
38 Affordable Products With Results That'll Make You Do A Triple Take
A jar of Mielle's coil sculpting custard made with pomegranate extract, coconut oil, and babassu oil to add extra moisture and body to 3A–4C curls without weighing them down. If you prefer that your curls be super defined and so tightly coiled that they bounce with every step, just apply this to dripping wet hair and let it air-dry — or diffuse if you want extra volume!
A battery-operated fabric defuzzer so you can bring some new life to your tattered couch or worn-out cardigans without splurging for new ones. Just run this over any areas where you see pilling (or cat damage like the reviewer photo below!), and this little device will shave it away.
A suede and leather brush to eliminate the scuffs, oil marks, dirt, and foot impressions that threaten to ruin all your cute 'fits. It has four different sets of bristles so you can scrub as hard or as soft as you want, and it's designed to work by itself — no cleaning solution or soap required!
A pomade hair wax stick — it'll be a major timesaver on those days when you want to smooth down flyaways, cowlicks, or set baby hairs into place. Just swipe it over any targeted areas you want to smooth, and it'll provide some seriously strong hold without any sticky residue.
A pack of light-dimming LED covers to soften the ridiculously annoying glow from the power buttons and displays on everything from your computer, alarm clock, modem, router, microwave... the list goes on and on. Why are they SO bright?! These genius stickers will allow you to still see them, except now they won't beam so bright that they disrupt your sleep. Oh, and did I mention you get more than 100 for just $1?! Ok, shipping is an extra $2, but $3 is still an outrageously good deal.
A retinol body lotion, because the magic of retinol is not just for your face! This retinol in the creamy formula helps promote skin cell turnover, while the ferulic acid firms skin for a tighter appearance. Reviewers also note that this works wonders on rough, bumpy skin on their upper arms and legs after consistent use.
Miss Mouth's Messy Eater Stain Treater Spray — it's so effective that you'll remain suspiciously calm the next time your tot's chocolate milk makes its way from their sippy cup to the couch cushion. Or when your glass of merlot faces a similar fate. Just spray, blot, rinse, and pour another.
Gold Bond's firming neck and chest cream, because your décolletage also deserves some special skincare attention. It contains salicylic acid to gently exfoliate dead skin cells, while glycerin and aloe add some extra hydration.
A nail renewal treatment to help reverse any damage done by fungal infections, so it's essentially time travel in a bottle. The formula includes lactic acid, propylene glycol, and urea to help thicken, soothe, and reduce discoloration on your nails. Just apply twice a day for the first week, then once a day until your toes are looking good to go.
A Pikk-it tool that'll remove the tangled hair/fur that's lodged in your vacuum's roller brush (which is making it WAY less effective btw). You can also use it to spruce up your hairbrushes, so this is basically stray hair's worst enemy. Also, cleaning your cleaning appliances is a level of adulthood most never reach in their lifetime. Proud of you.
A bottle of hair-building fibers to temporarily fill in bald spots and add some volume to thinning hairs. In the words of this reviewer, "WHAT IN THE HAIR SORCERY IS GOING ON?!" The sorcery in question is the tiny fibers made with follicle-mimicking molecules that grab onto your hair strands and make it look like you took a magical overnight hair growth serum.
A toilet wand with disposable cleaning heads (the cleaning solution is built-in — just activate with water!) that makes scrubbing the porcelain throne feel like less of a chore. The kit comes with six refill heads (and a handy dandy storage stand for the wand and refills) to get you started, so you can immediately say goodbye to that dirty toilet brush and get to scrubbing in about 30 seconds!
Veet's sensitive hair removal gel that's formulated with aloe, so it's perfect for anyone who typically deals with redness and irritation after hair removal. It's also meant to provide longer-lasting results when compared to traditional shaving and reduce the chance of ingrowns. Be prepared to pat yourself on your smooth, hairless back!
A tub of The Pink Stuff, which has become so TikTok-famous it's racked up 153,000 positive ratings. It'll completely revitalize your sink, bathtub, and neglected ovens with the help of a little elbow grease.
