never shook a hand outside of mine ever before in his life..... it broke me. As a father, I knew I had to fix this. I set an appointment up with his doctor and got nowhere. The doctor said it's normal and should go away in the coming years. I asked about surgery and they said it would be around $10,000, so I started saving. Couple weeks went by and I came across this product I asked my son if he was OK with trying it and he desperately said yes. We put it on and his hands are completely dry now. When it worked, he started practicing shaking hands and high fives with his brother. It's been two weeks now and it is working AMAZING." —HECTOR LORENZO

Get it from Amazon for $19.95.

Promising review: "My hair used to be really soft, and then I discovered hot tools and hair dye. While my hair looks good I really missed the soft texture. This works so well. There are no instructions on the box but I washed my hair with my usual shampoo, towel dried it, worked about two quarter-sized dollops through my hair, let it sit for 20 minutes and then rinsed out. I went to bed with wet hair which usually results in my hair being kind of tangled and rough-looking but I woke up and my hair was as soft and silky as it was before I started coloring it. I'm totally in love with this product, I have long fine hair but this doesn't leave it greasy or weigh it down. I'll definitely buy again." —Ellie

Get it from Amazon for $7.14.

Read our Elizavecca CER-100 Collagen Coating Hair Protein Treatment review to learn more about why my colleague calls it, "the miracle product I've been searching for."

Promising review: "I ordered this balm on a whim as a remedy for a skin rash, and was very impressed with its effectiveness! After getting rid of my rash, I decided to try it elsewhere and it worked wonders on dry skin areas like elbows, knees, and feet. I was blown away with how I changed my feet entirely! As a dancer, my feet have always been a war zone: dry skin, callouses, ingrown toenails, and athlete's foot (all frequent problems over the course of many years). I was always embarrassed to wear sandals or any type of shoes that would show off parts of my feet because of all the dry skin, but sometimes it couldn't be avoided. This balm has made my feet the loveliest they have been and now I can choose any type of shoes I want to wear without embarrassment." —anengstrom

Get it from Amazon for $36.33.

Promising review: "This stuff works! I’ve never had a wart in my life! At first I thought it was a small callus but as months went by it was getting larger. I started to google and realized I had a plantar wart on my thumb! Eww, embarrassing! So I got the freeze off and thought 'This has to work!' Nope! I tried the freeze off three times and nothing! I than realized the same thing was happening on my other thumb, a small callus but I knew that the wart had spread! Now I was desperate to get rid of them and knew I had waited too long! Bought the invisible strips and it removed my small wart in four days and my big wart in eight!! I couldn’t believe it. I left strips on for two days then pulled back the dead skin with a cuticle clipper and reapplied! My bigger wart was a little tougher to removed and I had irritated my skin trying to cut it out, so I left it alone for few days before reapplying strip and by the second 48-hour treatment, it was gone! I thought my skin would be damaged but it looks like nothing was ever there!" —Audrey N.

Get 14 pads from Amazon for $7.29.

Promising review: "This is the second review I’ve done on Amazon. I rarely go out of my way to write a review unless I’m truly amazed by the product. I have terrible sunken-in eyes (due to genetics) that can’t really be fixed without fillers (which I’d never do). No matter how much sleep I get, I have bad dark circles, so I decided that I had to invest in an eye cream. I’m so glad I did! I used a cheap drug store eye cream that really only made it look like I had water under my eyes and it did nothing else. This eye cream is so hydrating and smooth! It really evens out my skin tone and wakes up my face in the morning! I feel so refreshed and dare I say...prettier. It’s boosted my confidence a ton. I’m so happy with this product!" —casie ackerman

Get it from Amazon for $14.99+ (available in three sizes).

Promising review: "I don't hate my old tile as much! My husband and I renovated our ground level to an entertaining area. The tile on the other hand was old and just would have cost way too much money to pull up. Needless to say, the area came out amazing. Now I don't hate the tile because the grout was so dirty and could not get it clean as much. I highly recommend this product. Now when I walked downstairs I don't cringe looking at the floor anymore. I will purchase another pen or two just to go over it later on. I'm not embarrassed by my floors anymore." —LUCYANN

Get it from Amazon for $8.99+ (available in two tip widths and a variety of colors).

The Fizz Whiz is a small business based in Brandon, Florida.

Promising review: "Washed my clothes and they came out very clean. I put my sneakers in the wash and they were very gross. They came out so clean that they almost looked new. Will buy again, and recommend." —Daniel Law

Get 50 fizzies from The Fizz Whiz on Etsy for $16.

Promising review: "This little counter top composter is great! I have been using and the description is accurate and very well made. The filters do mask any odors. Once it's full I empty into our larger outside composter and have cut down on many trips. Can't wait to start gardening again when the weather is nicer!" —Kelly O.

Get it from our Goodful shop for $40 (available in five colors).

Promising review: "Why didn't I find it before? It's very embarrassing to admit, but I had very stinky breath. It did smell like s..t and I tried many products that didn't work. Just follow instructions and 'deep throat' gargle for 30 seconds or so for best results. I can say that my breath has improved by 50%, which is a huge huge difference. Morning breath is not as bad. I can talk to people with confidence and that all it counts. Thank you Amazon!!!" —Shopper5

Get a pack of two from Amazon for $15.34.

