For decades, Misty Copeland was ballet. As the first Black female principal dancer at American Ballet Theatre, she transformed what the art form looked like and who it belonged to. But last year, she took her final bow and, in the time since, she’s been navigating a different kind of discipline: the unscripted rhythms of what comes next. For Copeland, stepping away from her historic career came with a series of major transitions, like raising her young son, Jackson, and, recently, recovering from major surgery — all while adjusting to the emotional and physical shifts of perimenopause.

After years of training her body to perform with the utmost precision and control, Copeland is learning to let go and listen to what her body needs now. And, perhaps most importantly, how to give herself grace in the process.

Scary Mommy caught up with the legendary dancer to talk about all things perimenopause (she’s partnered with science-backed health and wellness company Thorne), identity after retirement, and what it meant to have her son witness the final bow of a career that defined her life.

Scary Mommy: You’ve spent your life performing at the highest level. How has your relationship with your body changed now that you've transitioned off the stage, especially in light of the fact that you recently had major surgery?

Misty Copeland: I think, definitely post-American Ballet Theater career, I'm being more intentional and giving myself more grace, and just really thinking about how I'm taking care of myself internally.

With so much of my journey as an athlete, of course you have to fuel yourself and be healthy, but what does that really mean? … I feel like post-baby and being 43 years old and having had as many injuries that I've had, there are so many other things to consider in taking care of myself.

We just all have such unique and different experiences as women. So it's important that we really get to know what we're going through so we can address it and be OK and open about having these sometimes uncomfortable conversations. I think they've become uncomfortable because it's taboo; we're not allowed to talk about these things. That's something so beautiful about where we're at, in this day and age, [and] about what Thorne is doing in having these beautifully diverse and open conversations and the stories that they're telling through different women from different walks of life that are really relatable.

SM: You touched on this, but there’s so much unpredictability in perimenopause. As a dancer, you’ve had to be incredibly disciplined and in control of your body. How has that been for you, adjusting to something you have very little control over?

I've been talking about this idea of ritual, and that's been so important throughout my career. I've always thought of ballet class every single morning as a ritual that really would ground me and center me in times that you might feel out of control. I feel like I’m going through a similar experience ... there are so many things that are hormonally out of my control, and that I’ve been a bit in denial about that this is really what it is I’m experiencing. But it’s been important that I’m naming what those things are I’m experiencing, naming them as perimenopause, and then being able to really address it in a healthy way.

SM: We all talk a lot about physical changes during hormonal shifts, but what about the emotional side? How has that shown up for you?

MC: Losing patience. Feeling that any little thing can set you off. And I've been like, ‘That's just because I have a 4-year-old.’ Or ‘that's just because of this. That's just because of this.’ So it's been really nice to be able to dissect these things that I'm feeling and then be able to treat them.

But yeah, we are all so different as women and will have different experiences. Physically, just the changes in my skin have been a real shock for me — I didn't imagine I'd be getting acne at this point and dealing with that! I'm like, ‘Come on. I thought I got past this.’ But just, again, the more that we talk about all of our unique experiences, the more other women will feel seen and heard and then want to be a part of it.

SM: Absolutely. Well, segueing to another big transition, you recently took your final bow, and it was so emotional seeing your little boy, Jackson, come on stage with you. What did that mean to you?

MC: It was incredible. I never really thought about what my last performance with American Ballet Theater would look like. If it were up to me, I always said I would just disappear and not have some big to-do. So I never even thought, What would that look like for my son?

Then I went to my really good friend's farewell performance, Gillian Murphy, who's a principal dancer at ABT and retired, I don't know, the summer before me or something. I was on stage, and her son Ax came on. I just started bawling my eyes out, and I was like, there's no way I can do this and not have Jackson see it and be a part of it and understand what I do. He had never seen me dance before because I had stopped dancing before he was born. So having him there was, I don't know, it was like having him experience this thing that has given me every opportunity in my life. How could I not have him be a part of this with me?

Overall, I was afraid of how he would respond, being in front of all those people, and I thought he was going to walk off the stage into the orchestra pit. I was terrified of all these things. As a mom, I was like, ‘Oh my God, all these things can go wrong, and he's going to die.’

SM: Ha, such a mom thing to think!

MC: But it was the most incredible and beautiful experience that I hope he will remember. If not the actual memory, the feeling of what it was.

SM: When he gets older and looks back at your career, which has been so defining in so many ways for a lot of people, what do you hope he understands about what it took for you to get there?

MC: I hope that he understands that you can't get to a place like this, in terms of just work and success, without having support. That's something that's been so vital for me, and that I want him to understand — that you don't have to try and do something on your own, that it's really about community.

I think in the end, when people have asked me, ‘What are you going to remember the most?’ Or, ‘What are you going to miss the most from dancing the last 25 years at American Ballet Theater?’ It's the people. To me, it's not this one stage I'm going to miss or this one performance. It's those incredible relationships and what it means to be in community with other people.

SM: After so long with ABT, what does a normal day look like for you now?

MC: I've spent the last 30 years of my life with such a consistent schedule and not having control over my schedule. I'm insanely busy, and I have been for the last five years since I stepped away from ABT, but my days are all so different. Literally today, I was up at 6:00 a.m. I had a photo shoot all morning and afternoon. Then I might go to the offices for my foundation, and then I might have meetings for my production company. I'm editing a book right now.

I love it because I really feel like I'm in charge of my creative voice in a way that I never have been before, when you are more of a vessel for other people's stories — that's what I've been, and it's an incredible thing to be able to be that. But now, to be in charge is the next step. I really never thought I would be this kind of artist who would want to be the storyteller and the narrator in the way that I am now. So it's pretty cool to have seen my growth.

SM: You’ve spent your career opening ballet up to kids who never saw themselves in it. But arts funding and education feel increasingly fragile right now. As someone who’s fought so hard to grow this art form’s audience, how do you stay hopeful about its future, and what do you think is at stake if we lose that access?

MC: Everything that I do always comes back, at its core, to being an artist and because of what I've gained by being a part of this art form and a part of ballet. So I don't ever try to look at it through a not-hopeful lens. It may not look the way we want it to look or the way it has looked, but I always think there will be people who are going to be fighting for it to continue.

Arts education and dance education is so important to me. It's why I started the Misty Copeland Foundation. We may not have control over our public school systems and the curriculum that they have there, but we do have control over afterschool programs and more private funding that's not coming from the government.

I think it adds so much value to our society. I think that it creates empathetic human beings. I think it creates better leaders. I think that by being a part of these art forms, you have incredible transferable skills that will prepare you to do whatever it is you want to do in life. And that's really what we're doing through my foundation and through the programs. It's not about creating professional dancers, necessarily; it's really about creating better human beings in society, which we desperately need today.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

The roommate phase, the dry spell, the do-you-even-like-me-anymore doldrums — whatever you call it, most married couples go through it at some point, maybe more than once. If you feel like your spark is one more sex-less night away from being snuffed out entirely, you’re not alone. Between work, kids, and the countless pressures facing parents today, it’s extremely difficult to find the time and energy to nurture your marriage. But if you’ve been feeling like you and your partner are in your “meh” era and want to shake it off, here’s what relationship experts suggest.

“Every couple has different seasons, especially around children, work stressors, and overall ups and downs of life,” says Melissa Paul, LCSW, founder of MLP Therapy Group in New York. “It is important to recognize that the relationship isn’t a problem, but just like all relationships, it needs time and attention.”

6 Signs Your Marriage Needs Help

The first step to getting your spark back is acknowledging it’s lost right now. Don’t panic — this doesn’t mean you’re headed straight for divorce. These are just some red flags that, hey, it might be time to focus on getting connected again.

1. Intimacy disappears.

Sex is usually the first thing to go when your relationship needs a little work, says licensed marriage and family therapist Cheryl Donaldson.

“The relationship starts to feel more like a partnership or friendship, rather than an intimate connection between two people who are in love. I’m often shocked in my office by how quickly that part of the relationship fades. When there’s no romance or excitement, that’s a key signal that something has shifted.”

2. You don’t fight at all, or you fight often about petty things.

Arguments between partners are usually about something more than who does the laundry more often. The real issue is, do you care? Do you see my efforts? When that devolves into nitpicking and sniping... red flag.

“Either conflict is avoided entirely, or it shows up as petty arguments that don’t actually address what’s underneath,” Donaldson explains.

3. You’ve stopped laughing together.

The ability to play and share “lightness” is a sign that things are healthy, Donaldson explains. If there’s no more “fun” in “functional,” take it as a warning sign.

4. You don’t spend intentional time together.

You feel like you talk constantly and spend a ton of time together, but if you’re shuttling kids to school and practice, making dinner, and discussing logistics, that’s not the same. Even 10 minutes you spend connecting is something, Donaldson says.

5. You’re no longer vulnerable with each other.

You’re not sharing your emotions, innermost thoughts, or what’s really going on in your internal world. That’s a major sign your connection is wavering, Donaldson says.

6. You stop seeking out new experiences together.

Novelty brings so much value to a long-term relationship. When couples stop looking to do new and exciting things together, it could be a sign that your marriage needs that TLC more than ever, says Paul.

How To Get The Spark Back In Your Marriage, According To Experts

If you notice the distance growing between you and your partner, you have to address it head-on. You don’t want to sound accusatory, but you want to make it clear you feel a disconnect.

“Let your partner know how you feel with ‘I feel’ statements and then following up with a suggestion. An example could be ‘I feel not desired because of the lack of intimacy in our relationship. Maybe we can try to go out on a date tonight?’ This is a way to share and communicate what you are feeling and offering a way to address it together, removing blame from the situation,” says Paul.

Donaldson agrees, saying to lead off with what you want. Consider these conversation starters:

• “I want to spend more time with you.”
• “I miss having fun with you.”
• “I just want to sit and have a glass of wine together and talk about our day.”

“It doesn’t have to be something big. It’s about reconnecting in small, consistent ways. You have to intentionally carve out space for connection,” she says.

In general, she advises her clients to put their phones away when they’re together, lest technology get in the way of your attempts to build connection. Be fully present when you come home, and create pockets of time for the two of you during the day, even if it’s just 10 minutes of giving each other your undivided attention. You don’t need weekends away and expensive dinners out, Donaldson says — “you just need small, reliable moments of availability.”

Ultimately, these red flags are not something to panic over. In fact, they’re good information, Donaldson says.

“It’s very normal, and it’s also instructive. I think of it like your body giving you signals. A ‘meh’ phase is your relationship telling you that certain needs aren’t being met. It’s an indication that something needs to shift. You have to create energy again through connection, intimacy, curiosity, and spontaneity. It’s not necessarily a sign that something is wrong with the relationship. It’s a signal that the relationship needs attention."

Everyone wants to raise good kids while also giving them everything they need and at least most of what they want. And at some point, every parent also realizes these goals may be in conflict with one another. One parent took to Reddit to get at the heart of this tension, asking if they should “manufacture hardship” for their kids.

On r/Parenting, user MemoryCool11 shared some concerns that their tweens have grown up with pretty easy lives, and as a result, they seem unable to tolerate even minor inconveniences. The poster explains that they and their husband grew up “poor,” and OP’s parents were immigrants who spoke English as a second language and had to work countless hours to make ends meet. As adults with a family of their own now, OP says they live a “very comfortable upper-middle-class life.”

“My work in particular is very freelance, so I can always be there for school pickups, to drive my kids around to all their extracurriculars; they get to go on some pretty nice vacations. So my kids get to have a comfortable life AND an engaged parent at home. They’re good kids, and we’ve done pretty well not to spoil them with material things. They’re not the kinds of kids who care about brand-name stuff, wanting a lot of stuff in general, but I’ve found that because they have such easy, comfortable lives, they have not much capacity for dealing with even slight inconveniences,” OP writes.

For example, OP explains that if they’re five minutes late to pick the kids up after school, “they’ll literally throw me attitude like it’s the worst thing ever. They get frustrated easily over small things like having to switch dinner plans from like one nice restaurant to a slightly less nice one.” After visiting Universal with the “VIP experience” (fast passes, a dedicated guide, etc.), they complained nonstop during the next theme park visit without those perks.

It’s not so much the complaining this parent is worried about, but “how quickly they go into unregulated frustration as soon as something isn’t immediately easy for them.”

“I guess my question is, should I be manufacturing more hardship? Do we simply just not do things like the VIP experience (despite the ability to afford it) if that kind of frictionless existence makes them too spoiled?” OP asks.

And the comments answered.

“It might be time to build some friction into their lives. Less buying the fast passes, more helping with yard work, doing more house chores, learning how to cook (can’t rush that and kneading dough for 8 minutes is a chore), having to reserve library books and wait for them to be ready, trying new things that are hard, hiking, rock climbing, being out in all weather, camping,” said one.

Spending time outdoors was recommended a lot, actually. “I was a camp counselor a few times. Rich, poor, everyone’s going to learn some things about themselves on the ropes course and in the white water,” wrote one user. OP responded that her kids do like to hike, and commenters suggested the parent roll with that. “Could you try to increase the difficulty of these hobbies they already enjoy? Maybe they take the lead with navigation on the next hike? Or you try backpacking instead of camping in a drive-up campsite?”

One commenter said it’s really not about making life harder for your kids, but about teaching them to be graceful under stress. “You can build resilience, but they may have constantly comfortable lives. You can still teach them and expect them to not be spoiled about it. They can be disappointed or impatient without being rude. You don’t have to make them more uncomfortable to do that,” they wrote.

Finally, in a comforting turn, one user suggested this problem might solve itself with age. “I’m finding with my kids, a lot of this grows with opportunities for independence. If I’m not there to solve everything for them, they learn to adapt and flex and innovate. I also make sure I am available to debrief their problem-solving and support the efforts, even if unsuccessful.”

The general consensus was that if the kids can’t tolerate inconvenience, that means they need more exposure to it so they can learn how.

“I don’t think you need to manufacture adversity, but I do think you need to stop clearing their paths of friction just because you can afford it. They can’t build skills they never get a chance to practice.”

You just finished some cleaning and you’re resting on the couch for a minute when... hey! Are those your favorite underwear? Zoom. There goes the dog with a pair of your undies in his mouth, stolen straight from the hamper. Cue another game of “give those back!” as you both dart around the living room, fighting over some Fruit of the Loom. If your pet is a laundry lover, then this scene is all too familiar — but seriously, why are dogs obsessed with dirty underwear?

We asked two experts what’s up with this odd fascination, and they explain why it’s important for pet parents to keep their delicates out of their dog’s reach.

Why are dogs obsessed with dirty underwear?

While you might think your dog is being a little freak running through the house with a stolen pair of panties in tow, the reason they do this might actually be kind of sweet.

“It’s very common for dogs to seek out dirty underwear and other worn clothing because those items carry a strong concentration of their owner’s scent,” says Dr. Carly Fox, senior veterinarian in the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center’s Emergency & Critical Care Service. “Dogs experience the world primarily through smell, and heavily worn items — especially underwear — contain pheromones and body odors that are particularly compelling. For many dogs, this behavior is a form of comfort-seeking or curiosity rather than anything weird.”

“Dogs are drawn to scent first and foremost, and dirty laundry is basically a concentrated ‘you’ in fabric form,” agrees Ali Smith, professional dog trainer, behavior consultant, and founder of Rebarkable. “It’s not just underwear, either. Socks, leggings, and anything worn close to the skin tend to top the list. Underwear, socks, and worn t-shirts carry particularly strong human scent, which makes them highly reinforcing to investigate, carry, and sometimes chew.”

For some dogs, stealing your undies can also be a form of attention-seeking if they’ve learned running by you with some contraband panties gets a reaction out of you, Fox says. Small clothing items are light and easy to run with — a game of cat and mouse is extremely rewarding from a playful dog’s perspective, Smith says.

Are some dogs bigger laundry thieves than others?

If you’ve ever had a puppy or adolescent dog, you know they put everything in their mouths, so they’re very likely to dive headlong into the laundry pile at some point. Dogs with anxiety or strong attachment to their owners may also be “drawn to scent-heavy items as a form of self-soothing,” says Fox.

Your dog’s breed could also play a role in why they steal undies, Smith notes. For example, hounds and scent-driven breeds who naturally follow their noses will be drawn to dirty clothes that are full of interesting smells.

“Labradors and other retrievers are also frequent offenders, in part because they’re opportunistic and highly food-motivated. If something smells like it might have been food-adjacent at any point, it often gets classified as edible,” she says. “Retrievers add another layer. They’ve been selectively bred to pick things up and carry them without consuming them — essentially interrupting the “eat” portion of the predatory sequence. But when that inhibition isn’t strong or breaks down, you can see the opposite happen: instead of holding the item, they ingest it. In those dogs, you often see a combination of ‘must pick it up’ and ‘might as well eat it.’”

How To Stop A Dog From Stealing Clothes

That’s the rub, really. The problem with your dog’s little game of capture the undies is that it could escalate into actually chewing up or ingesting fabrics, and this can cause medical emergencies, like an intestinal blockage. If you suspect your dog has swallowed a clothing item, contact your vet right away.

“This can quickly turn into a medical issue — foreign body ingestion is a very real concern and can lead to obstruction requiring surgery,” says Fox. “If a dog does ingest fabric, signs like vomiting, lethargy, and decreased appetite should raise concern for an obstruction and warrant prompt veterinary evaluation.”

Pet owners should use laundry hampers that close with a zipper or lid, and ideally keep them behind a closed door, Smith says. Be diligent about keeping laundry out of reach, especially things like socks that tend to get stuffed into sneakers upon returning home. Lastly, if your pup finds a clothing item anyway, Smith says it’s important not to accidentally reinforce the behavior while taking it away.

“Avoid turning it into a game — this is very commonly reinforced by accident when owners chase, react, or try to grab the item back. Trade calmly for food or another item rather than trying to pull it away,” she says.

If your dog tends to seek out the laundry pile, try adding other forms of enrichment to their life. Make sure they’re mentally stimulated and get enough physical exercise, Fox recommends.

While it might be a little inconvenient to have to police the socks in your house, Smith says stealing laundry is a pretty normal behavior for dogs. They don’t mean to be naughty, so your goal should never be to punish them.

“The goal isn’t to correct the dog, but to reduce opportunity and give them appropriate outlets for the underlying drive. Redirection is key. For scent-driven dogs like hounds, scent games — especially simple hide-and-seek style searches — can be incredibly effective. For retrievers, structured retrieval games using a dummy or a favorite toy can help channel that ‘pick it up’ instinct appropriately.”

If your dog keeps stealing the same category of item, that’s useful information, she adds — it tells you what they find most reinforcing, and where you need better management. So pay attention to what your fuzzy little bandit finds most steal-able, and work backwards from there to keep them safe and mentally stimulated.

Every parent has been there before, standing on the receiving end of some unsolicited parenting advice or a passive-aggressive comment from some old woman in the grocery store about why your baby should be wearing socks. Most of the time we can take it in stride, but every so often, someone will say something about your parenting choices that just requires a response. Here’s what to say when someone comments on your parenting, according to experts.

For starters, remember that there’s a difference between your friend sharing what worked for her in the hopes it might help you and her making a catty remark that implies you’re to blame.

“Good intentions usually come with a soft tone and no audience. Someone who genuinely wants to help doesn’t need other people watching. Well-meaning people also tend to share something from their own experience instead of just pointing out what you’re doing wrong,” says Dr. Sanam Hafeez, neuropsychologist and director of Comprehend the Mind.

If the comment makes you feel small or embarrassed rather than supported, that’s usually a sign it wasn’t made with good intentions, Hafeez says. Still, try to remember that most people in your life aren’t trying to poke at you — they may just be putting their foot in their mouth while attempting to be helpful.

“In my experience, most unwelcome comments from others are not designed to hurt parents,” says Bahar Rinsler, a licensed marriage and family therapist in Los Angeles. “People can be misguided in believing that they are being helpful, even when they are clearly not. My advice to parents is to assume it is coming from a genuine desire to help, unless it is from someone you have a history with, like a ‘frenemy.’”

What To Say When Someone Comments On Your Parenting

Since unsolicited parenting advice usually comes from a place of wanting to help, you probably don’t want to come out guns blazing and completely shut this person down. That said, if you’re tired of your mother-in-law remarking on the fact that your kid shouldn’t be drinking soda or playing on their tablet, it’s helpful to have some canned responses in mind.

Here’s what Rinsler, Hafeez, and Melissa Paul, LCSW, founder of MLP Therapy Group in New York, recommend saying:

• “Thanks, we’re happy with how things are going!”
• “That’s one way to look at it.”
• “We’ve got it covered, but I appreciate it.”
• “We’re figuring it out as we go, just like everyone else.”
• “We feel really good about our decision, but thanks.”
• “I appreciate your concern.”
• “I’ll keep that in mind.”
• “Thanks, but I’m not able to have a conversation about that right now.”
• “That’s good food for thought.”
• “That’s an interesting perspective on what’s happening here.”
• “Oh, I’ll look into that.”
• “Thanks! We are OK the way we are.”
• “I’d appreciate you not making comments in front of [child’s name].”
• “Different families do different things.”
• “We’ve got this.”

Once you’ve deployed one of these phrases, what next? How do you shift the focus away from your parenting choices?

“The easiest way to move on is to change the subject. Ask them something about their own life and let the moment pass. If the person genuinely meant well, a simple redirect won’t hurt anything and everyone moves on without awkwardness. Sometimes, just letting there be a little silence after your response is enough because you don’t owe anyone a debate about your parenting choices,” Hafeez says.

“Change the topic, focus on something else, and move on,” Paul agrees. “You are not looking to have a conversation around your parenting, so don’t let it happen. Focus on whose feedback you value and move on.”

The subject change is helpful if you want to maintain a good relationship with the other party — it spares them a sense of rejection, Rinsler says, and decreases the awkwardness for everyone. If the same snide comments keep coming from the same person, it’s time to have a direct conversation about how they make you feel, Hafeez adds. But in most cases, a short and sweet response with a subject change will put the issue to bed.

There were few things I loved more during my millennial childhood than American Girl. Whether I was reading the magazine, reading up on how to be a good babysitter, or playing with my own Samantha Parkington doll (that I didn’t get until I was 11), I was a full-on American Girl enthusiast.