The Catrice "Instant Awake" Under Eye Brightener that'll have you singing 🎵 "where have you been all my li-i-i-i-i-ife?" 🎵 on those busy mornings when you need to look like you got a full eight hours of sleep. It's meant to blend seamlessly into the skin and adds light coverage to dark circles. Btw, it now comes in four shades!!
And Maybelline's Dark Circles Treatment Concealer for even more coverage. It proves you don't have to keep spending a lot of money for high-end results. The lightweight formula is infused with Haloxyl, a peptide complex that's meant to reduce dark circles and tighten skin. Many reviewers say it's easy to blend with just your fingers, so you can ditch the brush if you want to!
Compound W One Step Pads designed to remove plantar warts with ease, and also have reviewer photos that will inspire and traumatize you in equal measure. The medicated pads are packed with salicylic acid to help break down the wart, and you can replace them every 48 hours for best results for up to 12 weeks.
An all-natural oven scrub made with gritty pumice stone, so you can really go to town on that pizza that exploded and left a mess everywhere. It'll even clean all the hard-to-reach spots on the racks — because, yes, those need cleaning, too.
I Dew Care's dry shampoo powder to quickly mop up the oils that are absolutely ruining your Sunday brunch 'do. This one has a powder-puff applicator so you can apply it directly to your roots (you know, the source of all your oily troubles), and it also adds some extra volume as you brush it through. Reviewers say it instantly absorbs oil and doesn't leave a white residue behind. It's so easy to use that you'll wonder how you ever dealt with those messy spray cans.
A pair of stainless-steel tongue scrapers for anyone who has googled "why does my breath stink so much?! reddit" a few too many times. This has a super convenient dual-handed design, so you can easily reach to the back of your tongue and then pull forward to evict the nastiness that's living there rent-free.
A bottle of Goo Gone foaming spray specifically designed to win the fight against the greasy nastiness that's been coating the surfaces of your kitchen since... well... maybe never, but no one's judging!! You can use it to spruce up range hoods (it's probably way dirtier than you think right now), microwaves, pots and pans, oven doors, and any food-prep surfaces.
A cruelty-free lengthening Essence mascara with a whopping 253,000 5-star ratings and some seriously impressive before and after photos. Oh, did I mention it's UNDER $5?! Some reviewers even compare it to expensive brands like Tarte 👀. Unlike other mascaras at premium price points, reviewers say this one doesn't easily clump or smudge throughout the day and is suitable for sensitive eyes.
An adorable insect catcher that'll help trap any annoying bugs that are as obsessed with your plants as you are. They're waterproof and UV-resistant, so you can even use these on outdoor plants! The gnats that have turned your monstera into their favorite hangout spot have no idea what's coming 🦟.
A pack of the Mighty Patch Pimple Spot Treatment — they're made of a wound-healing gel called hydrocolloid that can drain fluids from any open pimples and cover any that are already on the surface. Many reviewers say they're practically undetectable and adhere much better to the skin than other brands. Plus, your derm will be very relieved that you aren't popping it!
A pack of cleaning tablets for your dishwasher, because it's probably way dirtier than you imagine. These tablets will break down lime and mineral buildup in the main compartment, internal pumps, and the pump and valve — so your dishes will come out looking as sparkly as they do in all those dish soap commercials.
A hydrating Cosrx repairing essence with 96% snail secretion filtrate to give you a ~glass skin glow~ that'll have you feeling like you dropped money on an expensive facial. Reviewers mention seeing a reduction in dark spots and acne with consistent use, and even people with oily skin find that it absorbs quickly and doesn't clog their pores.
A not-for-the-faint-of-stomach FlexiSnake to unclog any of the many drains in your house that are filled with hair. It's also weirdly fun to operate: just place it down the drain, give a spin with the handle, then remove the hairball that was making your shower take 30 minutes to fully drain.
A headlight restoration kit so you can stop squinting to see what's ahead of you every time the sun goes down. You'll start by applying the "surface activator," then polish away dirt and grime with the included sandpaper. Then apply a coat of the UV-block clear coat, and now your headlights will be back to that fresh-off-the-lot brightness you haven't seen in years.