Promising review: "This product WORKS! You won’t be disappointed. I used to get embarrassed taking off my flats in my office because they smelled so bad, but not anymore! My work flats make my feet sweaty and this spray helps keep the awful odors away at least four to five days (probably longer but I was so excited I just sprayed my shoes again because I liked the smell haha!) The lemon is strong and the eucalyptus I love, so I would purchase again! Although it will likely last a while! I have a little boy who gets sweaty feet also so i’m sure I’ll soon be using this in his shoes also." —Traeannah Brown

Get it from Amazon for $13.95.

Promising review: "I really loved this product. I am currently waiting for a new Invisalign set. My old Invisalign needed to be cleaned. I read the reviews and decided to purchase. OMG it worked! There was a fresh taste and they were clean. I wished I had found this product sooner. I did let them soak overnight only because I had been wearing them for the last four months. Nothing happened to Invisalign; there was no weakness or anything. Just very clean and fresh. If I could have given the product 10 stars I would have." —Lisa R.

Get 120 tablets from Amazon for $18.86.

Promising review: "As a 62-year-old woman who gardens, cleans house, etc., I needed something that improved the look of my nails without looking cheap or crappy. This was more than I wanted to spend on nail polish...but totally worth it. Two coats showed NO ridges and looks better than natural without looking fake or cheap. Totally worth it!" —Unbiased Independent Reviewer

Get it from Amazon for $20 (available in four shades).

Promising review: "This stuff is absolutely incredible. In January of 2017 I finally decided to try an at-home peel in conjunction with retinoids. Take a look at the photos I posted and you'll see how happy I am with my progress (after photo on the right taken June 2017). I've used this peel once a week and have had incredible results. Previously I did three rounds of Fraxel, which only resulted in severe pain, peeling, and grossness. Oh yes, and an empty savings account. For 30 bucks every few months I achieved better results than I got at a dermatologist's office." —Meredith

Get it from Amazon for $29.95.

Promising review: "I'm a hairy gal. Hormonal problems ruled out by my physician; it's just hereditary. My cheeks, neck, forehead, and chin are covered in a fine ever-growing peach fuzz. If I cease shaving, I shall acquire a boat and thus forth be dubbed blonde beard. My mustache is darker and thicker, something I think a lot of women experience. I have been shaving for a while with a men's razor (Gillette Fusion ProGlide for reference) and shaving cream but it just couldn't give me a close enough shave. ENTER SCHICK SILK TOUCH-UP! Holy wow! I've been dry shaving my entire face and some of my neck with these and no irritation, plus it is the closest shave I have gotten. No pulling or scraping like other 'mini razors.' It's quicker than doing what I call a 'dad shave' in the shower, and I can see what I'm shaving because I'm at my makeup table and there's no shaving cream obstructing my view (I don't want to accidentally hack off the hair by my ears or forehead). Plus, I compared this to other (what I call) mini razors and it's twice the size. So very efficient for doing your whole face, easy for detailing those brows. I love this product and hope that they sell it forever. It works on my peach fuzz, mustache, and brows. If I ever get word that they are going to stop making them, I will hoard them all." —Dr. Eleanor Abernathy

Get a pack of three from Amazon for $5.67 (or Subscribe & Save for $5.39/month).

Promising review: "I bought this as a last hope for cystic acne. I bought raw apple cider vinegar with the mother to mix with the clay powder because I heard that worked best for people experiencing skin problems. My skin has been a rollercoaster for the past five years. But recently, things have gotten really out of control. My self esteem is the lowest it's been. This mask had been such a life saver. I'm not sure words can describe how impressed I am with this healing clay mask. Since my skin has been through hell and I've literally tried everything, it's pretty resilient so I've been using this mask every night for the last four days. It's not nearly as drying as I thought it would be so that hasn't been an issue. But the mask has dried up everything and I have no new breakouts. I was so happy that I cried. If I could give this product a million stars, I would!" —Afton StAmour

Get it from Amazon for $14.95.

Promising review: "MIRACLE PRODUCT! If you have a flaky scalp from dandruff, BUY THIS. I was about to go to the dermatologist if this stuff didn’t work. Thank goodness I saved myself hundreds of dollars by giving this product a shot. I used it four of five times (over a month) and it cleared my scalp almost completely. One more use and my scalp will be 120% healed! This stuff blew my mind. Totally worth it." —chris

Get it from Amazon for $15.88 (or Subscribe & Save for $15.09/month).

Rocco & Roxie is a family-owned small business named after the Magleby family's pets Rocco, a labradoodle, and Roxie, a former shelter tabby cat. They make a variety of pet supplies, including cleaners, treats, grooming tools, accessories, and toys.

Promising review: "I have six elderly cats, and a few of them oftentimes leave smelly pee puddles to register their disdain at whatever cats get 'peed off' about. It's not a litter box problem and, although I've caught one or two of them doing it, I can't blame them all. This product works great on fresh messes as well as dried ones. After blotting up fresh pee pods, I saturate the area with Rocco & Roxie's odor remover and let dry. For dried stinky stuff, I just saturate the area and let it dry. It has a pleasant odor and completely eliminates the ammonia odor. Believe me, I've tried all kinds of products, and this one works the best. I buy gallons now just to have on hand. It's better than smelling that awful pee!" —mona mia

Get it from Amazon for $19.97.

Promising review: "My significant other has a butt that wants to violently suffocate everyone. This was originally a gag (pun intended) gift but, when used, it actually worked. Most, if not all, of the smell went away with the particularly terrible poots. We joke that we should get some more." —Sunshine

Get a pack of five from Amazon for $12.99.

Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.