And with the brand’s 40th anniversary this year, they’re really leaning into that nostalgia. Earlier this year, they announced an adult novel following Samantha Parkington, as well as a modern collection of your favorite OG novels. But now, American Girl is bringing back eight iconic historical characters in an epic bundle collection.

Seven-year-old me would’ve flipped, but honestly, 37-year-old me is pretty excited, too.

This bundle has been years in the making and features major fan favorites: Addy Walker, Felicity Merriman, Josefina Montoya, Kirsten Larson, Kaya, Kit Kittredge, Molly McIntire, and Samantha Parkington.

While American Girl has added to their historical doll collection over the last two decades, the eight dolls in this bundle include the original five dolls, plus the ‘90s addition of Josefina, followed by Kit and then Kaya in the early aughts.

In this new anniversary bundle, each doll comes with her signature meet outfit, accessories, and a book, all complete in packaging inspired by the original 1986 design.

It’s so silly to think about, but I know that most of us millennial American Girl fans remember playing with multiple historical dolls, making them all friends and acting out things that might not have been historically accurate to their original stories. Seeing all of these dolls bundled up together, like they’re all friends that just got stuck in some strange time warp thing, is so touching. (And it’s like seeing my 2000 Christmas wish list come to life right before my very eyes.)

Over the years, American Girl historical dolls have retired, then come out of retirement or been available in special limited releases. Like right now, Felicity isn’t a historical doll you can just buy anymore — so having her in this gorgeous bundle to represent all of our favorite American Girl dolls is the sweetest. And for those of us who had just one doll as a kid, having a book for each historical doll is such a fun way to dive into the heart and courage and love of each of these girls and their stories.

If my husband is reading this, yes. I need it.

Starting April 7, you can buy the American Girl historical doll bundle online at AmericanGirl.com, as well as retail stores nationwide.

Sometimes, you just need a good cry. A time to let all of the heavy emotions you’ve been carrying for whatever reason flow out. It’s cathartic, really, but not everyone can just cry on cue. You could try the five-minute hack, where you literally set a timer and allow yourself to feel all of your emotions fully — for only five minutes. Or you could do what so many of us prefer to do when we’re feeling sad: watch movies that make you cry, and just let it go.

If you feel a little silly about giving in to your tears this way, think of it as a health practice. The general consensus from doctors and mental health professionals is that crying is good for you — it allows you to release emotional pain and stress, and we all pretty much know by now that keeping those things bottled up inside is bad, right?

While what makes you cry can be wildly different from what makes someone else emotional, there are certain movies that just seem to get the waterworks going for everyone. Here are a few go-to favorites to get you started, so grab a box of Kleenex and have the emotional catharsis you deserve.

Movies That Make Me Ugly Cry

Big Fish (2003)

There are plenty of poignant moments in this movie about a man trying to understand his dying father, but the scene where he tells him his final story and carries him to the water will always reduce me to a puddle of tears. (“My girl in the river...” STOP, I’M WRECKED.)

Legends of the Fall (1994)

War, tragedy, betrayal, heartbreak — Legends has it all. And every time I watch, I wish I could save Samuel or heal Tristan or maybe even go back in time and alter the course of fate so they never meet Susannah. But as it stands, this movie remains a profound meditation on how deeply grief can change a person.

Patch Adams (1998)

Based-on-a-true-story movies have a way of hitting even harder, don’t they? There’s lots of levity in Patch Adams; part of what makes it so wonderful is that it proves laughter can coexist with pain. But this movie will crack your heart wide open for how it highlights the fragility of life, the courage it takes to keep choosing love when the world can be so cruel, and the heroism of showing up for others.

All Dogs Go to Heaven (1989)

Few movies from my childhood felt as formative as this one. It’s sad from the start: Charlie, a morally dubious German shepherd, gets killed by his former business partner. His best friend, a dachshund named Itchy, is still grieving when Charlie cheats death and returns to Earth. The pair then meets a young orphan named Anne-Marie, who changes everything and inspires Charlie to sacrifice his second chance for her. And if you know the tragic backstory going on behind the scenes of the movie, their goodbye will seriously destroy you.

Aftersun (2022)

If the kind of movie that really gets you right in the heart is one that lingers with you long after the credits roll, Aftersun may be the tearjerker for you. It’s tender and haunting in equal measure, telling the story of an 11-year-old girl named Sophie on summer holiday with her young dad, Calum, in the late ‘90s. Their bond shines through sun-drenched days, but there’s also a pervasive aching you don’t quite understand until you view it through the lens of adult Sophie, looking back and realizing that, even then, her father’s quiet sadness was consuming him.

The Green Mile (1999)

Set on Death Row in a Southern prison during the 1930s, The Green Mile centers on a misunderstood man named John Coffey. A gentle giant full of love and goodness, he touches the lives of the guards, who come to believe he’s innocent of the horrific crime he’s been accused of. It’s hard to watch but so worth the tears to be reminded that pure light does exist in this world, and we all have a responsibility not to let it be extinguished.

Dead Poets Society (1989)

O Captain! My Captain! There’s no denying that Robin Williams provided a veritable laugh track for the childhood of ‘90s kids, but it’s also true that he kept us crying, too. Of the several movies led by Williams on this list, Dead Poets Society is the one that always gets me the most. Everyone deserves a teacher like John Keating, and none of us will ever get over what becomes of Neil.

Reign Over Me (2007)

I distinctly remember watching this in the theater and having such a visceral reaction of tears just streaming down my face. In this deeply moving story, Charlie Fineman struggles to cope after his wife and daughters tragically die in the 9/11 attacks. When his old college roommate, Alan, comes back into his life, the world begins to open up again for Charlie. However, grief isn’t linear or singular — and Adam Sandler’s portrayal of Charlie is a beautiful, raw, vulnerable example of that.

The Wild Robot (2024)

When a shipwreck scatters cargo onto a remote island, a lone survival robot — Rozzum unit 7134, or Roz for short — finds herself utterly alone in a world she doesn’t understand. As she slowly learns to adapt to the wary animals and nature around her, she becomes an adoptive mother to an orphaned gosling. And through that relationship, she becomes almost human in her ability to feel and to embrace the power of community. So, it’s gutting when the world she came from comes back to claim her, a jarring reminder that not even love can stop change.

Good Grief (2023)

Honestly, even the happy parts of this movie make me cry. The very first scene where a group of friends gathers to celebrate one of their own just feels so life-affirming. And that makes the following scene (and every one after it) that much more heartbreaking as they all try to move forward when one of their own dies. Anyone who has ever lost a loved one will surely be brought to tears more than once by this gentle, lingering depiction of grief.

Even More Sad Movies

1. Elephant Man (1980)
2. The Art of Racing in the Rain (2019)
3. Mr. Holland’s Opus (1995)
4. Toy Story 3 (2010)
5. The Whale (2022)
6. Steel Magnolias (1989)
7. The Fault in Our Stars (2014)
8. Manchester By the Sea (2016)
9. Forrest Gump (1994)
10. The Vow (2012)
11. Field of Dreams (1989)
12. My Girl (1991)
13. Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
14. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
15. Good Will Hunting (1997)
16. Old Yeller (1957)
17. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
18. A Man Called Otto (2022)
19. Schindler’s List (1993)
20. Million Dollar Baby (2004)
21. Soul Food (1997)
22. Extremely Loud & Incredible Close (2011)
23. The Fox and the Hound (1981)
24. The Iron Giant (1999)
25. We Are Marshall (2006)
26. Me Before You (2016)
27. The Lovely Bones (2009)
28. The Iron Claw (2023)
29. Marley & Me (2008)
30. Interstellar (2014)
31. Running on Empty (1988)
32. Beautiful Boy (2018)
33. Up (2009)
34. The Land Before Time (1988)
35. My Sister’s Keeper (2009)
36. Armageddon (1998)
37. What Dreams May Come (1998)
38. Beaches (1988)
39. Titanic (1997)
40. Tombstone (1993)
41. Hachi: A Dog’s Tale (2009)
42. The Notebook (2004)
43. Never Let Me Go (2010)
44. Dying Young (1991)
45. Homeward Bound (1993)
46. Onward (2020)
47. P.S. I Love You (2007)
48. A Walk to Remember (2002)
49. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
50. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (2008)
51. The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)
52. The Time-Traveler’s Wife (2022)
53. Requiem for a Dream (2000)
54. The Outsiders (1983)
55. The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)
56. Seven Pounds (2008)
57. After Yang (2021)
58. Coco (2017)
59. The Farewell (2019)
60. If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)
61. Brokeback Mountain (2005)
62. Ghost (1990)
63. Love Story (1970)
64. Amour (2012)
65. Pieces of a Woman (2020)
66. Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father (2008)
67. Secret Sunshine (2007)
68. A Monster Calls (2016)

In a sea of baby girl names, you want one that will be a standout … but not in a way that makes people say, “You named your daughter what?” If that middle ground is what you’re going for, we’ve got you covered. This list is made up of girl names that have a similar sound and feel to the most popular names, but are still rarely used. They’re unique enough to raise eyebrows in a good way.

1. Ezlynn

This name has a little bit of everything interesting, like the letter Z, the “-lynn” ending, and the proximity to popular names like Evely, yet you’ve probably never met anyone with this name in real life. You could also spell it with one N: Ezlyn.

2. Mavery

A Mae–Avery mashup, this one is gaining steam. And with names like Maeve, Navy, and even Maven becoming increasingly popular, it doesn’t come as a surprise.

3. Sasha

If recognizable but rare is your goal, you might like Sasha. It is rapidly falling down the popularity charts as of last year, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less gorgeous, just that U.S. parents are still riding the Sophia, Amelia, Olivia train pretty hard. If that doesn’t sell you, maybe the meaning “helper of mankind” will.

4. Jadis

Lovers of fantasy and fiction will know that the name Jadis has gotten a pop culture “bump” from two sources: First, Jadis the White Witch in C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia series, and second, Jadis, the leader of a group called The Scavengers on the TV series The Walking Dead. It’s like Jade, Jada, or Jaden, which have all enjoyed a decent level of popularity, but with a more distinctive ending sound.

5. Coralena

With the name Coraline on the rise (from the 800s to the 500s in a five-year span), it’s no wonder that such a similar sound is also catching the attention of parents-to-be. Another similar name that’s moving up the ranks: The lovely Cordelia.

6. Fia

Parents who love the wildly popular Sophia (currently at number six on the charts) and its soundalike counterpart, Sofia, are looking for an alternative, and Fia is it. It’s short and simple — which is a favored trait these days — and sounds like the more popular names, but hasn’t even broken into the top 1,000.

7. Nolani

This name plays on people’s love of Hawaiian names like Kehlani and Kailani (both among the fastest-rising girl names on the charts) and its closeness to Nola (currently number 766 and getting rarer).

8. Aston

Gender-neutral names are big, and Aston is about as gender-neutral as you can get. Plus, it calls to mind names like Arden: Not only for its identical beginning and end but because luxury brand-names-turned-baby-names are definitely on the rise.

9. Imrie

One caveat about this name: It sounds a lot like Emery, Emory, Emerie, and Emmarie, which are all popular variations of the same name. But it could also be seen as a feminized version of the Hungarian boy name Imre, which means “power.” Imrie is, as yet, one of the rarest girl names, having been given to fewer than five babies per year at last count.

10. Yvaine

This lovely, romantic-sounding name has a more medieval, less 1950s-secretary vibe than Yvette or Yvonne.

11. Mileva

With the name Mila in the top 20 right now (number 33, to be exact), people are looking for alternatives. One is the Slavic name Mileva, for which Mila can actually be a nickname.

12. Winsley

This name doesn’t even appear in the top 1,000 most popular baby names, but given the popularity of names like Kinsley and Tinsley — and the adorable nickname Winnie — we wouldn’t be surprised if this one starts to climb.

13. Adaleyza

The name Daleyza, without the A in the front, burst onto the charts in 2013 and has been hanging around in the top 500 since 2020. Adaleyza is a spinoff to make an already-unique name even more unique and align it more closely with names like Addison and Adeline. Bonus: This one, too, leads to the cute nickname Addie.

14. Eloah

This one’s another unisex choice, but it echoes the sound of a very popular name: Noah. The “El-” prefix has been popular among girl names since… well, forever, and gives way to the diminutives Elle or Ellie.

15. Maiara

Maiara sounds like an appealing combination of Maya (currently number 51 on the charts) and Yara, which was one of the fastest-rising girl names a few years back thanks to the character Yara Greyjoy on Game of Thrones.

16. Fable

Word names are gaining popularity right now, but you can definitely still find some that are rare baby names. Fable is a gorgeous name for a girl born to parents who love reading, fantasy, and stories in all forms.

17. Alessia

This one’s rise can likely be attributed to singer Alessia Cara — but it doesn’t hurt that it’s similar to names like Alicia, which has been consistently in the top 500 since 1922. Also Alyssa, in the top 500 since 1972.

18. Arlo

From Harlow to Marlo, names with this sound have experienced a surge in popularity. Add in the appeal of a unisex name, and you’ve got a recipe for success. For an Arlo/Charlotte hybrid with a more distinctly feminine sound, try Arlette, or the similar Arleth.

19. Eisley

It’s like the ever-popular Paisley with an updated sound and was given to fewer than 200 baby girls in the United States last year.

20. Aurie

Naming trends are interesting, and this one is a perfect illustration of why. The name Aurelia gained popularity as an alternative to names like Amelia and Olivia. And now that it’s experiencing some popularity in its own right, people are looking for alternatives to Aurelia — via its diminutive, Aurie.

21. Shira

Shira is a variant of the Hebrew word for “poetry” or “song.” It is an extremely popular girl’s name in Israel, but pretty rare elsewhere.

22. Anais

Anais is a French and Catalan version of the name Anna. This stunning name means “graceful” or “merciful,” and just might be the perfect fit for your little lady. According to some sources, the name is rooted in the name Anahita, the name of the Persian goddess of fertility and healing.

23. Abriana

This feminine form of Abraham is very unique, but also lends itself to the very cute nickname “Abri.” For parents looking to honor a grandparent named Abraham or to choose a non-traditional biblical name for a girl, this Italian version might just be the one.

24. Aria

This name has roots in both Italy and Albania. It has many beautiful meanings that’ll make it your top pick. In Hebrew, it means “lioness,” and in Persian, it means “noble.” In Italian, it means “air,” and in Albanian, it means “treasure” or “gold.”

25. Greer

This Scottish name means “watchful” or “vigilant.” It’s a short and mature name, but also the kind of moniker your little one will grow into nicely. Greer feels like the main character, period.

26. Emerson

Emerson may mean “son of Emery” in German, but it also makes a sophisticated girl’s name. It’s a unisex name, which adds an extra layer of coolness.

27. Diem

Do you know the phrase, carpe diem? In this case, Diem is a beautiful Latin name that means “day.” So don’t be afraid to “seize the day,” and give your little one this uncommon title. This name just oozes cool girl vibes.

28. Elodie

Elodie sounds like music, doesn’t it? This beautiful French name means “foreign riches.” It is spelled like Élodie in France. It has roots in Spain and comes from the name Elodia. Elodia derives from the German name Alodia, which is the name of Saint Alodia, a child martyr in ninth-century Spain who died with her sister Nunilo.

29. Bexley

Bexley has an “X” in it, which automatically makes it a cool name. In addition to its snazzy spelling, it’s the name of a wealthy suburb in Columbus, Ohio. Bexley is also the name of a section in Greater London.

30. Ione

Think of Hermione from Harry Potter. It’s pronounced I-Oh-Nee. This name is of Greek origin and means "violet.” It is also the name of a sea nymph among the Nereids, as mentioned in the encyclopedia of Greek mythology, “The Library.”

31. Annalise

This name regally combines the names Anna and Lise. It means “graced with God’s bounty.” Plus, if you’re a fan of How to Get Away with Murder, you know Viola Davis gives this moniker a solid reputation.

32. Brigitta

This name may sound like Bridgette, but it has a much more unique tone. It means “exalted” or “lofty” and comes from German, Dutch, and Hungarian origins.

33. Constance

This name derives from the Roman emperor Constans, which means “constant” or “steadfast.” If you love a classic virtue name, like Grace or Faith, this one will appeal to you.

34. Geneviève

This three-syllable name has German, Gaulish, and Celtic roots. It means “tribe woman” or “woman of the race.”

35. Phoebe

Phoebe is more than your favorite character from Friends; it’s Greek for “bright” or “pure.” Phoebe is also the name of a titan in Greek mythology.

36. Fay

If you need a magical name for your little girl, look no further. This name means “fairy” and is short and cute, just like your little pixie!

37. Lorelei

If you’re a Gilmore Girls fan, you probably don’t need any additional reasoning to consider this charming name! A moniker shared by the series’ fast-talking main character (although spelled Lorelai there), Lorelei means “alluring enchantress” and is of German origin.

38. Lucinda

Sometimes the meaning of a name carries just as much weight as the sound of it. Lucinda is one of those names — this variant of the name Lucia means “light.”

39. Tallula

This name sounds like something straight out of a storybook. This Gaelic name comes from the words tuile and flaith, which mean “abundance” and “princess.”

40. Harlow

Harlow derives from Old English and means “rock hill” or “army hill.” If your daughter is a tough cookie, this is the perfect name to symbolize her strength.

41. Paola

This name literally has the pronunciation “pow” in it! (So cool.) It derives from the Latin name Paula, which means “small.”

42. Cora

This Greek name means “heart” or “maiden.” It also has a connection to Greek mythology, as it’s an alternative name for none other than Persephone. Bonus: It comes with the cute nicknames Cor and Coco.

43. Fleur

Fleur is a fancy French moniker meaning "flower," perfect for parents who love flower baby names but don’t want something literal like Poppy or Rose.

44. Esmé

A common French name for the word esteemed or beloved. In Spanish, it means “emerald.” And although traditionally feminine, it is considered a gender-neutral name.

45. Selene

How beautiful is this?! A Greek name that means “moon,” it’s especially perfect if you’re looking for something a little witchy.

46. Callista

This Greek name meaning “most beautiful” will probably forever be associated by millennials with Calista Flockhart, the star of the hit ‘90s series Ally McBeal. It’s also tied to Greek mythology, though, as Callisto was the name of an Arcadian nymph — a huntress of Artemis.

47. Thalassa

Did you know that a thalassophile is what you call someone who deeply loves and is drawn to the sea? It’s true. And, accordingly, this gorgeous Greek name means “sea.”

48. Vespera

This Latin name is thought to mean “evening star,” but could also come from Greek mythology’s Hesperus — the personification of Venus.

49. Seraphina

You may recognize this name from the pop culture sphere, as Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck chose it for their middle child. Hebrew in origin, it means “fiery or angel.”

50. Liora

Here’s another strong Hebrew name with a powerful meaning: “light.” And how great is the nickname “Lio” for a little girl?

51. Soraya

I mean, you can’t get much more adorable than giving your daughter a name that means “princess”! And, honestly, this Persian moniker is just stunning.

52. Lyra

Derived from the Greek word “lyre,” and named after the constellation, this name means “harp.” It’s got a meaning similar to Harper's but without being overused.

53. Anouk

A diminutive of Anna, the name Anouk bears the lovely meaning “favor” or “graciousness.” Plus, it just sounds so cute!

54. Maris

The Latin word for “of the sea,” and similar to names you may have heard more often, like Maren or Mavis (which is a basically-forgotten baby girl name that deserves a revival, too).

It used to be that when you caught your partner smiling at their phone and quickly tucking it away before you entered the room, you had to worry about another person being the cause — but those were the good old days. Now, it’s just as plausible your partner is texting a robot. Cybersecurity experts warn that we’re all using AI in its beta-testing phase, when bugs are still to be expected, but instead of a software not saving your document, we’re letting bots into our psyches. A bug in a real emotional connection with an unreal partner? That’s just unprecedented. How chatbots fit into your actual human relationship is something experts say couples need to talk about before it feels like an affair has taken shape.

A new survey of over 1,000 American adults found that more than half say they have some kind of relationship with an AI chatbot — think platonic friendship or co-worker-esque. However, 28% of respondents admitted those relationships were romantic or intimate in nature (though this number may actually be higher, since some may not have wanted to share honestly). ChatGPT was the most common platform users found themselves “involved” with, followed by Character.ai, Amazon’s Alexa, Apple’s Siri, and Google’s Gemini.

Why do people start relationships with AI?

This is kind of like trying to answer the question, “Why do people cheat?” But the survey did illuminate some possible motivations:

1. Customization: It responds in ways tailored to the user’s preferences, rather than having its own opinions or needs.
2. Control: The AI can’t reject you, criticize you, or leave you.
3. Safety: It’s easier to be vulnerable when none of the aforementioned risks are involved.

“Human relationships require compromise, discomfort, and repair. AI relationships remove most of that friction. But friction is also where growth happens,” says Dr. Michael Salas, licensed professional counselor and certified sex addiction therapist at Vantage Point Counseling. “If someone is using AI as a substitute because real intimacy feels overwhelming, that’s when it becomes clinically significant.”

Leaning on AI to get your relational needs met can reinforce avoidant patterns, he cautions. Interestingly, the survey found the people most likely to pursue intimate relationships with an AI system were those already in committed, seemingly successful relationships.

“People assume AI romance is just for someone who can’t find a partner,” says Salas. “But what we’re seeing is curiosity and novelty driving this behavior. It’s less about desperation and more about exploration. That tells me this isn’t filling a void. It’s adding a new layer to someone’s relational world. The question becomes whether that layer strengthens intimacy or erodes it.”

Can you emotionally cheat with AI?

The survey also highlighted a generational divide.

Adults 60 and older were less likely to consider intimate chats with an AI bot cheating, while adults aged 18 to 29 were the most likely to say it is cheating and unacceptable. Whether or not something counts as cheating is up to each couple to determine, Salas says, but he says it definitely can be harmful.

“What matters is transparency and agreement. If one partner believes AI sexual chats are harmless and the other feels betrayed, that gap can damage trust just as much as a physical affair,” he explains. “Ten years ago, we were arguing about whether liking someone’s photo was inappropriate. Now we’re debating virtual partners. Technology always moves faster than relationship agreements.”