A bottle of sulfate-free biotin shampoo that 34,000+ reviewers swear by. Biotin can help provide a fuller appearance to your strands, while rosemary and coconut oil can help nourish and moisturize the scalp.
A mold and mildew stain remover in a squeezable gel formula that can cling onto awkward vertical and inclined surfaces and fit in tight spaces. Just squeeze, walk away, then give it a quick rinse in the morning to reveal some jaw-dropping results.
A moisturizing hair serum from Korean hair care brand Mise En Scéne made with SEVEN nourishing oils: argan, coconut, jojoba, marula, olive, camelia, and apricot. They all work together to protect your strands from damage (including up to 446-degree heat protection!) while adding some hydration and shine. One reviewer even said the results are comparable to Crown Affair's $40 hair oil!
A bottle of earwax removal drops that use fizzy microfoam action to break down all the stubborn wax that's been clogging up your ear. Just apply five to 10 drops to your ear, keep your head tilted for several minutes to let the carbamide peroxide loosen your hardened ear wax, then flush away any remaining wax with warm water in a bulb or syringe.
A piercing bump solution formulated with jojoba, grape seed, and rose to help keep any annoying keloids at bay! It can help shrink bumps and reduce scarring by promoting skin cell turnover and adding an extra dose of moisture.
A bottle of professional-grade callus-removing gel that's a major upgrade from other harsh formulas you may have tried in the past. Some callus-removing products will make the surrounding skin feel dry and irritated, but this one includes a healthy dose of glycerin to help soften and hydrate.
A bottle of Burt's Bees sunburn lotion because picnic-in-the-park season is finally here, and beach season is also right around the corner. This will save the day when you forget to apply SPF on one of your sunny adventures — the soothing blend of aloe and coconut oil will help calm your skin in no time.
A pack of all-natural bottle-cleaning tablets that'll help remove stains and odors from any water bottles or coffee tumblers that you've left unwashed for an embarrassingly long time. It happens. Just fill your cup with warm water, drop the tablet in, and wait 15-30 minutes; rinse your cup, then get back to hydrating and/or caffeinating yourself.
O'Keeffe's overnight lip repair cream — yes, it's from the brand behind the iconic Working Hands cream that thousands of reviewers swear by! Its blend of beeswax, shea butter, and almond oil works while you sleep to soften dead skin and add a nice dose of hydration. Prepare to get rid of your car, bedroom, bathroom, and purse lip balms — this one is all you need.
A wax kit that has everything you need to remove nose hair in just two minutes. Just melt the wax, dip the applicator sticks in, place in the nose for two minutes, and pull down as quickly as possible while trying not to yell, "KELLY CLARKSON!" — although reviewers say it's surprisingly painless!

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Chicago Tribune
8 hours ago
- Chicago Tribune
Daywatch: A more defensive Pride
Good morning, Chicago. Christopher Colwell of Valparaiso, Indiana, teared up a bit as his grandmother sang with her church choir during Northwest Indiana Pridefest earlier this month, calling the moment a haven of acceptance in a state and nation that's become increasingly hostile to queer men like him. The grandson and grandma briefly embraced after her performance on a stage adorned with rainbow-colored balloons and a giant Pride flag. 'I can't stand the current climate in this state. It don't represent its people anymore,' said Colwell, 25, at the June 8 event at Riverview Park in Lake Station. 'I have a really poor outlook on the country as a whole.' While Pride events in the past were largely celebrations of the rights the LGBTQ community has secured — as well as promotions for greater representation and acceptance — many activists say the focus this year has been on girding protections and freedoms that are being actively rolled back on the federal level as well as in many Republican-led states such as Indiana. Read the full story from the Tribune's Angie Leventis Lourgos. Here are the top stories you need to know to start your day, including CPS eliminating more than 200 positions, violent crime dropping to levels not seen in a decade in Chicago and which restaurant Tribune food critic Louisa Kung Liu Chu says is one of the best in the city right now. Today's eNewspaper edition | Subscribe to more newsletters | Asking Eric | Horoscopes | Puzzles & Games | Today in History Dozens of Bikes and Mics motorcyclists revved their engines, leaning forward on their handlebars as the crowd cheered. After a final countdown from parade organizers, they rolled down North Halsted Street, heralding Chicago's 54th annual Pride Parade forward. This year's