33 Kinda Embarrassing Purchases We Can Keep Between Us

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

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

It’s safe to use on your bikini line, upper lip, chin, face, armpits, back, chest, stomach, arms, and legs. Do not use it on your eyebrows or on tanned or tattooed skin.

Promising reviews: “7 out of 5 stars. After two months of using it as directed I am impressed with the results. My face has post-menopausal coarse hair growth. In the past I have spent thousands of dollars to have the hair on my legs and bikini area professionally removed. Rather than risking the possible COVID-19 exposure due to multiple office visits at a professional salon I chose to purchase this device to remove my facial hair. Even the medium and fine black facial hairs have disappeared.” — Prague

Promising reviews: “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

“The best nail product I’ve ever used! I am 75 years old! It cost more than any nail product I’ve ever bought but two coats have lasted me over two weeks without chipping! A product has to be outstanding for me to write a review and this product qualifies!!” — Frances

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

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.

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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 have been experiencing terrible cystic acne. I also am a stress picker. I decided to get these as a last resort to avoid any more acne scars and it was the best purchase I have ever made. I put these on some really painful zits before bed and when I woke up they were gone! They literally suck all of the grossness out of my zits. I don’t want to say it was like magic but it was pretty much magic.” — Demetria Olsen

Promising review: “After several washings, they still look brand new! And feel as comfortable as wearing nothing at all.” — Rosemary C.

Promising review: “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 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

Promising review: “Two months ago we got an 6-month-old puppy who has needed some time to get adjusted. That included more than a few accidents in our living room and on his bed. This machine has made clean up of everything so much simpler and I love that it’s deep cleaning and has a nontoxic pet cleaner so that our not-so-little puppy can isn’t harmed through exposure or smells. Also helpful since my teenage sons like to camp out on the couch with their friends on long weekends and our couch gets that fresh clean smell in an hour.” — Kindle Customer

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

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.

Promising review: “I have lacrosse players and dogs and this stuff is amazing. My yard looked like an abandoned lot before this and it literally ‘grew anywhere’ just like it said. The bag I planted last year actually came back strong this year so I put more down and it is working like a dream!” — chchmom

Promising review: “This is a Hail Mary! This is hands down the best product ever!!!! I have been using this product on my clients and it has made my job so much easier and less time consuming.” — Diamante Valentine

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

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

Promising review: “I am a sweat-er and therefore it’s very uncomfortable to sweat under your bra and then be wet. I am so happy with this product. No more being wet and having embarrassing sweat marks.” — Lola

Promising review: “Even with using prescription-strength anti-perspirant, I will have pit stains within an hour of putting on a shirt. Because of this, I have almost exclusively worn black shirts for years. But no longer! I bought two of these shirts to try out and can now go all day long with no pit stains! I even tried going on a long walk with a sweater on and did not sweat through it. These shirts are very comfy and are thin enough to be able to wear under another top without having visible lines. This shirt is worth every penny.” — K.M.

Promising review: “I started using this product and my sister told me that she saw the difference it made on my arms from the keratosis pilaris! I see myself every day and doubted that it had made a difference but when someone points it out, it makes it clear and feels for comforting knowing you didn’t waste money LOL!” — denise.m.l

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

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.

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

Promising review: “OK, I don’t normally rave about things like this. I bought this on a whim in a last attempt to save my favorite duvet cover. The pills had gotten to the point where it was seriously uncomfortable to sleep with them getting all up in my leg space. I thought I was going to have to get a new duvet cover entirely. Along came this lil’ baby. Not only is my duvet cover basically brand new, but I have found a new hobby. I’m depilling everything. Sweatshirts, leggings, blankets, socks, anything that looks like it needs some love. It does the job quickly and leaves everything looking fresh. Hi, I’m obsessed. I can’t stop. I should send this back. I’ve started asking if my neighbors need anything depilled. I’m going to buy one of these for everyone in my life. Everyone needs to own this. Take it away from me.” — Sydney Jensen

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

The Fizz Whiz is a small business based in Tampa, 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

They’re safe to use with pretty much any type of washer: HE or regular, top-loading and front-loading.

Promising review: “Works as advertised. My washer hadn’t been cleaned since I bought it. It was starting to smell bad and get gunk in it. Did several back to back clean cycles with this stuff, problem solved. Now we just have to maintain it once every month.” — mitchdrip

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

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

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

Promising review: “Very great product that does exactly what it says it does: cleans the pods without ruining them!” — jana

Topicals is a WOC-founded small business started by Olamide Olowe, who actually ditched plans to apply to medical school in favor of launching her skincare brand.

Promising review: “I looooove this product. I have eczema and it’s so much easier to moisturize my entire body with this spray. It has an herbal smell when you first spray it but it goes away quickly (I like the smell though). My only complaint is that I wish it was bigger!” — clearlykendra

Promising review: “Easy to apply with a little elbow grease. Does a very good job removing swirls and light scratches. I used the black/dark paint version and it worked very well on my Kia Stinger. Left a nice polished looking surface and filled in the small imperfections. It even improved a deep scratch I had on the side and made it less visible. It completely removed a mark where a rubber bike handle had rubbed against the car and dulled the paint. Works as advertised and is really pretty easy to apply.” — AudioJunkie