That’s why it’s important to have a thorough conversation about cheating with your partner, and what feels like betrayal to you. Then your understanding of each other’s boundaries stands a chance of keeping up with whatever the tech world spits out next.

How To Talk To Your Partner About AI & Chatbot Boundaries

This can all make the AI-averse among us feel a little panicky, but don’t lose your cool, Salas says. A proactive conversation about the role of AI in you and your partner’s life is all it takes to make you both feel comfortable and safe.

“The worst thing couples can do is ignore it,” Salas says. “Technology is not going backward. If you don’t define your boundaries, the culture will define them for you.”

He suggests you sit down and ask each other the following:

• What do we consider emotional or sexual exclusivity?
• Are sexual chats with AI different from pornography?
• Would we disclose AI intimacy to each other?
• Is this enhancing or distancing our connection?

These questions will help you get to the root of what you both consider cheating and how different forms of media might feel distinct from one another. Maybe you use porn in your sex life in a way that helps you connect, but decide that intimacy with an AI is taking away from each other emotionally. Getting the nuances out in the open helps ensure you’re on the same page and growing together.

When we send our kids to preschool, we do it with a lot of hopes. They range from the practical and emotional (I hope he eats his lunch. I hope she doesn’t cry at drop-off.) to the big and life-expanding (I hope he learns to love learning. I hope she becomes a curious person. I hope they emerge as confident thinkers who engage kindly with the world around them.).

And despite what you may think, no, preschool is not too early to be thinking about those bigger hopes. Nearly 90% of a child’s brain develops before age five. That means that preschool isn’t just a time-filler; it’s a foundational experience for school readiness and lifelong success.

At The Goddard School, their inquiry-based education program, Wonder of Learning®, was intentionally designed with those goals in mind. In short, inquiry-based learning is a teaching style that lets each child’s interests guide their learning, which in turn helps them develop the critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving skills that last into adulthood.

Ahead, Dr. Lauren Loquasto, senior vice president and chief academic officer at The Goddard School, shares more about what makes the approach so special.

How Inquiry-Based Learning Works

With inquiry-based learning, teachers intentionally build learning experiences around children’s questions, interests, and ideas. Rather than telling their classrooms what they should know and how to think, they guide children through meaningful exploration, encouraging them to investigate, collaborate, reflect, and problem-solve.

For example, children may say they want to make lemonade. Instead of finding a recipe and helping them follow it, a teacher might ask the students how they think lemonade is made. The class will then gather supplies and test out strategies. “Young children are naturally social learners. They are wired to observe others, ask questions, share ideas, and make meaning together,” says Dr. Loquasto. The Goddard School’s approach encourages these natural inclinations — which helps kids begin to see learning as a way to express themselves, bond with their peers, and understand the world around them.

Learn More About The Goddard School's Wonder of Learning Program

How Inquiry-Based Learning Promotes Independent Thinking

Think back to your own schooling experience. Remember the days of memorizing information at school and regurgitating it on a test, quiz, or on-demand when asked? Yeah, not so fun. With inquiry-based learning, that’s off the table. Instead, children are encouraged to speak their minds, ask all their questions, and make connections between what they're learning in the classroom and the world around them.

In the long-term, the goal of this style of learning is to help children become confident, curious thinkers. “The aim is to nurture strong communicators and thoughtful problem solvers who are willing to listen, contribute, and lead,” says Dr. Loquasto.

Where Joy Comes In

As a parent, seeing your kid genuinely excited to go to school makes you feel like — hey, I must be doing something right! And it’s true that excitement about learning — especially at the start of your child’s academic life — is huge. In fact, Dr. Loquasto says it’s one of the most powerful ways to shape their entire educational journey. It presents a shift: when young learners are excited, they start to see learning not as something they have to do, but something they want to do. And that can create an emotional connection that fosters a lifelong engagement with education. At The Goddard School, excitement stems naturally from a joy-filled classroom that’s designed to promote curiosity. That joy can have a positive effect on social skill-building, too. “Joyful classrooms strengthen social development, helping children learn how to communicate and connect with others through shared discovery,” Dr. Loquasto notes.

How Excitement About Learning Can Show Up At Home

You’re not alone if you’ve wondered whether your little one is in the right school environment. After all, without being physically present, it can be hard to know. But Dr. Loquasto says there are signs to look for, like a child talking about their day and sharing stories about activities, teachers, or friends. It may also be more subtle. “Engagement may appear in small ways, such as singing songs learned at school, asking new questions, repeating new vocabulary, or wanting to recreate classroom activities at home,” she says.

Goddard School parents consistently report that the school’s learning style comes home with their kids. They notice their children becoming more interested in how things work, for example, asking questions during routine tasks like cooking dinner or when they spot something unique out in nature. Kids also bring classroom investigations home, testing out ideas through simple experiments or building elaborate structures. Dr. Loquasto says the rest of the family benefits, too: “Quite excitingly, parents often report that they find themselves acting as a more curious learner based upon following the lead of their child.”

In other words, parents get the chance to rediscover the beauty of the world alongside their kids — and that sounds pretty good to us.

After having kids, something that used to run through my head several times a day was how I was going to get out of having sex with my then-husband. At first, it was occasional — which is normal, I think. Life happens. Things come up: headaches, exhaustion, stress.

But over time, it became something else entirely.

It got to the point where every time he touched me, he seemed to want to get it on. I had a hard time having sex knowing the kids were down the hall, even if they were sleeping. I was tired. I was touched out. And I had absolutely no sex drive.

Instead of really talking about it to see how we could work together to change our nonexistent sex life, we both grew resentful.

He’d try, I’d deny. He’d pout, I’d shut down further, trying to overcompensate in other ways. But it didn’t matter how many times I made his favorite dessert, how spotless the house was, or that he never had to do any of the cooking, cleaning, or grocery shopping. He was my husband, and he wanted to have sex with me.

The unhappier he grew, the more I avoided intimacy altogether. When he did bring it up, I felt defensive. He suggested therapy and got me some books to read, hoping it would help. I shut down more. It got to the point where I wasn’t sure if I could ever open myself up to him again. We were crumbling... and I let it happen.

Then our marriage ended.

We had gone nine months without having sex. He had an affair, which he confessed to. By then, we were too far gone. There was no coming back from that.

That was a decade ago, and at first, I thought I’d be OK. I assumed I’d eventually meet someone else that I’d want to have sex with, to build a life with. And while I’ve met men I’m attracted to, I haven’t found anyone I want to build a life with in the way I wanted to build a life with my husband.

I know that happens for some people after their divorce, but it hasn’t happened for me.

I have a lot of regrets. My ex and I were really happy when I had a sex drive. I stayed home with our kids, and I didn’t have to worry about much because he took care of the finances and the maintenance around the house. When things were good, they were really good.

I realize I’m not the one who stepped out on our marriage — he’s the one who did that — but I also can’t ignore the ways I withdrew from him long before that happened. If I had tried harder, gone to therapy like he wanted, read the books he gave me, and talked to him about things instead of getting defensive and denying him, could we have worked through it?

On the days our kids are with him, I beat myself up with thoughts like, Well, if I had just had sex with him, my family wouldn’t be broken.

I know, logically, it’s not that simple. There were two of us in that marriage.

Still, it’s a burden I carry. I would have been fine to stay in a sexless marriage for my children, but my ex-husband wasn't, and that’s absolutely valid. Everyone wants to be desired. He just wanted more than I could give him at the time.

I honestly didn’t think that not having sex with him would end our marriage, and now, that seems totally unfair. I couldn’t see that what felt temporary to me might have felt permanent to him. Ten years later, I’m still sitting in the aftermath of that misunderstanding.

I wish I’d done more. I often wonder how different our lives would look for our entire family if I had. And I’m not sure how to forgive myself and move forward.

They say raising kids goes by in the blink of an eye. And as moms who also happen to be beauty editors currently living inside that blink, we can confirm: it's a lot. Beautiful, loud, messy, exhausting, joyful, overstimulating, all at once, all the time. So when it comes to beauty gifts, we need it to pull its weight.

The criteria is simple: It has to feel genuinely luxe (we will take every drop of pampering we can get, no apologies), it has to actually work (because between school drop-off and deadline season, there is no time for a 12-step anything), and it has to make us look like we have it more together than we do — like we woke up this way, ideally (we didn’t).

If you’re looking to impress the multitasking moms in your life, we’ve curated a list of eight must-have picks from Ulta Beauty (all under $50!) — chosen by beauty editors who are moms themselves and truly understand the art of what makes a beauty product worth it. Even better, these finds are available to buy online and pick up in-store in as little as two hours, making last-minute gifting easier than ever.

Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Long Lasting Blush Balm Sheer Lip Tint

“Every mom needs at least one Charlotte Tilbury product in their arsenal, and when you do, you’ll just get it. The packaging is luxe, formulas are gorgeous — just like this new blush balm lip tint that adds a pretty wash of color while keeping my lips extra hydrated and soft.” —Shyema, branded beauty director

Ulta Beauty -

Maybelline Lash Sensational Body Washable Mascara

The double helix bristle pattern on this Maybelline mascara will stretch through every lash, giving you intense, all-day volume — no touch ups required. “There are so many days I only have time for one thing to look put together and often that’s a good coat of mascara. I love that this one is fool-proof, giving silky body without flaking, and a 24-hour lift any busy mom can appreciate.” —Shyema

Ulta Beauty -

Cocokind Revitalizing Eye Cream

Dark circles, where? This cream helps refresh the eye area while locking in hydration instantly. “A swipe or two of this eye cream first thing makes me look like I didn’t wake up five times with the baby the night before. The cooling metal applicator wakes up my eyes – and also me – on contact and it makes them look brighter, more hydrated, and so much less puffy.” — Marissa, beauty writer

Ulta Beauty -

CÉCRED Heat Activated Silk Glaze

A fellow multitasker...we love her. This formula helps achieve sleek, glass-like shine with heat protection in just a few pumps. “Whenever I blow my hair out with this glaze I hear, ‘your hair looks soo good today!' at school drop-off," says Marissa. "For straight styles, I just apply a bit of product section by section and dry straight with a brush and blow dryer and my hair comes out silky, glossy and soft."

Ulta Beauty -

Glamnetic Sugar BB Press-On Nails

Bring the salon to her with these chic press-on nails that can give her a whole new manicure in just minutes. “Glamnetic changed the game with their durable nails that are so on-trend," says Shyema. "This super short style is classy and so quick to apply. I’ve completely switched to press-ons since having kids for ease (and honestly I get so many compliments on them every single time), so I haven’t looked back.”

Ulta Beauty -

L'Oréal Blurfiller Blurring Lip Contour

Throw this soft lip pencil in your purse for effortlessly lining, defining, and contouring — perfect for the mom on-the-go. The rich, creamy formula glides on smoothly without any tugging, leaving you with a soft, blurred, perfectly pouty finish. “I love how this makes me look like I may or may not have gotten some subtle lip filler. I can use it to line, contour, or fill in my lips in seconds," says Marissa.

Ulta Beauty -

MAËLYS Get-Dreamy Overnight Toning Body Whip

Milk thistle is the star ingredient in this tightening cream to help smooth out the appearance of cellulite with a moment of self-care. “This overnight body cream is an actual dream because it makes my thighs, upper arms, and belly noticeably tighter and smoother by morning," says Marissa. "I’m currently working on getting back in shape post-baby and this is the perfect complement to the Pilates classes I just started.”

Ulta Beauty -

Nodpod Weighted Blanket For Your Eyes

This isn’t just any eye mask. It has a special four pod design that targets pressure points for the ultimate relaxing experience no mom would refuse. “This is my go-to sleeping mask for a tired, but often overstimulated mom who has a lot of trouble sleeping,” says Shyema. “It’s weighted and soft, and gives that extra bit of comfort I need to doze off.” Bonus: You can stick it in the freezer for a few minutes for a relaxing, cooling sensation.

Ulta Beauty -

We’ve all been there: standing in the middle of the grocery store, flipping over snack bag after snack bag, analyzing the nutrition label and wondering whether your kid will even eat it — and, crucially, whether it'll keep them full for longer than 20 minutes. Luckily, one beloved kid food brand has taken that struggle and packaged up a pretty handy solution.

Once Upon a Farm has always been one of the brands doing kid food right, with refrigerated, cold-pressed, organic options made without added sugar or artificial anything, all built on the idea that early, positive experiences with real, whole foods set the foundation for a lifetime of healthy eating.

Their newly launched lineup of power-packed blends takes that idea a step further, with options built specifically around what growing kids need most: real protein, sustained energy, and ingredients you can pronounce even on six measly hours of sleep. From baby’s first meat pouches to big kid smoothies and soft-baked bars, here's what's new from Once Upon a Farm, and why parents are excited about it. (And psst — we scored you a discount code! Use code FARM45 when you check out at onceuponafarmorganics.com to get 45% off your first subscription order.)

Meat, Meat & Bone Broth & Legume Blends

This marks a first for Once Upon a Farm, and a notable evolution in the baby food aisle. These are the first ever refrigerated, cold pressure-protected meat pouches, and they're a big deal for parents trying to get enough protein into little ones early. Protein is critical for babies' development, supporting muscle growth, brain development, and immune function, but most convenient options aren't exactly thrilling to a tiny, newly-forming palate.

Once Upon a Farm's answer: savory blends made with organic chicken, beef, or turkey; richer options featuring bone broth for added depth and nourishment; and legume versions built around black bean and chickpea. Each pouch contains an intentional four to five grams of protein, since kids ages 1 to 3 only need about 13 grams per day — no overloading tiny systems here. They’re also ready to serve straight from the fridge, meaning no cooking, chopping, or reheating required on busy days. Find them in the cooler section of the baby food aisle.

Shop Meat, Meat & Bone Broth, and Legume Blends

Organic Grass-Fed Beef Bone Broth Blend

Organic Free-Range Chicken Blend

Organic Black Bean Blend

Smoothies with Protein & Probiotics

Once your child is past the baby stage and into the full-speed, activity-packed years, their snack game needs to level up. They need fuel that can power their busy days and go wherever they go — in their school lunchbox, on the way to soccer or music lessons, and everywhere in between.

These new smoothie pouches bring four grams of protein plus added probiotics to support immune health, all in the organic, no-added-sugar formula Once Upon a Farm is known for. They're made with simple, real ingredients and come in two flavors: Strawberry Splash and Orange Mango Twist — both kid-approved in the very specific way that matters (meaning they'll actually finish it). Look for them in the dairy or produce aisle.

Shop Smoothies With Protein & Probiotics

Orange Mango Twist Smoothie with Protein and Probiotics

Strawberry Splash Smoothie with Protein and Probiotics

Power Wheels

If you've been a Once Upon a Farm fan for a while, you probably already know about their Tractor Wheels — the soft, snackable toddler bars made with real fruit and veggies. Power Wheels are the big kid upgrade, with the same whole grain oat base and real produce, but with four grams of protein (compared to one gram in the original) and a size built for older, more active kids. That protein, combined with the sustained energy from 100% whole grain oats, is exactly what active kids need to stay focused and fueled, whether through a long school day or between the final bell and practice. They're soft and chewy and come in Strawberry Shortcake and Blueberry Crumble. Pantry- and backpack-friendly, they’re the kind of snack you buy for your kid and end up swiping for yourself, and you can find them in the kids bar aisle.

Shop Power Wheels

Strawberry Shortcake Power Wheels

Blueberry Crumble Power Wheels

If you love all things bougie but don’t want to splurge, you’re in for a treat. This list is packed with surprisingly luxe products that you’ll use every day — and they start at just $7. From pro-level kitchen tools and genius tech accessories to beauty upgrades and home essentials, these elevated finds look way more expensive than they are and still pack a practical punch.

A Bougie Car Trash Can With A Genius Lid

SIBOFUEGO Car Trash Can

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The animal print on this upscale car trash can screams bougie. But looks aren’t all there is to love about this practical car accessory. It has a genius lid design with a soft opening for easy access while driving. And it’s entirely waterproof and has so many pockets for storing things like drinks and tissues.

A Stone Faucet Mat That Sucks Up Water & Dries Fast

eormoe Diatomite Faucet Mat

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Not only does this faucet mat look positively bougie but it’s also functional. It’s made from diatomite stone that will suck up water drips and drops, preventing liquid from pooling on the surface (and causing damage). It dries fast, and there are raised silicone pads on the bottom to stop it from sliding.

Zippered Bedsheet Organizers To Get Your Linen Closet In Check

SpaceAid Bed Sheet Organizers (4-Pack)

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Get your linen closet in check with these bedsheet organizers. Each one (four come with) holds an entire sheet set — including the flat and fitted sheet, coordinating pillowcases, and a duvet cover — to keep it corralled. Zip it closed and label it for organization’s sake.

A Premium Stovetop Cover That’s So Versatile

YUHFERA Stove Top Cover

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This premium stovetop cover is so versatile that you’ll find yourself using it every day. It’s made from thick, heat-resistant silicone with a textured surface, making it ideal for protecting glass stovetop surfaces and for using as a trivet or a dish-drying rack. Choose from a selection of colors and sizes to match your space.

A Fabric Shaver To Restore Clothes, Furniture, & More

Bymore Fabric Shaver

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Give fabric surfaces around your home — like drapes, furniture, and even clothes — a like-new appearance with this fabric shaver. It easily removes pills, fuzz, and lint with its six stainless steel blades — and yet, it won’t cause any damage.

A Compact Wallet That Is Surprisingly Spacious

Jogjam Faux Leather Wallet

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This faux leather wallet is incredibly slim, and yet, it has eight RFID-blocking card slots, a clear ID window, a cash compartment, and even a zippered coin section. This floral pattern is totally adorable, though other prints and solids are up for grabs in the listing.

A Powerful Handheld Vacuum For Cleaning Almost Anywhere

A9life Handheld Cordless Car Vacuum

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With its lightweight and cordless design, this handheld vacuum can suck up dirt, debris, hair, and crumbs almost anywhere — like in your vehicle, under couch cushions, in your computer keyboard, and more. Three nozzles are included to tackle all of these jobs.

A High-Speed Label Maker That’s Totally Inkless

Nelko Label Maker Machine

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This mini label maker features a high-quality thermal printer that produces immaculate results without ink. Just charge it with the included USB charger to quickly print labels, choosing from a huge selection of fonts, borders, icons, and even an entire AI graphics gallery. Use it at home, or pop the palm-sized tech find in your bag for on-demand printing wherever you go.

A Well-Designed Travel Makeup Bag That Holds A Ton

EACHY Travel Makeup Bag

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It’s no wonder that this makeup bag is a best-seller on the site. It has tons of pockets and compartments (including a zippered one) for all of your essentials. And it opens up flat for easy access but zips shut for traveling.

The Coolest Metallic Markers In Vibrant Hues

ARTISTRO 12 Metallic Markers, Medium Point Metallic Marker Pens for Wine Glasses, Rock Painting, Black Paper, Scrapbooking Crafts, Card Making, DIY Photo Album, Ceramic

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Jazz up a boring to-do list (or any other written notes, for that matter) with these metallic markers. The dozen markers cover a range of vibrant hues that are dispensed through the medium-sized tip. They work on surfaces other than paper, like wood, glass, and more.

Pretty Waffle-Weave Kitchen Towels That Are So Absorbent

RECYCO Waffle Kitchen Towel Set of 2 - Quick Dry Microfiber Sustainable Dish Towels - Ultra Absorbent Reusable Cleaning Tea Towels - Lightweight Hand Towels,16”x 28”, Black & White Florals

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Not only are these kitchen towels super pretty to look at, but they’re also highly absorbent, holding up to five times their weight in liquids — they’re great for drying dishes, cleaning up spills, and more. Each one has a waffle-weave design and is made from recycled plastic bottles.

A Toothbrush Sanitizer Case That Eliminates 99.9% Of Germs

MONESAO Toothbrush Sanitizer Case

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This toothbrush case is perfect for travel, but with an effective sanitizing mode, you’ll find yourself wanting to use it all of the time. Simply place the toothbrush head into the case, then close it to activate the strong UV light that eliminates nearly 100% of germs and bacteria in just five minutes. And it charges fully in just two hours, providing up to 30 uses.

Pretty Tissue Box Tubes For The Car

Winoo Design Car Tissues Holder (4-Pack)

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It doesn’t get much bougier than these tissue box tubes when it comes to car essentials. Not only do they fit perfectly in cup holders, but they also have pretty floral patterns that give them an extra chic look. The affordable set includes four tubes with a 50 tissue count each.

An Extra Plush Bath Mat That’s Secretly Inexpensive

OLANLY Luxury Bathroom Rug

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This plush bath mat is made from high-pile microfiber that feels extra-soft to the touch. It’s also ultra-absorbent and quick-drying, making it a bathroom linen that will elevate your daily routine. Plus, you can count on stepping onto a secure surface since it has a nonslip rubber backing.

A Caffeine Eye Stick To Brighten & Smooth

VELAMO ADVANCED Retinol & Caffeine Eye Stick

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Formulated with vegan ingredients like caffeine and retinol, this eye stick can brighten, smooth, and eliminate dark circles and puffiness. It swipes right on and promises results in as few as four weeks.

A Magnetic Storage Bin That’s So Practical

Lifefan Magnetic Basket

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This magnetic storage bin is made from ultra-durable metal and has a sleek black finish that’s easy to clean. The large bin is perfect for holding everything from pantry and laundry room essentials, craft room supplies, tools, and so much more. Just stick it to a magnetic surface for effortless installation.

A Glass Olive Oil Dispenser That Pours & Sprays

TrendPlain 16-Ounce Olive Oil Sprayer

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This olive oil dispenser can pour and spray out your favorite oil, allowing you full control as you cook. The built-in nozzle can spritz out a fine mist or steady stream, and the body of the holder is made from glass with a 16-ounce capacity.

A Tiered Leggings Hanger With Room For 20 Pairs

ZEDODIER Legging Organizer

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Give your closet a sleek makeover without overspending when you hit Add to Cart on this tiered hanger with room for 20 pairs of leggings. It has a smooth metal finish and rubber tips that protect clothing from damage, plus a swivel hook for effortless access. Plus, you can use it to organize other accessories, from scarves to bras.