theme was 'United in Pride,' as the Pride Chicago organization emphasizes community solidarity in an uncertain political time for the LGBTQ+ population in America and celebrates 10 years of legalized same-sex marriage. Across Illinois, millions of people are anxiously awaiting the next move on a bill that would cut hundreds of billions of dollars from Medicaid across the country. The 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act' would slash the program, which provides health care coverage to people with low incomes, in order to help pay for tax cuts and border and national security. President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans say the bill would cut waste, fraud and abuse from Medicaid, providing coverage only to those who truly need it. In a cost-cutting move to plug a $734 million shortfall, Chicago Public Schools officials on Friday said they laid off dozens of workers in the district's central office and citywide staff. In all, CPS laid off 161 employees, according to district officials. Throughout 2019, Chicago police officers made nearly 80,000 arrests before scaling them back significantly during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic the following spring. Now five years later, that drop appears not to be just a COVID-era blip: In recent years, arrests have rebounded slightly, but annually police still are recording tens of thousands of fewer arrests than they did in 2019. Major cities across the country, including New York and Los Angeles, have seen significant dips in violent crime since the unrest of 2020, when protests, riots and looting followed the killing of George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis and the COVID-19 pandemic was taking hold. Now Chicago finds itself firmly in that group. A $24 million lead paint lawsuit payout. Dissatisfied residents. Staff members who have seen the vast majority of executive leaders turn over in the last 10 months. The Trump administration's priorities to slash the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's programs and staff. These are just some of the issues the next CEO of the Chicago Housing Authority, the third largest public housing authority in the country, will face coming into the role. Record high nighttime temperatures, a dangerously high heat index and intense humidity swept through Chicago from June 21 to 23, marking the city's first major heat wave of the summer. Ahead of the heat wave, Mayor Brandon Johnson told residents at a June 20 news conference that the city was 'prepared to demonstrate the full force of government' by offering city-run cooling centers. The city's website promotes 288 cooling center locations across the city, which are intended to 'offer residents air-conditioned refuge' during extreme heat advisories. Of those, 110 are outdoor 'splash pads' — water features operated by the Chicago Park District that don't offer any indoor cooling space. In addition, only two-thirds of the indoor cooling centers were open at least part of the day every day during the three-day heat wave. It was a hot start to summer in Chicago for our legacy sports teams, writes Paul Sullivan. Up was down, down was up and our downtown streets buckled just in time for the Chicago Street Race. A unique comedy game show is coming to Chicago, and while anyone can watch, the show's contestants share one commonality: Divorce. 'The Big D' (you can guess what the 'D' stands for here) is a matchmaking show that allows divorced singles in the 40-60 age range to meet people in the real world and, hopefully, spark a connection. While the Italian American restaurant Void does whimsy well, most evident with its Spaghetti Uh-O's and No-Lört, it's become one of the best restaurants in Chicago right now, writes Tribune food critic Louisa Kung Liu Chu. The Route 66 road trip ended at the beginning, at East Jackson Boulevard and South Michigan Avenue in Chicago, where a brown sign hanging 12 feet high on a light post tells people they've reached the venerable road's threshold. While the route often conjures images of quaint small towns, its foundation, said historian and author Jim Hinckley, has always been rooted in Chicago. The existing roads and trails that would eventually become Route 66 nearly 100 years ago largely followed the railroad, with Chicago as its hub. Read the series:


Chicago Tribune
8 hours ago
- Chicago Tribune
Daywatch: Pride under attack