Decorative Travel Storage Cases

Kigley Hair Tie Container (4-Pack)

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Offered as a four-pack, these travel storage cases are ideal for stashing small items, including everything from cotton swabs to hair ties. They’re made from durable plastic and feature translucent lids with a decorative fan design that looks so chic. The silicone border helps keep moisture and dust out, so you can store items with confidence.

A Dry Shampoo For Better Looking & Feeling Hair

Nuva Botanicals Dry Shampoo Powder with Biotin - Powder Dry Shampoo for Women with Lavender Extract and Korean Ginseng - Voluminazing Dry Shampoo Travel Size Dry Shampoo (0.42 oz)

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This luxe yet affordable dry shampoo absorbs oil, lifts roots, and nourishes, all with one plant-based formula. The corn-starch base is infused with Korean ginseng, lavender extract, and biotin for instantly noticeable and long-lasting results. The soft puff dispenser provides precision application with zero aerosols.

A Chic Rotating Tray For Organizing Makeup & More

shuang qing Rotating Makeup Organizer

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Organize everything from makeup to toiletries to coffee bar essentials with this bougie tiered tray. It features green-tinted acrylic construction with chic fluted sides and gold-tone supports that double as handles. And you’ll love the smooth rotating base that provides easy access. Wipe clean to keep this upscale find looking like new.

A Luxe Glass Foot File For Baby-Soft Skin

Bare August Glass Foot File Callus Remover

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If it’s time for a new foot file, this innovative version will feel like a luxurious upgrade. The extra-fine etched glass surface effortlessly and safely buffs away dead skin, leaving your feet feeling baby-soft. And it works well both wet and dry, making it the perfect addition to your bathtime routine or just for quick touch-ups.

Deluxe Storage Bins For A Tidier Home

Zober Under Bed Storage Bins (4-Pack)

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Organize everything from seasonal wardrobes and decor to keepsakes in these deluxe storage bins. They feature a foldable fabric design and transparent zippered covers, helping keep dust out while providing an easy view of items. And since they’re slim, they fit in small spaces, like under beds and on closet shelves. You get four bins in a set.

Tumbler Lid Hooks With A Sleek Look

Keepamor Tumbler Lid Organizer (2-Pack)

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These tumbler lid organizers will have your kitchen feeling so much tidier — plus, they’ll save you time searching for matching pieces in messy piles. The two sturdy hooks are made from polished stainless steel for an upscale look and superior durability. And installation is easy — just peel and stick for a secure hold.

Colorful Highlighter Pens With Fun Roller-Stamp Patterns

AECHY Curve Highlighter Pen Set (8-Pack)

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Your journal, study notes, or weekly shopping lists are about to look so much more fun thanks to these curve highlighter pens. Each one has a roller tip that makes a different colorful stamp pattern as well as a fine-tip side for regular writing. You get eight pens in the set.

A Mattress Lifter Tool For Easier Bed Making

NiHome Mattress Lifter

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Make your bed without hardly lifting a finger when you get this genius mattress lifter tool. The brilliant paddle shape and heavy-duty wood construction make it so easy to glide along fabric, providing space for effortlessly tucking in sheets. Store it in your linen closet to keep it handy.

Motion-Sensing Strip Lights For A Custom Look

LUXJET Motion Sensor LED Strip Lights (2-Pack)

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Adding custom lighting to your home is a lot less expensive than you might think. Take these affordable light strips as an example; they stick onto nearly any surface (think closet walls and under cabinets) and feature bright LED lights with motion sensors for ultimate convenience. And they’re rechargeable, so there’s no expensive electrical wiring involved.

A Kitchen Mat For Ultimate Comfort

KitchenClouds Cushioned Kitchen Mat

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This anti-fatigue mat makes kitchen chores and food prep so much less tiring. It’s made from a high-density material that offers maximum cushion and support for an overall more comfortable feel. And the nonslip backing keeps it securely in place, helping you avoid accidents. The textured surface is wipeable for easy maintenance.

Magnetic Measuring Spoons For Wet & Dry Ingredients

Spring Chef Magnetic Measuring Spoons (8-Piece)

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Every measuring spoon you could ever need is included in this high-quality set. Each stainless steel spoon features dual ends for accurately measuring both wet and dry ingredients. And since they’re magnetic, pieces won’t get lost in drawers while stored. The set also includes a leveler for added precision.

A 3-In-1 Apple Charger For Lightning Quick Results

LISEN MagSafe Charger Stand

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Keeping your tech powered while on the go is easy when you use this mini Apple charger. It has a strong magnetic surface and can charge up to three devices at the same time, lightning quick. And it even has a built-in stand for convenient hands-free use of phones and tablets.

A Car Document Holder With A Shimmery Cover

RSAquar Car Registration & Insurance Holder

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If your car glove compartment is a mess of papers, this starry sky-inspired document holder is a must-buy. It has a slim design that takes up practically no space at all, but it holds so much. Tuck car registration and proof of insurance documents into the clearview pockets for easy access and viewing.

A Detangling & Defining Hair Brush

MMBVSZ Curl Defining Hair Brush

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Experience detangling in a gentle way when you use this brush that’s effective for all hair types — wet or dry. The innovative design features soft bristles and a hollow paddle for fasting drying without pulling or scratching your scalp. It’s especially useful for those with thick or curly hair to help with definition.

A Portable Filing Box For Important Paperwork

abcxgood File Organizer Storage Bag

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Finally, a home for your paper clutter. This collapsible file organizer bag is made from durable nylon with reinforced stitching, so it holds its shape while still folding flat when not in use. Built-in metal rails let letter-size folders slide easily, and the roomy interior can hold everything from bills to notebooks. Add in the sturdy handles and extra pockets, and suddenly organizing paperwork feels … kind of satisfying.

A 2-Pack Of Glass Tumblers With Bamboo Lids

Birity Glass 24-Oz Tumbler With Lid (2-Pack)

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You’re going to be ditching your Stanley once you see this glass tumbler set with easy-grip handles. The two 24-ounce mugs are made from thick glass that can hold both cold and hot drinks and come with bamboo lids for a tight seal. Pop in the stainless steel straws to enjoy posh sipping wherever you go. They’re dishwasher safe but also come with handy cleaning brushes for keeping things fresh.

A Clear Polish That Instantly Eliminates Smudges

LONDONTOWN Kur Instant Smudge Fix

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A messed-up mani-pedi is easy to fix with this Instant Smudge Fix polish. Brush on a thin layer of the clear formula to erase dents and nicks in just minutes. The flawless results make it feel like an expensive pro salon find, but it’s actually affordable, especially considering how long each bottle lasts.

A Shower Footrest For Effortless Self-Care

Demi's Home Shower Foot Rest

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Treat yourself to a spa-like experience with a little help from this upscale shower footrest. It’s got an angled design, nonslip feet, and a textured surface that lifts and keeps feet in place while you shave, exfoliate, or give yourself a pedicure. It also has a built-in storage basket for keeping essentials within reach. It also boasts a near-perfect 4.7-star rating — a clear fan favorite.

An Ice Cube Tray Set That Makes The Best Ice

PHINOX Ice Cube Tray Bin

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This bougie ice cube tray set makes “good ice” that you can typically only get at restaurants (aka it’s the only set you’ll ever want to use). Simply fill the BPA-free silicone trays with water, then once frozen, use the lid to push down and easily release the ice directly into the practical storage bin.

A Designer-Look-Alike Tote Available In A Ton Of Colors

Nodykka Faux Leather Tote

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This bougie tote looks like a pricy designer, but it has a price tag that will shock you (in the best way possible). The faux leather has a smooth pebbled grain that looks so authentic, while the large main compartment is lined with soft material for protecting your items. The matching tassel charm on the strap adds a chic touch.

A Stain-Resistant Drying Mat For Spotless Surfaces

AMOAMI Coffee Bar Drying Mat

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Keep your countertops spotless by using this versatile drying mat. It’s made from soft and absorbent diatomite and features a waterproof backing for added protection. The dark color helps hide messes, but it's also machine washable for easy deep cleaning. Use it for coffee bars, pet water stations, or as a trivet for warm dishes.

A Moisture-Proof Pill Case That Fits In Your Palm

Holii Travel Pill Organizer

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This pill case is a must for prescription and supplement routines. Just organize them into the secure compartments (there are six small and two large ones) to effortlessly keep track of each. The portable size and moisture-proof silicone ring make it especially perfect for taking on the go. Plus, it comes with handy labels.

A Plush Seat Cushion For Superior Support

5 STARS UNITED Seat Cushion for Tailbone Pain Relief – Memory Foam Lifting Pillow for Coccyx, Hip, Hemorrhoid, Sciatica & Post-Surgery Recovery – Wheelchair, Car, Desk, Gaming & Office Chairs, L Gray

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Working from home is about to get so much comfier when you snag this plush seat cushion. It’s filled with extra supportive memory foam and features a contoured design that helps improve posture and circulation. The mesh cover provides a soft, breathable surface and can be machine washed for easy maintenance.

An Elite Shower Caddy Set That Won’t Rust

EUDELE Adhesive Shower Caddy, 5 Pack Rustproof Stainless Steel Bath Organizers With Large Capacity, No Drilling Shelves for Bathroom Storage & Home Decor

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This elite five-piece shower caddy set looks so much more expensive than it really is. Still, it’s made from premium materials, like rustproof stainless steel, and is so effortless to install. Simply stick the clear adhesive strips onto tile for a secure hold. And you’ll also appreciate how much the set can hold (up to 40 pounds per shelf). With convenient hooks for hanging loofas and razors, this thoughtful set does it all.

Luxe Car Headrest Hooks That Can Hold So Much

yicheyiyou Car Purse Hooks (2-Pack)

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Offered as a two-pack, these luxe car headrest hooks are essential for keeping items off dirty floors and from spilling over every time you hit the brakes. You’ll love the look and feel of the faux leather, plus the heavy-duty metal hardware, including hooks that can hold up to an impressive 50 pounds each.

A Vegan Body Milk Mist For Glowing Skin

Pacifica Vegan Collagen Body Milk Spray

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Spray on this bougie body milk for an instantly refreshed feel and skin-plumping benefits. The vegan formula includes plant-based collagen, powerful antioxidants, hyaluronic acid, and flower extracts that hydrate and soften skin in an easy-to-apply mist. And it absorbs quickly, so you can get dressed almost immediately after use.

14-Karat Gold Magnetic Clasps For Jewelry

OHINGLT Magnetic Necklace Clasps (6-Pack)

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These magnetic jewelry clasps have a polished 14-karat gold plating that will blend in seamlessly with your gold accessories. The ring and clasp ends attach to most chain types, making them effortless to put on and remove. The surprisingly budget-friendly pack includes six clasps and is also available in silver and rose gold.

Pen Holder Clips In Shimmery Colors

NELJIBEHU Pen Holder Clips (12-Pack)

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These pen holder clips offer a convenient way to keep your writing instruments within reach. They look just like regular paper clips, but have an arched center that provides a secure grip when attached to books. The inexpensive pack includes 12 durable metal clips in upscale colors, like a posh rose gold.

A Collapsible Laundry Basket You Can Hang On The Wall

Goderewild Space-Saving Wall-Mounted Hamper

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This collapsible hamper is engineered for efficiency in small spaces. It mounts to your wall or door with an adhesive hook, then folds down to about 4 inches when you want your space back. Made from sturdy BPA-free plastic with a reinforced rim, it’s made to hold its shape and the built-in ventilation holes help keep things fresh. Plus, the handles make it easy to grab and go when it’s laundry day.

Car Sunglasses Holders Made From Genuine Leather

Yuoyar Car Visor Magnetic Sunglass Holder (2-Pack)

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These car sunglasses clips are made from genuine leather with a luxurious look and feel. The hidden magnets keep eyewear secured, even during bumpy rides — but still provide easy single-handed access. The inexpensive set includes two clips in a creamy gray color for an added upscale touch.

No-Drill Hanging Organizers That Install Over The Door

Aimeaihe Over Door Storage Organizer (2 Pieces)

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These over-the-door racks are made from sturdy stainless steel and have a ton of storage space. They have 12 flat hooks that are designed not to snag fabrics and two mesh baskets for smaller essentials. The racks slip right over most doors (no tools needed), and come with nonslip pads to protect against scratches.

A Bougie Jewelry Box That Holds So Much

Hatori Travel Jewelry Box

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Whether at home or traveling, this jewelry box is ideal for keeping your accessories secure. It features a soft velvet lining that’s delicate on metals and gemstones, plus so many compartments, including necklace hooks, ring rolls, and a perforated panel for earrings. And you’ll love the look and feel of the bougie faux leather exterior.

Compact Hand Warmers That Last 8 Hours

OCOOPA Magnetic Rechargeable Hand Warmers (2-Pack)

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Camping trips, sporting events, musical festivals, and other outdoor events call for these rechargeable hand warmers — they heat up in seconds and keep you toasty warm for up to eight hours. The warmers are about the same size and shape as a credit card with a magnetic design for convenient carrying between uses.

Elegant Glass Teaspoons For Coffee, Desserts, & More

GULELAYAR Glass Stirring Spoons (5-Pack)

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Make your morning coffee feel a little more luxurious with these glass spoons. The five-piece set is made from high borosilicate glass, so they’re heat-resistant and totally unfazed by hot or cold drinks. Each one comes in a different color, adding a subtle pop to your coffee, tea, or dessert.

An Ice Cube Tray Made Just For Tumblers

Ukulork Tumbler Ice Cube Tray

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No matter what size water bottle you use, this ice cube tray has the perfect match. It features three-sized molds that make hollow cylinder cubes, leaving room for water while chilling beverages in no time. And the silicone construction allows for easy release and maintenance.

Sand Remover Mitt For Silky-Smooth Skin After The Beach

MNZZ Beach Sand Remover

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This reusable sand remover mitt is a must for beach lovers. The soft pouch is filled with a talc-free powder that’s safe for humans and marine life and gently wipes away sand so you can leave the beach with only a tan in tow. It even comes with a waterproof pouch that keeps it clean and dry in between uses.

A Well-Designed Purse Holder For Your Car

AMEIG Car Organizer

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Get your purse off your vehicle floor and into this well-designed holder that hangs between the two front seats. This keeps it clean and easily accessible. It secures in place with metal fasteners and carabiners for maximum strength.

A Heated Eyelash Curler For Long-Lasting Results

BEOVEA Heated Eyelash Curler

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This heated eyelash curler is designed to deliver a gentle but long-lasting curl in just a few seconds. The silicone pad helps protect your lashes while curling, and the ergonomic curve design is made to fit your eye comfortably. To charge the device, just plug in the USB-C cable.

Plant Watering Globes With A Mesmerizing Look

Plankkers Self Watering Globes (2-Pack)

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Keeping your houseplants perfectly hydrated is about to get so much easier — and classier — when you use these stunning self-watering globes. The affordable set includes two globes, each crafted from high-quality glass with a mesmerizing iridescent finish. Just fill them with water, then stake them into the soil for effortless plant care.

A Magnetic Dishwasher Sign For Way Less Confusion

Kubik Letters Magnet Dishwasher Sign

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Not a single day will pass when you won’t appreciate this useful kitchen find. The strong, non-scratch magnetic base on this clean/dirty dishwasher sign securely adheres to dishwashers, while the front panel provides an easy slide design that will never leave you guessing, avoiding accidentally piling soiled dishes in clean cycles.

A Mixed Botanical Bouquet For Aromatic Showers

Dried Eucalyptus & Lavender Flowers Bundle for Shower

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This is how you turn your shower into a full-on spa moment for cheap. This preserved botanical bundle includes multiple types of eucalyptus, dried lavender, and even lemon slices for a fresh, layered scent that activates with steam. No watering, no upkeep — just hang it up and let the aroma do its thing.

Color-Coded Cutting Boards That Won’t Warp

Cooler Kitchen Extra Thick Flexible Cutting Boards (6-Pack)

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This color-coded cutting board set is a must for avoiding cross-contamination in the kitchen. Each board is conveniently marked by food group for easy identification, so you’ll always grab the correct one. Made from heavy-duty plastic, they’re designed to withstand everyday use, and they even resist warping in dishwasher cycles.

Keyhole Lights With Motion-Sensing Tech

SENHAI Keyhole Light (2-Pack)

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These mini LED lights are designed to light up keyholes, but they’re so versatile that you can use them practically anywhere... like to illuminate dark cabinets and hallways. The strong peel-and-stick backing ensures quick and secure installation, while the motion-sensing tech makes them a hassle-free option.

A Thick Mattress Pad For Protection & Comfort

MATBEBY Queen Size Mattress Pad - Cooling Breathable Mattress Topper, Quilted Fitted Mattress Protector, Pillow Top Mattress Cover with 8-21" Deep Pocket, Soft, Machine Washable, White, 60x80 Inches

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With its plush filling, this mattress pad makes your bed way more comfortable for a better night’s rest. It also offers a layer of protection for the surface. The protector fits snugly on mattresses up to 21 inches thick with all-around elastic to stay put.

Lace Socks That Are Designed To Be Breathable

sevening Lace Ankle Socks (5 Pairs)

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There’s no reason you have to wear basic socks when you could be wearing these chic lace socks instead. They’re designed to look pretty, but also to be breathable thanks to the mesh material. This set comes with five pairs, each in a different neutral shade.

A Magnetic Phone Holder That’s So Practical

CloudValley Magnetic Phone Holder

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This magnetic phone holder is so effective that you might want to grab a backup (it's budget-friendly enough that you can). It is made from durable aluminum alloy, providing a strong yet lightweight design, along with an electroplated matte finish for enhanced hold. Simply peel and stick the metal plates to any flat surface, then attach the magnetic holder to securely hold a variety of phone models.

A Rolling Cart With An Adjustable Design

SPACEKEEPER Slim Rolling Storage Cart

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This slim storage cart allows you to turn even the narrowest spaces into a place to stash items. It’s got four durable tiers that can hold a surprising amount, plus smooth rolling wheels that make it easy to move around. And you can even adjust the supports and remove the wheels to turn it into under-cabinet storage.

A Garlic Press That Makes Mincing A Snap

Emptycolor Mini Garlic Chopper & Press

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Prep meals like a pro when you use this all-in-one garlic press. The stainless steel blades crush, chop, and mince, all with one easy pressing motion that dispenses garlic into a clear catch bin. And when you’re done, the device is dishwasher safe for simple cleanup.

Heat-Resistant Bowl Grabbers For The Microwave

Aticca Microwave Bowl Cozy Holders (4-Pack)

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Safely pull hot leftovers from the microwave with these bowl holders. They’re microwave safe (staying totally cool to the touch), and they’re nonslip by design for easier grabbing. Four come in the set, each of which is machine washable to reuse over and over again.

A Low-Cost Projector Night Light That’s The Coolest

Briignite Night Light

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This night-light projects the coolest galaxy-inspired scene onto nearby walls and even the ceiling. It can be set to three brightness levels, and the dusk-to-dawn sensor allows it to turn on and off automatically. For under $20, it’s a steal.

A Grounding Stone & Oil Set That Brings The Calm

Lifelines Scent-Infused Grounding Stone & Oil Blend Gift Set

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Swivel open this grounding stone and drop in the pine and patchouli essential oil blend (which is included) to enjoy the calming scent anywhere — the stone is small enough to tuck away in your purse, backpack, or even pocket. Other lovely scents are available in the listing.

Hair Clips That Give Your Strands Serious Volume

Lvyu Hair Volume Clips (10-Pack)

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These hair clips clip in right at the root, giving your strands some serious volume and lift that’ll last all day. It’s the simplest (and heat-free) way to achieve this. The set includes 10 clips, making each one just a buck.

A Silicone Stovetop Cover That Gives You Extra Counter Space

YUHFERA Electric Stove Mat Cover

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If counter space always feels limited, this silicone stove cover quietly solves the problem. It creates a durable, protective layer over your glass cooktop, while transforming it into usable workspace for prep or drying dishes. The ridged surface boosts airflow and prevents water buildup, while the heat-resistant design safely handles hot pots. Cleanup is simple — just wipe, rinse, or toss it in the dishwasher, then roll it up when you’re done.

An Acrylic Message Board That Doubles As A Night-Light

MEGUO Personalized Message Board Night Light

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A mix between a night-light and a tiny billboard for your thoughts, this acrylic message board makes everyday notes feel a little more fun. The 6-inch board slots into a wooden LED base with seven color options and adjustable brightness levels, casting a soft glow behind whatever you write or draw. It’s easy to clean and reuse, so it’s ideal for reminders, doodles, and more.

A Decorative Storage Basket With Reinforced Handles For Easy Carrying

CHICVITA Large Woven Storage Basket

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If blankets tend to migrate to every corner of your living room, this oversized woven basket gives them a proper home. With an 22-gallon capacity, it easily holds throws, pillows, toys, or laundry without looking bulky. The thick cotton rope construction is soft, durable, and gentle on floors, while reinforced handles make it easy to carry — even when it’s fully loaded.

A Microwave Splatter Cover With Built-In Steamer

NUTIKAS Microwave Splatter Cover with Water Steamer

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Reheating leftovers doesn’t have to mean dried-out food and a messy microwave. This 10-inch cover doubles as a splatter guard and steamer: Just add a little water to the reservoir to create moisture while heating. The clear design lets you keep an eye on things, while the reinforced handle makes it easy to lift safely. Plus, it saves you from constant microwave cleanups.

An LED Grow Light That Mimics Natural Sunlight Indoors

yadoker LED Plant Light

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If your plants are doing their best but your house lighting isn’t, this compact grow light is here for you. With 72 full-spectrum LEDs, it mimics natural sunlight to support healthy growth, even in low-light spaces. The adjustable height lets it grow alongside your plants, while the built-in timer options keeps things on track without constant babysitting.

A Portable First Aid Kit For Your Bag Or Car

RAINLOS Mini First-Aid Kit for Kids (135 Pieces)

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Small enough to tuck anywhere, but stocked enough to be genuinely useful, this portable first aid kit earns its spot in your bag or car. The hard, water-resistant case keeps everything protected, while interior pockets make it easy to find what you need fast. It includes 135 pieces, including breathable fabric bandages, gauze sponges, and burn gel.

A Clear-View Pill Dispenser With Compartments For Easy Organization

NAVIKIA Pill Dispenser

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This pill dispenser makes keeping up with your medications feel effortless. The seven-compartment layout keeps everything separated and visible, while the airtight snap lid prevents mixing during travel. At just under 4 inches wide, it fits easily into your bag, and the wide-opening design makes refilling simple.

Magnetic Spice Racks That Can Stick To Your Kitchen Appliances

HuggieGems Magnetic Spice Storage Rack Organizer (4-Pack)

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When cabinet space is limited but your spice collection is not, these magnetic shelves step in. The heavy-duty magnets grip securely to most metal surfaces, so they can turn the side of your fridge into usable storage. Each rack holds multiple jars or bottles up to eight pounds, keeping everything organized and easy to access while cooking.

A Stainless Steel Strainer Bowl For Rice, Produce, & More

DOPMEP Rice Washer Strainer Bowl

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When you’re prepping grains or produce, this strainer bowl handles the messy part for you. The evenly spaced side holes drain water efficiently, and the sloped bottom helps guide liquid out without your food going with it. It’s made from durable, food-grade stainless steel, and it’s dishwasher safe and versatile enough to use for everything from beans to berries.

A Rechargeable Desk Lamp With A Foldable, Portable Design

Giryuhd LED Desk Lamp

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This is the kind of desk lamp that quietly adapts to whatever you’re doing. The LED strip provides flicker-free, eye-friendly illumination, while three brightness settings let you adjust from soft ambient light to focused task lighting. The foldable, 180-degree adjustable design makes it easy to position exactly where you need it, and the USB-C rechargeable battery means you can bring it anywhere.

If there’s one thing cat owners know, it’s that cats have wildly specific (and often very weird) taste. The obvious items often get ignored, while the random oddity you impulse-bought becomes their entire personality. That’s exactly why this list is full of these strange-but-genius finds — and why so many of them have near-perfect reviews from people who were just as skeptical at first. So if the usual toys and basics aren’t cutting it, consider this your sign to lean into the weird. Ahead, we rounded up some brilliantly bizarre cat products that are equal parts random and actually genius, and honestly, very likely to become your cat’s new favorite thing.

A Pickle-Shaped Cat Toy With Crinkle Filling & Catnip

Catstages Crunchy  Pickle  Kicker  Cat  Toy

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This crunchy pickle kicker is sure to be a hit, thanks to its crinkly, catnip-stuffed body that’s basically designed for full-blown, bunny-kicking chaos. It’s long enough for cats to grab, wrestle, and go feral on, while the textured mesh sneaks in a little dental bonus, sloughing off buildup as they chomp away. Trust — it will get dragged from room to room like a prized possession.

A Self-Warming Cat Bed That Keeps Pets Cozy Without Electricity

Mora Pets Self-Warming Cat Bed

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This self-heating cat mat goes above and beyond by using carbon-infused material to absorb and reflect your pet’s body heat, giving off natural warmth without plugs or cords. Soft, plush, and extra comfy, it’s perfect for cat naps on the sofa, floor, or windowsill. With a removable, machine-washable cover and a nonslip bottom, it'll give your kitty a cozy, toasty spot to curl up all year long.

A Cat Ball Launcher That Turns Playtime Into Fetch Mode

MeoHui Cat Ball Toy Launcher (31 Pieces)

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This mini cat ball launcher is here to take things up a notch. It shoots soft, fuzzy balls across the room (a solid few feet), which will trigger your cat’s chasing instincts. It comes with 30 balls — so losing a few under the couch isn’t a crisis — and they’re lightweight and safe for indoors. It’ll keep your cat entertained and let you participate without leaving the couch.

A Magnetic Toy With A Reversible Cardboard Scratcher

Kitty Kurlz - Kitty Kurlz Magnetic Toy & Reversible Cardboard Scratcher - Collapsible Ball Track with Bell - Durable Eco-Friendly Ring for Play, Chase & Scratch

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This magnetic toy and reversible cardboard scratcher has got it all. Twist it, flip it, and reshape it however your cat likes, then watch as your kitty has a field day, batting and chasing the ball around the built-in track. The dual-sided cardboard scratcher means claws get their fix without wrecking your furniture, and bonus, it folds flat for easy storage so your cat gets all the fun without the clutter.

A Tempting Bird Toy With Real, Flapping Wings

Potaroma Flapping Bird Cat Toy

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If your cat can’t get outside to exercise their hunting instincts, this flapping bird toy might just be the next best thing. It’s motion activated, so once your cat gets near, it’ll start moving around, encouraging them to chase and pounce. And since it’s rechargeable, you won’t have to worry about fiddling around with batteries.

A Litter-Deodorizing Spray That Makes Everything Smell Better

Poo-Pourri Cat Litter Deodorizer Spray

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Say goodbye to gross, lingering litter box smells with this cat litter deodorizer spray. Just a few spritzes help to neutralize urine and litter odors on the spot, leaving a nice, calming bamboo scent behind. Safe for use directly in the litter box, on fabrics, or around the house, it’s made with pet-safe ingredients, so your home will stay fresh and free from stinky smells.

A Double-Layer Cat Litter Mat That Keeps Floors Clean

Powools Cat Litter Mat

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This cat litter mat is a major game changer for messy litter box areas. Its double-layer design traps loose litter from paws, while the waterproof bottom protects floors from spills and accidents. Made from flexible, durable vinyl, it’s gentle on paws, doesn’t slip, and is easy to clean — just tip, dump, or rinse. Big enough to fit most litter boxes, it even doubles as a feeding mat to catch crumbs and spills, keeping your home extra tidy.

Cute Dino Nugget Toys Filled With Irresistible Catnip

MALLMALL6 Catnip Dino Nuggets (5 Pieces)

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These small dinosaur chicken nugget toys are a total must — just look how cute they are. Filled with catnip and cotton, they’re sized for kittens and adult cats alike, so they can drag them all over. They’re a fun, safe, and cute way to beat boredom — not to mention, a quirky surprise that any cat (and cat lover) will adore.

A Lickable Cat Treat That Supports Digestion

Greenies Smart Purees Treats (20-Pack)

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For cats who prefer their snacks on the slurpable side, these squeeze-up puree treats are bound to hit the spot. Made with real chicken and complete with a smooth, creamy texture, they double as both a treat and a little digestive boost, thanks to added nutrients and ingredients like fiber and vitamin E that support overall gut health. They’re great alone or as a topper to make meals more exciting.

A Set Of Hilarious Knife-Shaped Cat Toys

Potaroma 4Pcs Cat Toys, Horror Halloween Knife-Shaped Kitten Catnip Crinkly Sound Toys, Indoor Exercise for All Cat Breeds 6.5 Inches

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This set of plush knife cat toys is truly absurd but an absolute must. Packed with organic catnip and a crinkly paper core, these toys trigger zoomies, pouncing, and tons of solo play. Plus, they make for a great visual gag. One shopper wrote, “These are hilarious, and my cat loves them. It’s extra funny when he chases the dog around with one in his mouth.”

A Motion-Activated Rolling Cat Ball With Accessories

Migipaws Interactive Cat Ball Toy

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This motion-activated ball is like tiny, glowing prey for your cat. When they touch it, it’ll roll in random directions and light up. This’ll make cats want to chase, pounce, and run all over the place. Bonus: You can attach a fluffy tail, a tiny mouse, or other toys to it. Perfect on carpet, hardwood, or even inside a box or paper bag, it’s rechargeable and endlessly entertaining.

A Little Cat Portal Door With Helpful Locks

Purrfect Portal Cat Door

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Who knew a cat door could be this cute? This indoor door gives your kitty private access to their favorite spots (or sneakily hides the litter box) while adding a fun touch to your home. Perfect for cats up to 20 pounds, it’s lockable for peace of mind and easy to install. Basically, it’s a tiny magical portal your cat will love, and you’ll secretly enjoy, too.

A Less-Is-More Interactive Cat Toy Reviewers Love

Cat Dancer Products Interactive Toy

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Simple, tiny, and super effective, this interactive cat toy is a serious favorite for a reason. All you have to do is wiggle it, and your cat will chase, pounce, and bat it around. It’s proof that sometimes the simplest toys are the best. As one shopper wrote, “BEST CAT TOY EVER! I have tried so many different cat toys, and the Cat Dancer is the ONLY toy that is always guaranteed to get my lazy cat off the couch. It's basically a guitar string and a piece of cardboard, but it drives my cat bonkers.”

A Self-Cleaning Cat Brush To Tackle Loose Fur

Dipoo Self-Cleaning Shedding Brush

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This self-cleaning shedding brush makes grooming a breeze. Soft, rounded bristles remove loose fur without scratching your pet, while the release button lets you pop out the hair in seconds. It works on long- and short-haired cats (and dogs) and will definitely help keep your home free from those dreaded hair tumbleweeds.

Soft Catnip Pillows That Double As Kicker Toys

Potaroma Cat Toys Pillows, 3 Pack, Soft and Durable Crinkle Sound with Catnip Inside, Interactive Indoor Kitten Kicker, Promotes Kitty Exercise

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These soft, crinkle cat pillows are cozy enough for cats to snuggle with but durable enough for serious kicking, biting, and wrestling. Filled with organic catnip and crinkly paper, they make indoor playtime fun for hours. Plus, since they’re lightweight, they can be dragged all over the house with ease.

An L-Shaped Cat Scratcher For Claw Maintenance

FUKUMARU L-Shaped Cat Scratcher

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This L-shaped cat scratcher is just what your cat (and home) needs. Made from durable cardboard, it protects furniture by giving cats a place to lounge, scratch, and play. The L-shape lets you use it vertically as a wall scratcher or horizontally as a cozy lounge. Just set it up, and let them scratch away.

Grooming Gloves That Massage, De-Shed, & Make Hair Cleanup Easy

NVNAN Pet Hair Removal Gloves

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Tired of fur tumbleweeds taking over your couch? These two-in-one grooming gloves do double duty: The soft silicone reaches deep into coats to pull out loose hair while giving pets a mini massage they’ll love. Perfect for all kinds of furry friends, the gloves work on wet or dry hair (think: during bath time, brushing, or just everyday fluff control). Plus, the hair sticks to the glove for an easy peel-and-toss cleanup.

A Hairball Remedy Treat That Doubles As A Snack

Cat Hairball Support Crunchy & Creamy Chews, Hairball Remedy Treats, Cat Furball Treatment, Supports Skin & Coat, Vitamins for Digestion, Chicken (30-Day Supply)

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These crunchy-on-the-outside, creamy-on-the-inside hairball chews look like a treat, but they’re secretly helping move hair through your cat’s system and supporting digestion at the same time. Ingredients like apple fiber keep things running smoothly, while fish oil keeps their coat shiny. As one shopper gushed, “My 14-year-old cat loves these! There has been a noticeable improvement in her overall health since I started giving these to her once a day.”

A Merino Wool Cat Cave That’s Like A Feline Fortress

MEOWFIA Felt Cat Bed

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This wool cat cave is a cozy hideaway your kitty will want to spend tons of time in. It’s warm in winter and cool in summer, making it the perfect spot for cats to nap, hide, or just claim as their own little kingdom. Shop it in medium and large (depending on the size of your cat), as well as different colors with abstract, organic prints.

A Japanese Pub-Themed Cat Condo That’s Part Playground, Part Hideout

SMILE PAWS Cardboard Cat House

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This cool cat house is like a cardboard paradise. Your kitty can scratch, play, nap, and lounge all in one roomy space. Easy to assemble and spacious enough for two furry friends to hang out in — or just one lazy kitty to lounge in — it turns a cardboard box into a full-fledged cat condo. Plus, it comes in three different styles: izakaya bar, coffee shop, and tea store.

A Plush Window Perch That Turns Any Sill Into A Cat Hangout Spot

AMOSIJOY Cordless Cat Window Perch

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This cat windowsill perch is both luxurious and practical. The soft cushion slips right over the sturdy frame for cozy naps, and it’s easy to remove for washing thanks to the zipper closure. Drill-free and capable of supporting up to 30 pounds, this suction cup bed fits most windowsills, giving cats a spot to lounge, bird-watch, or soak up the sun.

A Can-Shaped Cat Bed That’s Cozy, Cute, & Private

PECHVINO Can-Shaped Cat Bed

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This hilarious can-shaped cat bed is as adorable as it is comfy. The plush, ultra-soft cushion gives cats (or small dogs) a snug spot to curl up or stretch out, while the enclosed design creates a private hideaway if they want to escape. As one shopper gushed, “It’s bigger than I expected, which I’m happy about because it’s big enough to fit my two adult cat kitties. It’s also pretty firm, and the liner that came with it is plush and soft [...] It’s a very quality bed, and my cat instantly took to it as soon as it hit my floor.”

A Lick-Safe Cat Paw Balm That Protects & Soothes

planopaws Lick Safe Cat Paw Balm

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This cat paw balm will be your pet’s new best friend for dry, cracked, or weather-beaten paws. Made from natural, organic ingredients like coconut oil, shea butter, almond oil, and vitamin E, it’s safe to ingest if your cat licks it. Quick to apply and fast drying, it keeps paws soft and healthy, and can even double as a nose balm for extra protection.

Freeze-Dried Chicken Heart Cat Treats Packed With Protein

Vital Essentials Freeze-Dried Raw Chicken Hearts

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These freeze-dried cat treats are simple, nutritious, and downright irresistible. Made from a single ingredient — premium butcher-cut chicken hearts — they’re freeze-dried to lock in flavor, nutrients, and freshness. Packed with natural protein, they help support healthy skin, shiny coats, and strong teeth, making them a tiny snack your cat will absolutely go wild for.

A Waterless Cat Shampoo Spray For Quick Cleanups

Burt's Bees Waterless Cat Shampoo Spray (2-Pack)

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This Burt’s Bees waterless cat shampoo is like magic in a spray bottle. Just spritz, wipe, and voilà — your kitty’s fur is fresh and soft without the hassle of a stressful bath. Made with shea butter and honey, it moisturizes as it cleanses, and is perfect for post-litter box touch-ups, travel, or just keeping your fur baby looking and smelling fabulous.

A 3-Way Collapsible Cat Tunnel For Hours Of Entertainment

Tempcore Pet Cat Tunnel Tube

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This cat tunnel is sure to turn playtime into a wild romp. With three roomy tunnels, peep holes, and dangling ball toys, it keeps cats entertained while encouraging them to exercise and play alone. It’s built to handle scratching, and since it’s collapsible and portable, it’s easy to store or take on the go, too.

The Cutest Little Hat That Transforms Your Cat Into A Bunny

XIMISHOP Cat Bunny Hat

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This adorable hat turns any kitty into a floppy-eared, cartoon bunny. The hat is made from soft, plush material and it’s surprisingly easy to put on — simply secure the Velcro straps in place underneath kitty’s chin. It’s perfect for holidays, photoshoots, or just general adorableness.

Interactive Hanging Cat Toys That Encourage Solo Play & Exercise

Potaroma Hanging Cat Toys (5 Pieces)

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These hanging feather toys keep cats entertained even when they’re left alone. With five retractable, catnip-filled toys that hang over doors or windows, your kitty can jump, bat, and chase to their heart’s content. Adjustable height and durable elastic ropes make them customizable and fun, while the included residue-free tape lets you stick the toys anywhere without damage.

A Mess-Free Wooden Cat Grass Planter That Doubles As Decor

BENPIN Wooden Cat Grass Planter

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This smart cat grass planter kit keeps your space clean while giving your kitty fresh greenery to nibble on. The anti-digging grid protects the soil underneath from spilling all over the place, and the removable liner helps prevent leaks. Cats can safely munch on blades without touching mud, and the clear liner lets you watch the grass grow. Seeds aren’t included, but the planter and soil discs give you everything else you need.

An Escape-Proof Cat Harness With A Leash For Outdoor Adventures

Best Pet Supplies Voyager Harness

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The cat harness makes walks with your kitty stress-free and safe. Lightweight, breathable, and fully adjustable, it fits cats of all sizes and keeps them secure while they go exploring. The 5-foot leash is an ideal length, whether you’re taking them for long strolls, vet trips, or car rides. Plus, the reflective stitching adds extra visibility for dark outings.

A Probiotic Cat Litter That Fights Odor & Clumps

Boxie Probiotic Clay Cat Litter

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If keeping the litter box fresh feels like a full-time job, meet your new BFF: this probiotic cat litter. This unscented, clumping clay litter doesn’t just mask odors; rather, it actually fights the bacteria that cause them. Low dust? Check. Hard clumps that make scooping a breeze? Double check. Works in regular, sifting, or even automatic litter boxes? Absolutely.

A No-Rinse Paw Cleaner That Handles All Kinds Of Messes

PawSono Foam Paw Cleaner

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If your kitty tends to linger in the litter box, you need this no-rinse foaming paw cleaner. Just pump, scrub, and wipe. The built-in silicone brush gets between toes and paw pads without being harsh, so it actually cleans (not just smears dirt around). The formula is packed with gentle, plant-based ingredients like aloe and tea extract, so it cleanses, soothes, and deodorizes at the same time, all without drying paws out.

A Cat-Calming Diffuser That Aims To Reduce Stress & Scratching

FELIWAY Cat Calming Pheromone Diffuser

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If your cat has been acting like a tiny, furry stress ball, this pheromone diffuser is designed to calm them down. As one shopper shared, “This calming diffuser has been super helpful for my cat that has been dealing with anxiety. After purchasing three diffusers and plugging them in at spots she likes to rest in, I could see a change after a week’s time. My cat is becoming calmer and a lot less anxious to daily noises and changes, which has been a blessing!”

Freeze-Dried Chicken Treats In Cute Lollipop Packaging

Bonkers Flavored Lollipop Treats (45 Pieces)

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These little chicken lollipops are 100% freeze dried and formulated by nutritionists to help keep your kitty healthy and happy. Plus, the packaging is so cute. As one shopper gushed, “I have two cats, and they both absolutely love this. They actually have a special mat they sit on in the morning and night to remind us it is time for a pop! They hold onto the stick with their paw and enjoy every bite!”

A Gold Chain & Sunglass Set That Gives Your Cat Main Character Energy

Weewooday Cat Sunglasses (7 Pieces)

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This set of tiny round sunglasses and gold chains will turn your cat into an instant icon. The glasses are lightweight with colorful lenses and the adjustable chains fit most small to medium cats comfortably. Because nothing quite upgrades your camera roll faster than a pet in accessories.

No-Rinse Pet-Cleansing Wipes You Can Wear Like Gloves

HICC PET Cleaning Deodorizing Glove Wipes (6 Pieces)

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If bath time is a whole ordeal (it always is), these deodorizing glove wipes are a shortcut. They slip on like a mitt, so it basically feels like petting while cleaning. Made with plant-based ingredients like coconut oil, aloe, and oat extract, they wipe away dirt, odor, and buildup while keeping fur soft and healthy. What’s more, they’re hypoallergenic and gentle enough for sensitive skin, so they work for everything from quick paw cleanups to full-body refreshes.

A Deliciously Enriching Sushi Toy Set Made From Soft Felt

Woolbuddy Sushi Cat Toy Set (9 Pieces)

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Is your pet not into catnip or crinkling? No problem. This sushi-inspired toy set is a good switch-up. Made from wool felt, these little pieces are soft but durable, and totally free of plastic. As one shopper put it, “I purchased these adorable cat sushi toys to complement my cat's izakaya bar-themed house, and they are an absolute delight! [...] Not only do they provide entertainment for my furry friend, but they also serve as charming conversation starters for guests.”

High-Protein Cat Kibble With A Freeze-Dried Chicken Liver Boost

Made by Nacho Dry Cat Kibble

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Packed with cage-free chicken and protein-rich, freeze-dried chicken liver, this dry cat kibble is made to help keep muscles strong and energy levels high. Toss in a mix of fruits, veggies, prebiotics, probiotics, and omega-rich goodies for a shiny coat, happy tummy, and overall wellness, and you’ve got kibble that makes cats (and their humans) very, very happy.

A Filtered Cat Water Fountain With An LED Light & Easy-To-Clean Pump

NOBXBON Wireless Cat Water Fountain Cordless: Stainless Steel Cat Fountains for Drinking - 88oz/2.6L Battery Operated Pet Water Fountain Indoor with Motion Sensor - Rechargeable Automatic Water Dispenser

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If your cat refuses to drink still water (it happens), this cat fountain usually does the trick. It keeps water moving and fresh with a dual filtration system that removes debris, softens water, and helps keep things clean. And since it’s wireless and rechargeable with a 30-day run time, it’s a low-maintenance way to keep your cat hydrated without constantly refilling a bowl.

Gentle Ear-Cleaning Wipes That Help Prevent Odors & Irritation

MEDUWEDU Ear Cleaner Finger Wipes (60 count)

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Ear cleaning doesn’t have to be a huge pain, and thanks to these pet ear wipes, it won’t be anymore. They make it quick, easy, and way less messy than drops or rinses. They’re designed to sit on your finger and remove dirt and wax buildup while helping prevent irritation, itching, and that not-so-great ear smell. All you have to do is swipe and go. The formula is gentle (think witch hazel and lemon extract), so it’s safe for sensitive ears and won’t cause extra discomfort.

A Genius Backpack That Lets Your Cat See The World

Lollimeow Cat Carrier Backpack

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This isn’t just a cat carrier, it’s basically a cheat code for transport and enrichment all in one. Designed with a handy transparent cover, this fully wearable backpack allows your cat to see the world while still providing a cozy spot and lots of ventilation. It’s lightweight, travel-friendly, and even expandable depending on your cat’s size.

A Reusable Pet Hair Remover That Traps Loose Fur

ChomChom Pet Hair Remover

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Don’t settle for fur-covered furniture when you can simply use this pet hair remover instead. It uses static charge rather than sticky sheets to snap up fur, which means you can empty it and keep reusing it as long as you like. No wonder it’s earned a 4.5-star overall rating from more than 200,000 shoppers.

A Rechargeable Electric Cat Teaser That Spins & Bounces

HAPPYCODE Rechargeable Electric Cat Teaser

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Want to keep your cat entertained without lifting a finger? This interactive teaser clips onto doors, shelves, and furniture edges, giving you two modes of motion: a full 360-degree spin or an irregular jumping pattern that keeps cats curious. It comes with dangling toys, adjustable cords, a bell, and a USB charger, meaning fun and exercise are always in close reach.