Good morning, Chicago. Christopher Colwell of Valparaiso, Indiana, teared up a bit as his grandmother sang with her church choir during Northwest Indiana Pridefest earlier this month, calling the moment a haven of acceptance in a state and nation that's become increasingly hostile to queer men like him. The grandson and grandma briefly embraced after her performance on a stage adorned with rainbow-colored balloons and a giant Pride flag. 'I can't stand the current climate in this state. It don't represent its people anymore,' said Colwell, 25, at the June 8 event at Riverview Park in Lake Station. 'I have a really poor outlook on the country as a whole.' While Pride events in the past were largely celebrations of the rights the LGBTQ community has secured — as well as promotions for greater representation and acceptance — many activists say the focus this year has been on girding protections and freedoms that are being actively rolled back on the federal level as well as in many Republican-led states such as Indiana. Read the full story from the Tribune's Angie Leventis Lourgos. Here are the top stories you need to know to start your day, including CPS eliminating more than 200 positions, violent crime dropping to levels not seen in a decade in Chicago and which restaurant Tribune food critic Louisa Kung Liu Chu says is one of the best in the city right now. Today's eNewspaper edition | Subscribe to more newsletters | Asking Eric | Horoscopes | Puzzles & Games | Today in History Dozens of Bikes and Mics motorcyclists revved their engines, leaning forward on their handlebars as the crowd cheered. After a final countdown from parade organizers, they rolled down North Halsted Street, heralding Chicago's 54th annual Pride Parade forward. This year's theme was 'United in Pride,' as the Pride Chicago organization emphasizes community solidarity in an uncertain political time for the LGBTQ+ population in America and celebrates 10 years of legalized same-sex marriage. Across Illinois, millions of people are anxiously awaiting the next move on a bill that would cut hundreds of billions of dollars from Medicaid across the country. The 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act' would slash the program, which provides health care coverage to people with low incomes, in order to help pay for tax cuts and border and national security. President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans say the bill would cut waste, fraud and abuse from Medicaid, providing coverage only to those who truly need it. In a cost-cutting move to plug a $734 million shortfall, Chicago Public Schools officials on Friday said they laid off dozens of workers in the district's central office and citywide staff. In all, CPS laid off 161 employees, according to district officials. Throughout 2019, Chicago police officers made nearly 80,000 arrests before scaling them back significantly during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic the following spring. Now five years later, that drop appears not to be just a COVID-era blip: In recent years, arrests have rebounded slightly, but annually police still are recording tens of thousands of fewer arrests than they did in 2019. Major cities across the country, including New York and Los Angeles, have seen significant dips in violent crime since the unrest of 2020, when protests, riots and looting followed the killing of George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis and the COVID-19 pandemic was taking hold. Now Chicago finds itself firmly in that group. A $24 million lead paint lawsuit payout. Dissatisfied residents. Staff members who have seen the vast majority of executive leaders turn over in the last 10 months. The Trump administration's priorities to slash the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's programs and staff. These are just some of the issues the next CEO of the Chicago Housing Authority, the third largest public housing authority in the country, will face coming into the role. Record high nighttime temperatures, a dangerously high heat index and intense humidity swept through Chicago from June 21 to 23, marking the city's first major heat wave of the summer. Ahead of the heat wave, Mayor Brandon Johnson told residents at a June 20 news conference that the city was 'prepared to demonstrate the full force of government' by offering city-run cooling centers. The city's website promotes 288 cooling center locations across the city, which are intended to 'offer residents air-conditioned refuge' during extreme heat advisories. Of those, 110 are outdoor 'splash pads' — water features operated by the Chicago Park District that don't offer any indoor cooling space. In addition, only two-thirds of the indoor cooling centers were open at least part of the day every day during the three-day heat wave. It was a hot start to summer in Chicago for our legacy sports teams, writes Paul Sullivan. Up was down, down was up and our downtown streets buckled just in time for the Chicago Street Race. A unique comedy game show is coming to Chicago, and while anyone can watch, the show's contestants share one commonality: Divorce. 'The Big D' (you can guess what the 'D' stands for here) is a matchmaking show that allows divorced singles in the 40-60 age range to meet people in the real world and, hopefully, spark a connection. While the Italian American restaurant Void does whimsy well, most evident with its Spaghetti Uh-O's and No-Lört, it's become one of the best restaurants in Chicago right now, writes Tribune food critic Louisa Kung Liu Chu. The Route 66 road trip ended at the beginning, at East Jackson Boulevard and South Michigan Avenue in Chicago, where a brown sign hanging 12 feet high on a light post tells people they've reached the venerable road's threshold. While the route often conjures images of quaint small towns, its foundation, said historian and author Jim Hinckley, has always been rooted in Chicago. The existing roads and trails that would eventually become Route 66 nearly 100 years ago largely followed the railroad, with Chicago as its hub. Read the series:


Los Angeles Times
a day ago
- Los Angeles Times
Brad Pitt and ‘F1 The Movie' zoom to $55.6 million in Apple's biggest box office debut
The Brad Pitt-led racing film 'F1 The Movie' sped to the top of the box office this weekend, another in a string of big summer movies that Hollywood hopes will keep driving people to theaters. The big-budget film from 'Top Gun: Maverick' director Joseph Kosinski and producer Jerry Bruckheimer hauled in $55.6 million in the U.S. and Canada, according to studio estimates. That's better than analysts had expected for a non-sequel racing movie. People who read pre-release audience surveys had anticipated a debut of $40 million to $50 million. Powered by the global appeal of Formula One racing, the film took in an additional $88 million internationally. Still, with a reported budget of more than $200 million, not including marketing costs, 'F1' will still need significantly more ticket sales to break even. Only three Hollywood films so far this year have grossed more than $500 million globally — 'A Minecraft Movie,' 'Lilo & Stitch' and 'Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning' — and each of those opened above 'F1.' Nonetheless, with 'F1,' the iPhone maker has its first box office hit. While Apple TV+ has found critical success with its shows, including 'Severance,' 'The Studio' and 'Your Friends & Neighbors' — and notched its first best picture Oscar win in 2022 with 'CODA' — its films had not yet clinched box office gold. Its previous star-studded and filmmaker-driven movies have struggled at theaters, including the 2024 spy comedy 'Argylle' and space-age romantic comedy 'Fly Me to the Moon,' starring Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum. 'F1' benefited from a heavily promoted Imax run, which help make it seem like a must-see on the big screen. Imax screens accounted for 23% of the domestic weekend revenue for 'F1,' the cinema technology provider said Sunday. Around 55% of domestic sales came from large screen formats including Imax, Dolby Cinema and motion seats. As usual, Apple worked with a major studio to handle the theatrical release. 'F1' is being distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, adding to the studio's winning streak that includes 'A Minecraft Movie,' 'Sinners' and 'Final Destination Bloodlines.' Quality also helped. 'It's emotional, it's exciting, it's got romance, it's got humor,' producer Jerry Bruckheimer told The Times earlier this month. 'It's the reason I got into this business — to make movies that thrill you on that big screen, that you walk out feeling you've been on a real journey and got lost for a couple of hours. That's the goal every time.' Strong reviews from audiences and critics bode well for the film's future grosses and its eventual performance on streaming for Apple. Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the movie a grade of 'A,' while the movie holds a critics' score of 83% 'fresh' on Rotten Tomatoes. Not faring as well was Universal Pictures' murderous doll sequel 'M3GAN 2.0,' which debuted with a weak $10 million and landed in fourth place at the domestic box office, behind holdovers 'How to Train Your Dragon' and 'Elio.' The Blumhouse film was expected to open with around $20 million. It fell far short of the success of the original, which opened with $30 million in 2023 and eventually collected $180 million worldwide. Overall, though, it's been a strong last few months for the horror genre, starting with Ryan Coogler's 'Sinners,' which has now grossed $364 million worldwide, and followed by 'Final Destination Bloodlines' and zombie franchise revival '28 Years Later.' The staying power of movies like 'How to Train Your Dragon' and 'Lilo & Stitch' shows the continued draw of family-friendly films at the box office, which have been major winners since the spring. The exception has been Disney and Pixar's original animated movie 'Elio,' which notched Pixar's worst opening weekend ever last week. 'Elio' collected about $11 million Friday through Sunday, bringing its total to a poor $42 million in the U.S. and Canada for the $150-million animated picture. Times staff writer Josh Rottenberg contributed to this report