Add-On Cat Litter Crystals That Keep Things Fresh

Fresh Step Cat Litter Crystals

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Keep litter box odors in check with these cat litter crystals. Just toss them on top of the regular litter, and they help neutralize odors while leaving a pleasant, fresh scent in its place. Bonus: They stay dry, don’t make a mess, and are perfect for multi-cat households, so your home can actually smell much, much better.

A Percussion Massager That Relaxes, Relieves, & Rejuvenates Pets

PAW WAVE Percussion Pet Massager

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Give your furry friend the ultimate at-home spa day with this percussion pet massager. Tiny percussion waves work their magic to help ease muscle tightness, loosen stiffness, and get them moving more comfortably. Plus, it just feels really, really good. Perfect for dogs and cats of all ages, it may help soothe aches, prevent injuries, and boost circulation. Honestly, it’s a little slice of pampering your pet deserves.

A Rotating Cat Toy That Sparks Hunting Instincts

FEELNEEDY Hide and Seek Game I

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Turn indoor playtime into more of an adventure with this hide-and-seek rechargeable cat toy. It has spinning feather wands and a movable red LED dot that tempts cats to pounce, chase, swipe, and play. It also has three adjustable speed modes that cater to playful kittens or more relaxed adult cats, so you can switch it up as your pet grows up.

Freeze-Dried Treats Made From Real Quail Eggs

PAWUP Freeze Dried Quail Egg Yolk Treats

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These freeze-dried quail egg yolk treats are 100% pure and packed with protein. They also help support healthy skin and a shiny coat. One shopper wrote, “I bought these freeze-dried quail egg yolks as a topper and treat, and they were a hit right away [...] The yolks are clean, intact, very fresh and easy to crumble over food or give whole. They’re a great natural source of nutrition and perfect for picky pets who need a little encouragement at mealtime. No mess, no strong odor, and very convenient to store.”

Glow-In-The-Dark Cat Collars That Are Cute, Safe, & Stylish

Baeuppit Breakaway Cat Collars (2-Pack)

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These breakaway collars have got it all. A glow-in-the-dark design, breakaway buckles that release under pressure to keep your cat safe, and cute little pendants. As one shopper raved, “Let me tell you something! These collars are amazing for the price. My kitty boy is just 7 months and it fits perfectly. Easy to use, I love the strength in the clasp, but at the same time is easy for the owner to get it off.”

Senior Cat Treats That Are Nutritious & Delicious

Delectables Cat Stew (12-Pack)

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These cat stew pouches are a mealtime upgrade and a treat all in one. Made for senior cats, they keep them hydrated while supporting overall health. Use as a topper, a snack, or a special reward. One shopper raved about them, writing, “We have this on subscription for our cats. They both love it; to the point they wake us up in the morning and run to the dish where we put this stew for them. They don't do this for any other treat or food they get.”

A Spatula & Lid Set To Open & Store Pet Food Containers

DORUI Pet Food Can Lids (3-Pack)

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This pet food set is the perfect practical addition to meal time. Simply use the included spatula to lift tough pull-tab cans for easy opening. When you’re done, the reusable silicone lids fit perfectly on top of the can to keep things fresh between feedings — no more smelly fridges.

A Pack Of Squeezable Treats That Promote Bonding

INABA Churu Squeezable Cat Treats (50-Pack)

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Get involved with snack time thanks to these squeezable cat treats. Flavored with tempting tuna and chicken, these tubes are packed with nutrients like vitamin E and more to help promote digestion and overall health. And since you squeeze out the paste little by little as they lick it up, your cat will be all the more happy to spend time with you.

An Interactive Laser Toy Cats Will Love To Chase

YVE LIFE Laser Cat Toy

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Give your cat hours of entertainment with this laser toy. Part fun distraction, part eerie Eye of Sauron replica, this laser darts around the room to keep your cat chasing and engaged. And since it’s motion activated, it’s a totally maintenance-free distraction that practically runs on its own.

A Cat Scratching Post With Fun, Leafy Fronds

LEMONDA 31.5Inch Cat Scratching Post,Cat Scratcher Tree with 3 Scratching Poles & 2 Interactive Dangling Balls,Cats Scratching Posts for Indoor Kitten & Adult Cats

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Furnish your space with cat products that spark joy for both of you, like this scratching post. Wrapped in irresistible sisal your cat will want to claw, the whimsical palm-tree design is bound to stand out anywhere you put it. It even comes with coconut-shaped hanging toys for pets to bat around as well.

A Helpful Litter Scoop & Holder That Mounts To The Wall

iPrimio Universal Cat Litter Scooper Holder & Black Litter Scooper Bundle - Non Stick Plated Durable Aluminum Cat Litter Scooper, Patented Design - Stable Scooper Holder - Kitty Litter Box Accessories

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Keep your space just a little cleaner with this universal litter scoop and holder. It mounts to the wall, giving you clever spot to tuck it away out of sight so you’re not spreading germs all over the floor. Reviewers adore it, too, with nearly 26,000 of them weighing in to give it an overall 4.7-star rating.

A Treat-Dispensing Toy That Keeps Indoor Cats Busy

SunGrow Cat Treat Ball

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Upgrade playtime with this cat puzzle toy that’s part treat dispenser, part rolling ball. As your kitty bats and chases it, they’ll get rewarded with treats. Plus, the adjustable treat opening lets you control how fast the goodies come out. It’s exercise, entertainment, and snack time all in one.

Guys can be notoriously hard to shop for, especially when you’re short on funds or time. But this inspired list is full of clever, practical, and upscale gifts that will make you look like a thoughtful big spender — even though everything clocks in at $25 or less. I’m talking things that will make car and sports fanatics shed tears of happiness, a bunch of awesome accessories for techies, and refreshing face and body products (because men like getting cleaned up, too). Scroll on to stock up on some seriously great gifts for the men in your life.

An Easy-To-Clean Grill Shelf Mat For Tools & More

Find Law Griddle Mat

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Guys who grill need this barbecue mat. The heat-resistant silicone construction provides a clean, anti-slip surface for resting tools, seasoning, and more. And it’s easier to clean than the side shelves on grills since it comes out sparkling clean after a spin in the dishwasher.

• Available colors: 3

A Highly Rated Car Charger With Retractable Cords

LISEN Retractable Car Charger

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Help your loved ones keep their car tidy with a little help from this genius multi-device charger. It features two retractable, fast-charging cords that are compatible with iPhone, Samsung, and more — plus two USB slots for plugging in extra cords. With a 4.6-star rating after 6,500 reviews, it’s a fan favorite tech accessory that will win you major gift-giving points.

• Available colors: 2

A Wallet Tracking Card To Never Lose It Again

BFADEHA Wallet Tracker Card

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Can’t find your wallet? That won’t ever be the case when utilizing this tracker card, which you can ping using the Find My app on your iPhone. It’s about the size, shape, and weight of a credit card, so it’ll fit in your wallet nicely.

Absorbent Plant Saucers To Save Your Counters

Creproly Plant Saucer (2-Pack)

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Made from diatomaceous stone, these plant saucers are designed to soak up water drips and spills, keeping the surface below protected from pooling liquid. The set comes with two in your choice of soft white or gray.

A Hanging Car Trunk Organizer With Tons Of Space

Femuar Car Trunk Organizer

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Get your vehicle’s trunk in order with this hanging organizer that fits on the back of the last row. It’s 100% waterproof with a total of eight pockets (including cloth and mesh ones) to hold emergency supplies, umbrellas, and whatever else you keep back there.

An Easy Cookbook That Uses Ingredients You Already Have At Home

The 'I Don't Want to Cook' Book

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This cookbook is perfect for nights when you don’t know what to make for dinner, but you also don’t want to spend money on take-out. It contains 100 easy, fast recipes that are designed to use ingredients you already have at home. With minimal prep work and no extra trips to the grocery store required, this cookbook is a lifesaver for busy days.

Stainless Steel Beer Chilling Sticks For Cold Drinks That Aren’t Watered Down

Brisked Beer Chiller Sticks (2-Pack)

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This pair of brilliant beer chilling sticks is crafted from thick stainless steel that can keep drinks cold, regardless of the weather outside. Created with chubbier beer bottles in mind, they’re a great way to regulate temperature without watering down your drink. Just stick them in the freezer for 30 to 45 minutes prior to use, and insert one in your bottle.

A 2-Pack Of Moisturizing Sleeves For Rough Feet

Dr. Frederick's Original Moisturizing Heel Socks (2 Pairs)

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If a pedicure isn't in the cards, these moisturizing foot sleeves are the next best thing. Infused with olive oil, jojoba oil, and vitamin E, they drench rough skin in moisture for a soft, smooth feel. To keep things ultra comfortable, they're vented for breathability.

A Portable Safe For Phones, Cash, & Passports

Master Lock Portable Lock Box

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This portable safe is a genius gift. It’s designed to be water resistant and shock absorbing, and it locks with its own combo so no one can open it but you. The lock box comes with a cable to attach to something sturdy, and it even has a port if you want to charge your phone while it’s inside.

A Sleek Dry Erase Board For Organized Desktop Notes

Quartet Magnetic Desktop Dry Erase Computer Pad

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Whether working from home or in the office, this wallet-friendly desktop dry-erase board is sure to make the day more organized. It features a stain-resistant painted steel writing surface for easily keeping track of to-do lists, and it even doubles as a magnet board. The sleek design is especially perfect for those who like to maintain a streamlined workspace — just slide the keyboard and other office supplies underneath the raised surface at the end of the day.

Cooling Pillowcases That Are Wildly Soft

Elegear Cooling Pillow Cases (2-Pack)

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These cooling pillowcases are a hot sleeper’s dream. One side is infused with Japanese cooling fibers that absorb body heat, while the reverse is a knit cotton jersey that’s oh-so soft. The set comes with two pillowcases.

A Bidget Attachment For An Ultra-Clean Feel

SAMODRA Bidet Attachment

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Surprise your man by upgrading his throne with this easy-to-install toilet bidet attachment. The affordable find has a sleek design and dual nozzles that offer an adjustable stream of water, guaranteeing an ultra-clean feel after each go. Though it looks expensive, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the budget-friendly price tag.

• Available colors: 3

A Toothbrush Holder That Dries & Disinfects

Becoolpet Toothbrush Travel Cover

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This toothbrush case is another must-gift for travelers. And it’s no ordinary toothbrush holder — this one’s got disinfecting LED lights, a built-in fan for a quick dry, and even a mirror for brushing on the go. It’s truly impressive, but recipients don’t need to know what a bargain it is.

Running Shorts With A Brilliant 2-In-1 Design

Leidowei Workout Running Shorts

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If you know a guy who can’t go a day without working out, then gift them these amazing running shorts. The two-in-one design features a quick-dry mesh outer layer with a reflective back zippered pocket for added visibility and built-in compression shorts underneath for added support. They’re ultra-affordable and available in a wide selection of sizes and colors, so you can grab the perfect pair (or pairs).

• Available sizes: Small — 4X-Large
• Available colors: 23

A Scrubbing Bag For Pristine Golf Equipment

Club Scrub Golf Club and Ball Cleaning Bag

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If you’re looking for a budget-friendly gift for a guy who loves to golf, this golf club cleaning bag is sure to be a literal hit. The inner lining features a gentle water-activated scrubbing material designed to clean clubs and balls without scratching the surface for better contact. The outside of the bag is made from soft, waterproof microfiber and has a clip for easy carrying.

A Cap Organizer That Works On Any Hanger Type

Hat Organizer Holder for Hanger & Room Closet, 1Pack Hat Rack Storage Clips, for Hang Baseball Hats Rack, Ball Caps, Winter Beanie & Accessories, Fits All Hangers (1PC Black)

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Hat collectors will appreciate receiving this convenient cap organizer as a gift. The soft fabric sleeve slips over almost any hanger rod and feature strong hook-and-loop closures and stainless steel clips for ultra-practical storage. The organizer contains 10 hooks for maximum storage options.

Just-Add-Water Sneaker Scrubbers For Pristine Footwear

SneakERASERS Instant Sneaker Cleaner (10-Pack)

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Help your dude keep his footwear in pristine condition when you gift him these genius SneakERASERS. The powerful microfiber scrubber side is infused with a cleaning formula that only needs water to activate, and the orange side finishes the job by gently wiping away any leftover marks or residue. It’s compatible with a range of upper materials, including leather and canvas.

A Versatile BBQ Blanket For Grill Masters

Find Law Reusable BBQ Blanket

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This reusable BBQ blanket is the ideal gift for any guy in your life who loves to grill. The waterproof bag features five layers of insulation for keeping meats warm while they rest and a wide mouth design for easy access. And this inexpensive, versatile find can also be used as a grocery bag and as a handy place to carry leftovers home.

A Classic Toiletry Bag That Packs Easily

Estour Roll Up Toiletry Bag

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Any guy will appreciate this masculine toiletry bag that looks ultra-expensive. It has a stunning waxed canvas exterior that looks like suede and resists water, plus a variety of compartments for storing razors, face creams, and more. And the roll-up design makes it especially convenient for travel. It’s available in a selection of classic colors and materials.

• Available colors: 6

Heavy-Duty Scuff Erasers For Boats & More

Better Boat Boat Scuff Erasers (3-Pack)

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You can think of these boat scuff erasers as a heavier-duty version of Magic Erasers. Offered as a pack of three, they feature textured surfaces on both sides and a reinforced core for added durability and better grip. And they effortlessly remove grime, scuffs, and more from a range of materials, including vinyl, fiberglass, and wood.

A Precision Screwdriver Set With 24 Interchangeable Heads

OEAGO 25-in-1 Mini Precision Screwdriver Set

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This mini screwdriver set gives you over 20 tools in one, because it has interchangeable heads to fit different sized screws. You get 24 bits — Phillips, Hex, Torx, flat, and star — and some of them are even small enough to repair glasses, electronics, and anything else that has those frustratingly tiny screws.

A Pocket-Sized 12-In-1 Tool With A Handy Holster

RAK Pro Tools Pliers Multitool

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This 12-in-1 tool is absurdly useful (and affordable). It’s made from heavy-duty stainless steel and includes all the essential tools, plus some — like flat and Phillips head screwdrivers and even a wire cutter, bottle opener, and mini saw. It can be slipped into pockets or conveniently carried on a belt using the included holster.

A Salt Lamp Diffuser With A Realistic Flame Effect

SALKING 2-In-1 Essential Oil Diffuser & Salt Lamp

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This essential oil diffuser has a realistic flame effect for added flair. It combines LED lights and the diffuser’s water vapor to make the fire, and it has four timer options so you don’t have to remember to turn it off later. The aromatherapy device also doubles as a stylish Himalayan salt lamp.

• Available colors: 6

Hydrating Facial Masks With A Beard-Friendly Shape

HommeFace Facial Mask Set (5-Pieces)

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Men who are into skincare will love these hydrogel facial masks. They’re infused with hyaluronic acid, vitamins B, C, and E, plus potent peptides for maximum hydration and a rejuvenated appearance. And the beard-friendly shape is pure genius. Grab the pack of five for a wallet-friendly price.

A Camping Towel That Folds Up To Pocket Size

BAGAIL Camping Towel

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This popular camping towel is a must for drying off outdoors (without bringing along a bulky bath towel). It’s made from ultra-absorbent microfiber that’s both soft and quick to dry and doubles as a storage bag since it has a zippered pocket for holding things like cell phones and snacks. Plus, it’s machine washable and tucks away in a small carrying pouch for easy storage.

• Available sizes: XXS — XXXXL
• Available colors: 17

A Convenient Thumb Light That Fits On Keys Or Remotes

Lucky Line LED Thumb Light (2-Pack)

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If you’re looking for a practical gift on a budget, these thumb lights are a great option. Each one has a bright, long-lasting LED bulb, and it sticks to almost any surface — think keys, TV remotes, measuring tapes, pet leashes, and beyond. Guys are sure to appreciate it, but it’s so useful that you’ll want one for yourself, too.

A Portable Cup Holder For The Frequent Flyer

riemot Luggage Travel Cup Holder

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This clever luggage cup holder that attaches to suitcase handles is essential for hassle-free travel. It’s constructed from premium Oxford cloth with a strong Velcro closure, which means it’s durable and a secure place to store coffee cups, cell phones, and more. Plus, the foldable design makes it easy to store between trips.

• Available colors: 26

A Clear Desk Mat That’s Super Easy To Keep Clean

LBJFYHJN Clear Desk Mat

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This transparent desk mat protects your furniture while giving you a super easy work surface to keep clean. Made from anti-static, nonslip PVC, the clear mat is barely noticeable but reduces desk scratches and scuffs and protects against spills and stains. Just wipe it down if it gets dirty. It’s perfect for use in home offices or craft rooms.

• Available sizes: 13

A Car Air Freshener With A Fun Pilot Design

Teddy Pilot Car Air Freshener

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Aviation (or animal) enthusiasts will get a kick out of this car air freshener that looks just like a bear flying a plane. It features a brown-black color design that matches well with most car interiors and a soft silicone plug that mounts easily and securely to A/C vents. Flipping on the air is about to get so much more fun thanks to the spinning propellers that create an ocean-scented breeze.

A Watch Kit That Helps You Get A Custom Band Fit

JOREST Watch Link Removal Kit

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For the guy who loves his timepiece, this watch kit is a must. It comes with all the necessary tools to add or remove links to his watch for a custom fit. The work platform is adjustable to fit different band sizes, and it even comes with a cleaning cloth to keep the watch in pristine condition.

An Alarm Clock That Mimics The Sunrise

ANTDALIS Sunrise Alarm Clock

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This sunrise alarm clock is a must-gift for heavy sleepers and night owls who have a hard time waking up in the morning. The dimmable light panel that doubles as a night-light mimics the sunrise stages for a more natural wake-up call. This innovative (and inexpensive) tech find also offers seven alarm sounds for waking even the deepest sleepers.

A Phone Mount That’s Perfect For Travel

MiiKARE Airplane Phone Holder

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Know someone who is constantly on the go? Then you’ve got to gift them this versatile phone holder. You’ll love that it’s super affordable, and they’ll appreciate how perfect it is for travel. The secure clamps can mount to airplane seat trays, luggage handles, and so much more. And it rotates in every direction, so they’ll always get just the right angle. It’s compatible with most cell phones.

• Available colors: 16

Clear Patches To Help Soothe Razor Burn & Shaving Cuts

NICK FIX Gifts for Dad, Mens Gifts Ideas, Mens Accessories for Shaving, Gift Sets for Men, Guy Gifts, Gift for Husband, Gifts for Him, Styptic Pencil Alternative Beard Care Travel Gift FSA Eligible

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These clear patches are designed to provide relief for shaving cuts or razor burn. The barely-noticeable stickers are infused with aloe and witch hazel and are designed to start working within 30 minutes. You get 72 stickers in the set, so you’ll be set for a while — and they’re super easy to throw in a toiletry kit for travel.

Anti-Theft Zipper Clips That Can Help Prevent Pickpocketing

Zelin Double Opening Zipper Clips (4-Pack)

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These anti-theft zipper clips are an instant sanity-saver. The durable clips connect two zippers together so that it’s harder to quickly unzip a backpack, purse, or suitcase. They basically tell pickpockets, “Not today.” Lightweight, discreet, and surprisingly multiuse, they double as mini carabiners for keys, pets, or gear.

A Deluxe Shaving Kit That Includes A Holder With A Sturdy Weighted Base

JEQUIL&CORENVEO Deluxe Shaving Kit

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Lather up the right way with this deluxe shaving kit. Each kit includes a shaving brush, a shaving bowl, and a brush holder. The brush has soft, synthetic bristles that resemble boar hair, and the holder is made with a weighted stainless steel to ensure everything stays put. It’s earned an overall score of 4.5 stars on Amazon.

This Heated Lunch Bag That Plugs Into The Car

DUPASU Electric Lunch Box

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This electric lunch box is the perfect on-the-go hero. It plugs into cars, trucks, and standard outlets, heating meals in 20 to 30 minutes so you can eat real food even if you’re working out of the office. The stainless steel container is roomy, the lid is leak-resistant, and it even comes with its own salad box, utensils, and insulated bag.

Scented Roll Squishy Toys

Generic Slow Rising Squishy Rolls (2-Pack)

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For the friend who loves weird gifts that make absolutely no sense but bring them joy anyway, these roll squishies are peak excellence. They’re soft, stretchy, slow-rising, and designed to smell like actual Hawaiian rolls. Perfect for fidgeting at work, taking on a trip, or pranking your favorite baker.

A Multi-Purpose Keychain Charger

Connfiton iPhone Charge Cable Keychain

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This charger looks and performs like a pricey tech find, but it’s actually super affordable. The genius keychain design features a slim, metal-reinforced body and two lightning-fast charger connectors that seamlessly tuck away went not in use. It also includes a bottle opener and a strong aluminum carabiner for added convenience.

Coasters That Give You A View Of Your Fave Football Stadium

YouTheFan NFL 3D Stadium View Coasters (2-Pack)

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For the diehard football fan, there are these coasters that give you a 3D view of NFL stadiums. They come in multiple options for fans of the Steelers, Packers, Chiefs, and other major teams. They’re sure to come in handy when Monday night rolls around.

An Ergonomic Knee Pillow For Superior Comfort & Support

BlissTrends Memory Foam Knee Pillow

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This inexpensive knee pillow might seem like an odd thing to gift, but it offers so much comfort that it’s sure to show just how much you care. It’s made from high-density memory foam and features an ergonomic design, helping to align the spine and hips to maintain the correct posture and relieve pain and aches.

• Available colors: 2

A Watch Case That Looks & Feels High-End

ProCase Watch Box

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This watch case has a high-end look and feel but is actually very wallet-friendly. The outside of the case features a smooth faux leather material that looks genuine, while the interior lining and removable pads are lined with a soft suede fabric that’s gentle on accessories. It comes in multiple colors and sizes, all with a bottom drawer for watch bands and other accessories.

• Available colors: 6

A Heavy-Duty Phone Stand With A Cult Following

OMOTON Aluminum Desktop Cellphone Stand

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This heavy-duty aluminum cellphone holder is the perfect gift for those who spend a lot of time on their phones. It features a sturdy base and a rotating holder with a wide, nonslip surface that makes taking calls, filming content, or just catching up on shows a convenient, hands-free experience. It’s available in classic silver, as well as a few fun colors — all backed by a 4.8-star rating after a whopping 64,000+ reviews.

• Available colors: 9

Miniature Scissors That Are Shockingly Useful

PDHTC Stainless Steel Mini Folding Scissors

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Even with their super small size, these travel scissors are surprisingly versatile — use them to cut off clothing tags, open up boxes, snip loose threads, or take them along on fishing trips. They fold into a unique shape for safer portability.

Versatile Floating Shelves For Houseplants & Beyond

YQSLYSF Rotating Plant Stand

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These floating shelves have a rotating design that makes them so versatile that they can be installed practically anywhere and used to display everything from houseplants to photos — each shelf has a 20-pound weight capacity. They’re crafted from stainless steel, and the shelves have a small lip that helps prevent leaking. Choose from round or oval tiers.

Premium Quality Kebab Skewers

JY COOKMENT Kabob Skewers (12-Pack)

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These premium stainless steel kebab skewers are so much better than wood versions, still, they’re surprisingly inexpensive — especially since you get 12 in a pack. Not only are they fire-resistant, but they feature an extended length and large handles, which means they can accommodate more food and are comfortable to hold. Plus, the sharp tip makes skewering effortless.

Zero-Hassle Dashboard Phone Holders

CoolPow Car Dash Magnetic Phone Holder (2-Pack)

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If you know someone who spends a lot of time in the car, then these awesome dashboard phone holders are just the gift to make you look super thoughtful — and like a big spender. Offered as a pack of two, they have a sleek, low-profile design with a magnetic surface and smooth 360-degree rotation. And installation promises to be effortless and secure since the base sticks on with a heavy-duty 3M adhesive. The mounts are compatible with most smartphones, including iPhone and Samsung models.

• Available colors: 2

A Water Bottle Bag That Can Hold Your Tumbler & Phone

Ceneda Water Bottle Carrier Bag

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This water bottle bag is a perfect gift for anybody who loves spending time outdoors. It has a roomy, triple-insulated interior that can accommodate up to a 40-ounce size tumbler for superior beverage temperature control. Plus, it has a padded shoulder strap and a front pocket with an attached lanyard for storing cell phones, keys, and more.

• Available colors: 8

High-Performance Bar Soap In Manly Scents

Dr. Squatch Natural Bar Soaps (3-Pack)

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Save your expensive body wash for yourself and get this made-for-men bar soap for your dude instead. The high-performance Dr. Squatch bars are cold-pressed and made with nourishing ingredients, including coconut oil, shea butter, and kaolin clay. Choose from a selection of affordably priced, long-lasting packs of three in masculine scents like wood barrel bourbon.

Mangetic Fidget Rings For A Calm & Focused Mind

BUNMO Magnetic Fidget Rings (3-Pack)

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If you know someone who tends to get a little antsy, these fidget rings are a thoughtful gift that can help improve focus and offer a sense of calm. They stick together with powerful magnets, so they can be configured in multiple ways, and they’re pocket-sized for added convenience. A three-pack is so inexpensive, making them a gift that’s easy on the budget.

• Available colors: 4

A Wireless Charger That Fits On A Key Ring

i.VALUX Portable Wireless Charger for Apple Watch

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Whoever gets this Apple Watch charger as a gift is going to be thrilled at how easy it makes it to keep their tech powered. It has a built-in power bank for fast, on-the-go charging, plus a sleek design that looks ultra high-end. But don’t worry, it’s actually very affordable, so you can grab one for more than one of your favorite guys.

A Stick-On Organizer For A Laptop

AMOZIFY 3-Pocket Organizer

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Laptops naturally come with a lot of accessories, like a mouse, charger, and stylus. And this pocket organizer can hold them all. It sticks directly onto the back of your laptop (using 3M adhesive), and there are three stretchy pockets for organization’s sake.

Noise-Cancelling Earplugs That Are So Comfy

Ear Plugs for Sleeping Noise Reduction, Beinkap Reusable Earplugs Hearing Protection for Focus, Study, Work – 6 Pair Eartips in S/M/L – Flexible Silicone Soft – 35dB Noise Cancelling - Blue

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Give the gift of peace and quiet when you grab these expensive-looking noise-cancelling earplugs. They have a low-profile design and soft silicone tips (in three sizes) that make them so comfy that they can even be worn while sleeping. And because they reduce noise by up to 35 decibels, they’re also great for wearing to loud events, like concerts and baseball games.

• Available colors: 7

Zipper Pulls That Are Super Versatile

OXT Zipper Pull Lock (6-Pack)

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These zipper pulls make it easier to grasp tabs on backpacks, luggage, and just about any zippered item. They’re constructed from strong zinc alloy and have dual-ended clips that are also ideal for keeping zippers closed. The pack of six includes two neutral colors and is so affordable that you can grab a few sets for convenient last-minute gifting.

An Electric Lighter That’s Totally Windproof

REIDEA Electric Candle Lighter

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Small, inexpensive finds like this genius electric lighter prove that amazing gifts don’t have to cost a ton. Whether lighting pillar candles or barbecue charcoal, the long shape and windproof arc flame are sure to come in handy. And it won’t ever need a fuel refill since it’s USB rechargeable.

• Available colors: 7

An Anti-Theft Wallet Made From Genuine Leather

Oak Leathers Slim Wallet

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Gifting a new wallet is always a good idea. This shockingly inexpensive wallet is crafted from genuine leather and features a slim design for maximum comfort, yet it has multiple compartments for storing credit cards, cash, and more. But the genius thing about it is that it’s equipped with RFID-blocking technology that helps safeguard against electronic theft, making it a perfect choice for travel, too.

• Available colors: 27

A Digital Tire Pressure Gauge That’s Super Accurate

AstroAI Tire Pressure Gauge

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Get a tire pressure reading almost instantly with this digital gauge. It’s incredibly accurate — within one PSI either direction — and the backlit LED screen is easy to read, even if it’s dark outside.

A Light Therapy Lamp With A Portable Design

SUXIO Light Therapy Lamp

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This light therapy lamp will be a literal life-changer for people who spend a lot of time indoors or who live in an area with a less-than-sunny climate. The LED lights are designed to mimic sunlight, helping with everything from sleep to seasonal moods. The surprisingly inexpensive USB rechargeable lamp has a convenient touch control panel, three brightness settings for personalized care, and a slim design for portability and easy storage.

A Sleek Charging Pad That Powers Devices Fast

Knild Magnetic Wireless Charging Pad

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Powering up devices is so easy with this wireless charging pad. It has a foldable design and quick-charging capabilities, so you can charge up to three devices at the same time. It’s compatible with MagSafe phone models and can even charge through most cases. The second panel is perfect for AirPods and an Apple Watch Guys will appreciate this practical gift, but it’s so convenient that you might one for yourself, too.

• Available colors: 5

A Multi-Purpose Car Cleaner With Thousands Of 5-Star Ratings

CAR GUYS Super Cleaner Set

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Boasting a 4.6-star rating after 24,000 reviews, this multi-purpose car cleaner is another must for anybody with an automobile obsession. The nongreasy formula is safe and effective for cleaning a wide range of surfaces — including rubber, leather, and canvas — and can even remove stubborn tree sap. The affordable set includes a soft microfiber cloth, so recipients can get started shining up their car’s interior and exterior right away.

Charcoal-Infused Washcloths That Also Exfoliate

myHomeBody Dual-Textured Exfoliating Washcloth (3-Pack)

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Level up your shower with these dual-sided washcloths built for a squeaky clean. Infused with charcoal fibers, one side gently scrubs and cleanses, while the other exfoliates skin to eliminate roughness. Just hang them by the loops to dry after use.

A Portable Stainless Steel Pour-Over Coffee Maker

Coffee Gator Pour Over Coffee Maker - 10.5 oz Paperless, Portable, Drip Coffee Brewer Pour Over Set w/ Glass Carafe & Stainless-Steel Mesh Filter, Black

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Anybody who has high daily brew standards will love this affordable pour-over coffee maker. The stainless steel filter sits securely over cups of different sizes (as well as the included glass carafe), and has a fine mesh design that is perfect, grounds-free cup of Joe. And since it requires no electricity or paper filters, it’s a great find for keeping at the office.

Vehicle Gap Fillers To Stop Losing Items Down There

Edotim Car Seat Gap Filler (2-Pack)

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Stuff always manage to fall in that black hole between your car’s front seats and center console? Utilize these gap fillers to resolve this issue. They’re elastic for a snug fit, and each one (two come with) has built-in storage for spare change, your sunglasses, and more.

A Bike Bag With A Waterproof Phone Case

ROCKBROS Bike Bag

Amazon -

This shake-proof bike bag is a great deal and a great gift for men who enjoy cycling. The pouch features a waterproof screen protector with a sun shield and sensitive touch capability, plus carbon fiber construction for maximum durability and protection. It also has a zippered compartment for storing wallets, tools, keys, and more.

• Available colors: 4

A Fan-Favorite Cold Brew Maker That Holds Over 5 Cups

COFFEE BEAR Cold Brew Coffee Maker

Amazon -

You can’t go wrong with this cold brew coffee maker that’s not only inexpensive but also makes an amazing (and less acidic) cup of Joe. It features a large thermal shock-resistant glass pitcher and a fine mesh filter core, which means it makes a big batch that busy guys are sure to appreciate. And it’s dishwasher-safe for effortless cleanup. With a 4.6-star rating after 4,000 reviews, it’s a fan favorite for a reason.

Soft Cleaning Cloths For Glasses & Screens

MagicFiber Microfiber Cleaning Cloth (6-Pack)

Amazon -

These versatile microfiber cleaning cloths are a practical, low-cost gift that are sure to get a ton of use. The soft material is gentle enough to use on everything from glasses lenses to tech screens. And they work so well that no cleaning sprays are needed to effectively wipe away fingerprints, oils, and lint. With six in the pack, there’s one for every surface.

A Long String Light Strand That’s Customizable

OGERY Camping String Lights, 4 in 1 Quick Storage 32.8FT Rechargeable Tent Lights String with 8 Lighting Modes, Hanging Waterproof Portable LED Lamp for Outdoor Patio Awning Garden Party Essentials

Amazon -

At over 32 feet long, this waterproof light strand can illuminate a large area — it can also be wound up and utilized as a hanging light. The lights can be set to a range of modes and brightness levels, and the whole thing is powered by a built-in battery that can last up to 12 hours.

A Nike Belt With A Built-In Bottle Opener

Nike Essentials Single Web Belt

Amazon -

This Nike golf belt is a classic that can match with so many outfits, making it a great gift. Available in black and gray, it’s constructed from 100% cotton with a tight yet flexible weave and features a metal buckle that’s not only stylish but also easy to adjust. Most impressively? It has a built-in bottle opener in the back.

A LEGO Chrysanthemum Plant That Will Last Forever

LEGO Botanicals Chrysanthemum Building Set

Amazon -

Guys of all ages will have so much fun turning this LEGO set into a realistic-looking chrysanthemum, complete with bendable leaves, as well as a stand, pot, and pebbles. And since LEGO’s are timeless and practically indestructible, the budget-friendly set will outlast any real plant.

A Modern Nail Care Set For Men

Insaizom Manicure Set

Amazon -

Unless your man is getting weekly manicures and pedicures, chances are their nails could use a little love. And this deluxe nail care set with a faux leather storage pouch is just the thing for the job. It includes all of the essentials, and even an angled nail cutter and reusable nail file — all crafted from durable stainless steel with a modern black finish.

A Slim Cooler That Fits In Golf Bags

NATURAL STYLE Cooler Sleeve

Amazon -

There’s nothing like breaking for an ice-cold drink while on the putting green, which is exactly what makes this affordable cooler sleeve a must-have for golfers. The long, narrow design slides right into golf bags, and the high-density thermal insulation material keeps drinks chilled for hours. It also has a comfy strap for convenient carrying.

• Available colors: 5

A Sprayable Deodorant Powder For The Nether Regions

HAPPY NUTS Comfort Powder Spray

Amazon -

The name of this private area powder should be explanation enough, but in case you need a little more info, just know that the sprayable talc powder helps prevent chafing, sweating, itching, and odor. In other words, it’s a must for every man. It’s a good thing that the long-lasting bottle is available at a budget-friendly price, so you can gift it on repeat.

Comfy Crew Socks That Come In So Many Sports Themes

Hot Sox Sports and Athletics Crew Socks

Amazon -

Whether you're shopping for a golfer, pickleball player, or basketball fan, these sports-themed socks are sure to delight. They’re made from a cotton-polyester blend for a comfortable feel that’s equal parts breathable and sweat wicking. Plus, they’re highly popular, with a 4.7-star overall rating after 2,000 reviews.

• Available styles: 16

Budget-Friendly Cable Labels For Better Organization

Wmiwulien Cable Labels (240 Pieces)

Amazon -

Electronic cords and chargers a mess? Use these cable labels to set up an organized labelling system. Included are 240 labels in eight colors — each one is temperature-resistant and waterproof — for less than $5.

A Wooden Sudoku Board With 100 Puzzles

BOHS Wooden Sudoku Board Game

Amazon -

Enjoy 100 different Sudoku puzzles on this wooden game board — no constant erasing required. Included are all of the tiles needed to set them up, plus a convenient drawer in the base for storage.

A Snowflake Multi-Tool With 18 Functions

Desuccus 18-in-1 Snowflake Multi-Tool

Amazon -

This snowflake-looking multi-tool has a whopping 18 different functions, including a bottle opener, various screwdrivers, Allen wrenches, and more. Each one weighs next to nothing, so you can hang it from your key ring.

A Night-Light & Clock Combo That Plugs In For Power

One Fire Clock Nightlight (2-Pack)

Amazon -

This plug-in night-light comes with a remote control that allows you to adjust settings like the color temperature, brightness level, and more. There’s even a timer function. As a bonus: This pick shows the time in the middle.

A Cat-Tastic String Light Strand

Impress Life Black Cat Decoration String Lights

Amazon -

This isn’t your average string light strand — it’s covered in 3D light-up cats in colorful hues. Use the included remote control to turn it on and off, plus tweak settings like the brightness and lighting mode.

A Magnetic, Folding Chess Board For Games On The Go

FanVince Magnetic Folding Chess Board

Amazon -

If you're shopping for a chess player, they'll love this travel-size board that lets them play matches no matter where they go. The magnetic design helps ensure no pieces are lost, whether you're playing at a park or in the back seat of a car. The board folds up to just 10 by 5 inches, and all the pieces can be stored inside.

Phone Wrist Straps So You Don’t Shatter Your Screen

XCHKRM Phone Wrist Strap

Amazon -

These phone wrist straps boast a special locking mechanism, ensuring that your phone won’t topple to the ground (and probably break) should you drop it. They’re simple to install, comfortable to use, and ultra-sturdy.

Vehicle Door Handle Protectors That Stick In Place

GEneric Car Door Handle Protectors

Amazon -

Guard your car’s handles from scratches, dings, and other damage with these stick-on protectors that are totally transparent to blend in. They’re universal by design (fitting many types of vehicles), and they’ll last a long time.

When our grandmothers were young, the entire point of being a woman was to become a perfect, happy little homemaker. To take care of the kids and the house, but ultimately, to take care of a husband, who deserved to end the day in a domain exactly fluffed to his liking. It’s a very specific nostalgia for that kind of energy that has fueled the #tradwife movement. The social media “trend” has pushed women to do things like cater to their husbands’ every need, spend all of their time and energy on the home and their family, and put themselves last.

And a study published in Psychology of Women Quarterly has found that the men who most want a #tradwife... are also men who seem to view women the worst.

Oh nooo, what do you meeeean?

*looks directly to camera*

University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) conducted the study and found that “men with higher levels of ‘hostile sexism’ — or those who espouse negative, adversarial perceptions of women in general — are particularly likely to support the #tradwife movement relative to other men.”

In the study, 595 U.S. men ages 18 to 29 were surveyed (a narrow but revealing slice) about what they knew of the #tradwife movement, as well as their attitudes, and whether identifiers like political or religious affiliation or race affected those views.

Originally, the authors thought “benevolent sexism” would explain why these men liked the #tradwife movement. Instead, the “hostile sexism” came out on top. This included “derisive and derogatory descriptions of women’s caretaking role as ‘easier than the breadwinning role’” and also that these wives were “exploitative of their husbands’ provisions.”

Ew.

UNLV psychology professor Rachael D. Robnett, lead author on the study, said the data showed that men who are into the #tradwife trend are also aware that they rely on these same women for intimacy and resent it. “This finding runs counter to social media portrayals of the tradwife lifestyle, which tend to emphasize subtle forms of sexism that are more aligned with chivalry,” she said.

And she’s right. When you find popular #tradwife accounts, it’s all about taking care of your husband because he takes care of you — that’s the “benevolent sexism” the study thought it would find. He goes to work every day and earns money so you can stay home in your floral nap dresses and film GRWM videos of yourself making butter and wearing a silk curling rod. The least you can do is make sure he has fresh sourdough bread with his pasta when he gets home, right?

It’s all framed as devotion, not labor: taking care of the kids, managing all the pets, cleaning everything in sight, keeping chemicals out of your pantry and your “drink fridge” fully stocked.

That sexism — that belief that men deserve the world because they are a man — can be misconstrued as love and comfort and chivalry in these videos. What the study found, though, is something uglier. The same men who want a little woman waiting on them and managing everything are the men most likely to dismiss that labor, to believe they are superior to women, and to be resentful over having to work “harder” than their wives.

Although let’s be honest, those #tradwife videos are probably making more money than hubby is at his job.

The problem with a #tradwife isn’t the domestic choices, but what drives them. It’s fine to be a wife who stays home, takes care of the family, makes all of her recipes from scratch, does the majority of the cleaning and home managing — whatever works for you and fits the life you want. But if you’re doing all of these things with your husband front and center or doing them out of fear of losing your husband? Then it’s time to regroup.

Because, babe, nobody should feel resentful of the other in a marriage... especially not the person being fed homemade meals and having their clothes washed by someone else.

Growing up, you have a general idea of what sounds like an “old person” name. When you’re playing grannies with your friends, you pick a name like Ethel or Lucille — these are the names our grandparents had, so those are the names all old people have... right? Wrong. You see, what makes a name sound old is just the fact that the oldest people alive at any given time have them, which means the Ambers, Seans, and Tiffanys of the world don’t have long before they’re the new Reginalds and Corneliuses. (As a Katie who is married to a Zack, our family is going to be hit hard.) These are the millennial names our kids are going to call old — and actually, they already are.

As Scary Mommy reported last year, in a very unofficial survey, TikTok creator Kelley Cole (@kelleykelleykelley) asked a bunch of teens what they consider to be old lady names. The list is damning for those of us born between 1981 and 1996, also known as millennials. They listed names like Jordan, Ashley, Crystal, Kelly, Stephanie, Stacey, and more. Interestingly, their list of “young woman” names sounds a lot more like we’d consider old lady names, proving the cyclical nature of naming trends. The list included Ava, Emma, Abigail, Isabelle, Rose, and Gracie.

Unfortunately, just because your name wasn’t included in this very specific list from one TikTok user does not mean you’re safe from having an old person name. According to the Social Security Administration, some of the most consistently popular boy names between ‘81 and ‘96 were:

• Aaron
• Adam
• Andrew
• Brandon
• Brian
• Christopher
• Daniel
• Eric
• Jesse
• Joshua
• Justin
• Kevin
• Mark
• Matthew
• Michael
• Nathan
• Nicholas
• Patrick
• Ryan
• Sean/Shawn
• Steven/Stephen
• Travis

And for girls? Well, let’s just say you know at least one person with each of these names:

• Amanda
• Amber
• Ashley
• Christine/Christina
• Danielle
• Elizabeth
• Erica
• Heather
• Jennifer
• Jessica
• Katherine/Kathryn/Katie
• Kimberly
• Laura/Lauren
• Megan
• Melissa
• Michelle
• Nicole
• Rachel
• Rebecca
• Sarah
• Stephanie
• Tiffany

Of course, there were other names that cropped up throughout those 15 years that saw massive popularity, but just didn’t linger in the Top 50 names the entire time. Think names like Samantha, Dustin, Chad, Shannon, Kyle, and Allison. In the ‘90s, some specific names leapt up the popularity charts, like Zachary (thanks, Saved by the Bell), Tyler, Cody, Taylor, Jasmine, Kayla, Chelsea, Austin, Alexis, Shelby, Madison, and Dylan. These names all have a distinctly 1990s feel now that, unfortunately, our children are now going to recognize as old people names, even though they’re the babiest of the millennials.

Whether we like it or not, it is now our lot in life to be called old by some little twits named Brayden and Nevaeh. “How does it feel to have one foot in the grave?” they imply. But fear not: Our names will almost certainly come back around, and who will be laughing then?

We’ve all been there, standing across the kitchen from our partner, wondering how a conversation about who does the dishes more devolved into a full-blown argument. (OK, maybe it’s because you said it in a joking but passive-aggressive way...) People in healthy, respectful relationships — whether that’s with a romantic partner, friend, family member, or colleague — don’t set out to start a fight. But even the best people sometimes get heated and need an off-ramp to turn an argument back into a conversation. That’s when it can be helpful to know a few phrases to de-escalate an argument and precisely when it’s time to use them.

How To Stop Arguments Before They Start

You own half the battle in any argument, and the red flags that you’re escalating are first evident in how your body feels.

“You can usually feel an argument tipping over when you stop listening and start defending. Your chest tightens, your voice sharpens. Look for those physical signals. That’s the moment to take a breath and step out of the tug‑of‑war. I always remind my clients that their body knows before their mind does,” says Claudia Giolitti‑Wright, LMFT, clinical psychologist and the founder and clinical director of Psychotherapy for Young Women.

“These are signs your nervous system has shifted into fight-or-flight mode, and at that point, the rational part of your brain is essentially offline,” Alyssa Kushner, LCSW, licensed therapist and owner of AK Psychotherapy. Repeating yourself louder, feeling like nothing you say lands, and losing track of what you were even arguing about — these are all signs you should take a beat, she says. “Before you can have a productive conversation, both people need to feel safe enough to actually hear each other. That means pausing, not powering through.”

If you notice you or the person you’re talking to is getting too heated, you should try to slow things down — literally.

“At this point, trying harder to ‘win’ the conversation usually makes things escalate further. Slowing things down is more impactful than pushing harder. That might mean lowering your voice, taking a longer breath, naming that things feel like they’re moving too fast, or agreeing to come back together when both people are feeling more open,” says Chloë Bean, LMFT, a somatic trauma therapist for women dealing with toxic relationships. Bean points out that de-escalation tools work best in relationships where there is mutual respect and trust. If the other party regularly gaslights, intimidates, or tries to manipulate you, that’s a toxic relationship.

Phrases To De-Escalate An Argument

Most fights aren’t about what they seem to be — it’s never just about who does the dishes more, is it? Underneath whatever sparked the argument, we’re usually grappling for a more important answer, Gliotti-Wright says. Do you care? Do you see me? Do I matter to you? Remembering this can help you remain soft and open instead of shutting down and yelling, she explains.

A good de-escalation phrase signals that you’re not abandoning the conversation, and creates enough safety for the other person’s nervous system to settle, too, Kushner says. Here are some of the phrases you can use to de-escalate an argument gone wrong, straight from Gliotti-Wright, Kushner, and Bean:

• “I care about you, and I don’t want to fight. Can we start over?”
• “I want to understand what’s really happening between us right now, not just what we’re arguing about.”
• “Something in what you said touched a nerve. Can we slow down so I can understand why?”
• “I can feel we’re both protecting ourselves. What would happen if we tried to protect the relationship instead?”
• “We’ve started talking at each other instead of to each other. Can we pause and reset?”
• “I’m realizing I’m more focused on being heard than hearing you. Let me listen.”
• “I care too much about this relationship to keep talking in a way that hurts us.”
• “I think we’re both saying, ‘I’m scared,’ just in different languages.”
• “Let’s take a breath. We’re on the same team, even if it doesn’t feel like it right now.”
• “Can we start from curiosity instead of criticism? Tell me what you need most right now.”
• “I feel myself getting defensive, which usually means something important underneath is being touched.”
• “I love you, and I also want to understand what’s going on beneath this moment.”
• “Maybe we’re both right, just from different vantage points.”
• “What are you trying to tell me that I’m not quite hearing yet?”
• “Let’s not decide who’s right. Let’s decide how to stay connected while we talk about this.”
• “I want to understand you. Can we slow down for a second?”
• “I’m not going anywhere. I just need a moment to come back to this.”
• “I can tell this really matters to you. I want to hear it.”
• “I don’t want to fight. I want to figure this out together.”
• “Can we press pause? I want to keep talking, but I need five minutes to take a breather.”
• “I’m starting to feel overwhelmed, and I need to go outside for a few before I come back.”
• “I think we’re saying the same thing in different ways.”
• “I hear you. I might not agree yet, but I hear you.”
• “I love you, but I’m feeling a little frustrated. Can we take a pause?”
• “What do you actually need from me right now?”
• “I want to talk about this, but I am feeling too activated to stay present, which I want to be.”
• “Can we slow things down a little bit so I can ground myself again?”
• “I don’t want this to turn into me vs. you.”
• “I am starting to feel overwhelmed, but I want to respond thoughtfully, so I need a moment to take some breaths.
• “Can we pause and come back to this in 20 minutes when I have more clarity?”
• “I hear this is important to you.”
• “I’m not trying to fight you, I want to figure this out together.”
• “I need a minute so I don’t say something reactive.”
• “I care about you and this conversation, which is why I want to slow it down so I don’t miss anything.”
• “Can we try saying one thing at a time?”
• “I can keep talking about this with you, but not if we are yelling.”
• “I want to understand what you need.”

How To Repair After An Argument

When you use one of these de-escalation phrases, your tone needs to match your intent, Bean notes — they should never be used sarcastically or wielded like criticisms. Instead, focus on being grounded, open, and supportive. If you ask for a break, then make sure you actually use it to give your nervous system a chance to settle rather than going over and over the argument in your head, Kushner adds. “Coming back too soon just restarts the cycle,” she says.

Once the conversation is over, you don’t need a grand apology with flowers and chocolates, Gliotti-Wright says. More important is the genuine repair.

“Sit next to each other, make eye contact, and take ownership of your part. Ask, ‘Can we try again?’ That moment of reaching back out is often what keeps love, friendship, or trust intact. Also, reflect and share about what you learned from the fight, from yourself, and from each other. Identify what you can do differently next time.”

While it’s not possible to go through life never having arguments with anyone, they certainly don’t have to get heated and end in screaming matches or hurt feelings. By approaching conflict with the right mindset (and the right tools), you are already set up for more successful communication.

Skipped periods. Fatigue and trouble sleeping. Mood swings. Breast pain. Sounds like you could be pregnant, right? Welp, think again. These are actually also symptoms of perimenopause, which, because of lack of awareness and education about it, many women don’t expect to happen as early as it does.

Jancee Dunn, author of Hot and Bothered: What No One Tells You About Menopause and How to Feel Like Yourself Again, was still raising her toddler when she first started experiencing symptoms. “[A lot of women] think of it as something that happens way off in the distant future,” she told Scary Mommy. “It can really mess with your head... I could not even conceive of perimenopause.”

If you’re in the middle of parenting, your career, or just life in general and haven’t even thought about (or heard of) perimenopause, you’re not alone. Scary Mommy talked to experts about what perimenopause is exactly, when you’ll most likely start noticing symptoms, and what you can do to prepare for it.

So what is perimenopause, and when will you go through it?

Even though all women will experience it at some point, a lot of people don’t even know what “perimenopause” is.

Dr. Michael Krychman, OB-GYN and VP of Medical Affairs at HerMD, describes it as a period of “hormonal chaos” as your body transitions to menopause. “You have one foot in the cycling world and one foot in the menopausal world… It’s this period of normal cycling and abnormal cycling, feeling great and wonderful, and feeling like you're in menopause with hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and other symptoms.”

While women may start going through perimenopause earlier or later, symptoms most often occur in your 40s, Krychman says. (The average woman goes into menopause around 51.)

“It's not really a one specific age that you enter in and then it starts. It’s a gradual transition,” Krychman says. “It can be anywhere between seven and 10 years before the final menstrual period or before you go into menopause.”

Is there anything you can do to prepare for it?

1. Know your symptoms.

When Dunn first started experiencing perimenopause, she had no idea what was happening to her body. She saw a cardiologist for her racing heart, a dermatologist for her dry skin, and an OB-GYN for her erratic periods. And nobody connected the dots that it was all due to perimenopause. She says if she had known what to expect, she would’ve been able to manage her symptoms more and seek appropriate care.

So what symptoms should you expect? Scary Mommy polled our readers, and these were the most common responses: insomnia, fatigue, body aches, body odor, itchy ears, brain fog, mood swings, heart palpitations, vaginal dryness, night sweats, irregular periods, headaches, random hairs, and rage.

There are at least 34 symptoms of perimenopause and menopause, and they can vary depending on the person. You can read more about the symptoms on the North American Menopause Society’s (NAMS) website.

2. Find a doctor who is trained in menopause.

A 2019 Mayo Clinic study found that only 6.8% of obstetrics and gynecology, family medicine, and internal medicine residents felt well prepared to care for their patients through menopause. A 2023 report validated that less than a third of OB-GYN residency programs offer training in menopause at all.

If you think you have menopausal symptoms, schedule a separate appointment to talk about them. “It’s a big subject and not something to tack on the last five minutes of your pap smear appointment,” Dunn says.

If your OB-GYN isn’t taking your concerns seriously, you can use The Menopause Society’s provider registry to find a certified menopause practitioner in your area. There are an estimated 4,100 Menopause Society-certified providers in the U.S., which is not enough for the estimated 1.3 million women who reach menopause each year. If it takes you a while to get an appointment, don’t give up.

3. Prioritize a healthy lifestyle.

Sometimes it’s easier said than done. But even making small tweaks to your lifestyle habits can make some of these symptoms more manageable or even prevent them, according to The Menopause Society.

A couple of tips from Dunn:

• Sleep: Even if it’s as simple as keeping a consistent bedtime or avoiding looking at your phone late at night, find simple ways to improve your sleep habits. It can make all the difference in how you feel day to day.
• Exercise: “Be more strategic in ways that you can fit in exercise, even if it's 10 minutes of walking,” she says. Plus, it tends to have a cascade effect and can help you sleep better and regulate your mood.

4. Talk about perimenopause openly.

Bring it up to people you trust: your friends, your partner, your mom, your doctors.

“Talk about it in an upfront manner without cringing, without whispering it, without making ageist jokes about it,” Dunn says. “I mean, I had to check my own behavior because I realized I was always making Golden Girls jokes about it.”

The more we talk about perimenopause in a candid way, the more we can normalize it, know what to expect, and prepare for it. It’s a natural life transition, and there should be no shame in it.

From preschool straight through college, we worry about our kids falling in with the “wrong crowd.” These protective feelings can start as early as the toddler train table. Just imagine watching an aggressive kid who’s hoarding steam engines and ripping freight cars from your child’s tiny hands. Who wouldn't intervene? And you maybe would even think, “I’m sure that’s how Bonnie and Clyde started, too.”

OK, maybe no one has actually thought that, but certainly, we’ve all felt defensive of our kids. And those feelings get stronger and stronger when toy-train snatching turns into real bullying, exclusion, name-calling, peer pressure, and a whole slew of other problems as kids hit the tween and teen years.

It’s fair to be concerned about the “wrong friends,” but realistically, there are also tons of good kids out there — and your child might already be building friendships with them. So, we asked experts to help us break down “green flags,” or positive signs, of a healthy childhood friendship.

Here’s what to look for in your kid’s friends.

They Build Up Your Child

It doesn’t matter if you’re 6, 16, or 60 years old; good friends make us feel better. After being with a friend, is your child smiling, interacting with the family, and showing positive behaviors? Those are green flags that they are being built up and feel more confident.

Pointing out the actions of a supportive friend helps your child seek out those types of relationships on their own, according to Dr. Michele Borba, educational psychologist and author of Thrivers: The Surprising Reason Why Some Kids Struggle and Others Shine.

“It doesn't have to be a long, lengthy description,” she explains. “It can be the parent coming home and saying, ‘I had a great lunch with my friend. She really built me up, and, man, I'm a lot happier as a result of it.’ Later on, when you see your kid’s interactions, you can do the same thing.”

They Stick By Your Child

Everyone goes through rough patches, especially in middle school and high school. Does the friend stay with your child in tough situations, actively showing up and supporting them? This might look like a phone call on a bad day or dropping off schoolwork on a sick day.

“A green flag is, ‘Hey, they seem like they're helping each other,’” Borba says. “Remember, friendship is made up of skills, specifically courteous or character-driven behaviors.”

This might seem like a simple concept, but parents and teachers say kids struggle with it and need to practice those skills.

To help, “card in time for face-to-face interactions,” Borba says. “That's not on a screen; it's a real-life kid so they can practice these skills, because there’s a high correlation —extremely high — to well-being and happiness.”

They Reciprocate

No one wants to do all of the work in a friendship. Your child should get as much as they give.

“It's more equal in partnership, Borba says. “It's not always your kid making all the inroads and making all the phone calls. Sharing is the first skill we learn: ‘It's my turn now, it's your turn.’ That's when you're 3, but I work with a lot of 12-year-olds who still haven't learned that one.”

This doesn’t necessarily mean that everything has to look equal in tangible ways. Perhaps most of the time together is spent at your house. That’s OK. It’s more important that the friend is reciprocating in social and emotional ways. Both friends are initiating plans, even if they can’t host. The balance doesn’t need to be perfect all the time, but the green flag is that your child continually feels seen and heard, and gets a thoughtful response.

They Share a Commonality

Research shows that adolescents tend to form friendships when they perceive commonality. This can be a shared interest, like playing soccer, a character trait, like kindness, or a value, like caring about academics.

So, if you can help your child find their passions — basketball, dancing, guitar, painting — they are likely to find good friends within that activity. This is why kids in high school tend to forge friendships based on their clubs and sports.

A good friend is also likely to value the same boundaries and standards that your family cares about. This might include empathy, loyalty, respect for others, and taking school seriously.

“These things will be more what your child seeks if you model and speak highly of these traits,” explains Dr. Gail Saltz, associate professor of psychiatry at the NY Presbyterian Hospital Weill-Cornell School of Medicine.

They Welcome More Friends

Healthy friendships allow other children to join in.

Consider the “best friend” label and the exclusion that can come along with it. This is an area where elementary and middle school kids really struggle to navigate closeness while still allowing other friendships. When a relationship becomes too exclusive, it can fuel jealousy, competition, or pressure to choose sides.

“These are all normal human responses,” says Dr. Saltz.

Although the feelings are normal, the most important part is helping children understand how to cope with them and build healthy friendships.

“Allowing yourself to be manipulated into an intense and controlling relationship is a problematic model for future relationships, as is being a controller,” she says. “So, talk to your kid about the importance of maintaining balance, that relationships don't require all or nothing, help them navigate the language to avoid too much intensity.”

If your child and their friend welcome others into the circle, it’s a green flag.

They Speak Positively About Other Kids

The way children talk about their peers offers insight into their friendships. A warning sign is when a friendship relies on gossip, bad-mouthing others, or keeping people out. If a friend is speaking badly about other children, they could easily shift into speaking badly about your own child, too.

On top of that, it teaches your child that closeness comes from negativity or control. This unhealthy pattern can follow them into adulthood, affecting their future workplace relationships or romantic partnerships, and sometimes it can lead to isolation, depression, or other problems.

“Talking to your child about what really matters — in friendship, in life, in lifetime relationships — can really help them with their own barometer,” Saltz says. “But you have to also walk the walk… it won’t matter what you say, they will pursue what you pursue. If you show them what you value and why, that will make an impact.”

Easter traditions are pretty much the same for every family — dye some eggs, have an egg hunt, eat some ham — but we don’t talk enough about Easter movies. Christmas and Halloween (and even Thanksgiving and the 4th of July) are known for their movie nights, but it’s time we start celebrating the wide variety of Easter movies available. From fun, classic characters like Charlie Brown and Yogi Bear to extremely dramatic and religious-themed movies, there is something out there for everybody to watch on Easter. And whether you want to host a movie night for your family or just watch your own comfort movie on the couch, this list of Easter movies has you covered.

My husband is the one who actually started me on an Easter movie tradition. Our first Easter together, he told me his family always watched The Ten Commandments, starring Charlton Heston, on Easter night. This was new to me, but now, seeing that every basic cable channel shows this movie when it can on Easter and that it’s a whole thing for other people, it makes sense — and it’s become our Easter tradition, too. There’s nothing like putting our kids to bed, rifling through their Easter baskets for the good chocolate, and watching Charlton Heston as Moses.

But there are also plenty of family-friendly movies on here that your kids will love, and whether you see Easter as a religious holiday or not, you can find something to make the holiday your own here.

Easter Parade

A splashy technicolor musical from 1948, Easter Parade is one of those sweet, feel-good movies the whole family can watch. Starring Judy Garland and Fred Astaire, there’s a bit of a love square, a whole lot of singing and dancing, and chocolate bunnies. You just can’t go wrong with this one.

You can stream Easter Parade on Prime Video and Apple TV.

The Ten Commandments

The Ten Commandments is a 1956 movie spectacular, once hailed as “the greatest event in motion picture history.” Starring Charlton Heston as Moses, Yul Brynner as Ramses II, and Anne Baxter as Nefretiri, the movie was directed by Cecil B. DeMille and was a huge splash. Following the first five books of the Bible, the movie tells the story of Moses and how he came to receive the Ten Commandments from God. It’s obviously a deeply religious choice, but it always feels appropriate to watch on Easter weekend.

You can stream The Ten Commandments on Prime Video and Apple TV.

Peter Rabbit

Based upon the classic Beatrix Potter tales, Peter Rabbit is a 2018 film starring James Corden as Peter, with Rose Byrne, Sam Neill, and Marianne Jean-Baptiste rounding out the cast. It’s Easter-themed (*obviously*), but this is one family film you could watch all year long.

You can stream Peter Rabbit on Netflix, Prime Video, and Apple TV.

A Walton Easter

It just doesn’t get more wholesome than A Walton Easter. This 1997 film takes viewers — along with John-Boy and his pregnant wife — back to Walton’s Mountain to help celebrate John and Olivia’s 40th wedding anniversary. Of course, the longer John-Boy stays there, the more he becomes convinced he should leave NYC and settle his new family back at home. It’s sweet, lovely, and extremely corny: the perfect Easter movie.

You can stream A Walton Easter on YouTube.

Hop

Hop is one of those family movies that adults actually enjoy, too, with jokes straight over the kids’ heads and an all-star cast that includes James Marsden, Kaley Cuoco, and Hank Azaria. It’s all about a bunny whose life plan was to succeed his father as the Easter Bunny — but he’s got big Hollywood dreams instead.

You can stream Hop on Peacock, Prime Video, and Apple TV.

It’s the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown!

My kids love any Charlie Brown movie, and it’s clear after the success of It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown! and A Charlie Brown Christmas, producers knew they needed to hit all the major holidays. It’s the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown! is a pretty great one, and it even has some funny callbacks between Linus and Sally about the Great Pumpkin.

You can stream It’s the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown! on Apple TV.

Rise of the Guardians

Another kid movie secretly meant for grown-ups, Rise of the Guardians is a pretty hilarious tale in which childhood legends like the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, and Jack Frost come together to protect children. This is another star-studded cast, including Isla Fisher, Hugh Jackman, Chris Pine, Alec Baldwin, and Jude Law.

You can stream Rise of the Guardians on Netflix, Prime Video, and Apple TV.

The Prince of Egypt

If The Ten Commandments feels a little too big for an Easter family movie night, try giving The Prince of Egypt a try. This 1998 animated film tells the story of Moses, too, and has an incredible cast of ‘90s stars, including Val Kilmer, Michelle Pfeiffer, Ralph Fiennes, Sandra Bullock, Jeff Goldblum, Helen Mirren, Danny Glover, Patrick Stewart, Steve Martin, and Martin Short. Phew.

You can stream The Prince of Egypt on Peacock, Prime Video, and Apple TV.

The Easter Bunny Is Comin’ to Town

If you feel like a holiday just isn’t the same without some claymation, you’re in luck — there is a 1977 film titled The Easter Bunny is Comin’ to Town that reunites the production company Rankin/Bass with Fred Astaire as narrator, just like in your favorite Christmas claymation film. Much like the origin story of Santa Claus, this one includes an orphaned bunny and a town in need of a little extra cheer, and it is delightful.

You can stream The Easter Bunny is Comin’ to Town on Prime Video.

Ice Age: The Great Egg-scapade

A short film from the Ice Age universe, Ice Age: The Great Egg-scapade is an Easter-themed story of Manny, Sid, Diego, and the rest of the crew on the very first egg hunt. Silly and fun, it's a nice, easy, hold-their-attention kind of Easter movie.

You can stream Ice Age: The Great Egg-scapade on Disney+ and Prime Video.

Guess How Much I Love You: An Enchanting Easter

If you cry every time you read Little Nutbrown Hare and Big Nutbrown Hare’s story in Guess How Much I Love You, you’ll really love their Easter adventures in Guess How Much I Love You: An Enchanting Easter. This is the ultimate cozy watch and is soft, sweet, and just adorable.

You can stream Guess How Much I Love You: An Enchanting Easter on Prime Video and Peacock.

Easter Sunday

A hilarious comedy from Jo Koy, Easter Sunday is all about Koy coming home to celebrate Easter with his large — and slightly dysfunctional — Filipino-American family. Hijinks, of course, ensue, and anybody who’s ever had a family gathering will find humor in the story. It’s rated PG-13, but I think it's a pretty good one to show your tweens and teens.

You can stream Easter Sunday on Prime Video and Apple TV.

The Dog Who Saved Easter

A very sweet movie starring a perfect yellow labrador (yes, we needed more of these), The Dog Who Saved Easter is a totally wholesome and extremely corny family movie. Starring Mario Lopez as Zeus, the dog, this movie is part of a whole series of Zeus saving a bunch of holidays — and your kids will love them.

You can stream The Dog Who Saved Easter on Tubi and Prime Video.

Peppa Pig: The Easter Bunny

You know Peppa Pig has to have an Easter movie, right? Peppa Pig: The Easter Bunny is exactly what you’d expect from the kid-favorite show, with an Easter egg hunt, a search for the Easter Bunny, and more springtime adventures.

You can stream Peppa Pig: The Easter Bunny on Prime Video.

Yogi the Easter Bear

For a nice ‘90s throwback, you can also show your kids Yogi the Easter Bear this holiday. Created in 1994 (and the last Yogi Bear media until 2000), this one features some hijinks with Yogi and his pals as Jellystone Park hosts an Easter Jamboree. It’s only about 46 minutes long and is a fun one to watch together as a family.

You can stream Yogi the Easter Bear on Prime Video and Apple TV.

Dora’s Easter Adventure

What could be better than Dora the Explorer going on epic adventures in her Easter Sunday best? In Dora’s Easter Adventure, Swiper grabs the Hip-Hop Bunny’s basket, and Dora and Boots have to save the holiday. It’s silly and bright and fun — a nice choice for an Easter movie night.

You can stream Dora’s Easter Adventure on Paramount+ and Prime Video.

The King of Kings

Want to take your family to the actual theater to see an Easter movie this year? Inspired by Charles Dickens’ children's book The Life of Our Lord, The King of Kings from Angel Studios follows Dickens as he narrates the biography of Jesus Christ to his son, Walter (and his cat, Willa). It’s a religious choice, yes, but it’s full enough of adventure, imagination, and positive messaging that it feels like a good option even if you’re more secular. Plus, the cast is stacked, featuring the voices of Oscar Isaac, Kenneth Branagh, Uma Thurman, Mark Hamill, Pierce Brosnan, Roman Griffin Davis, Ben Kingsley, and Forest Whitaker, with a song by Kristin Chenoweth.

Bambi

OK, this one might be a stretch, but Bambi does feature a best friend bunny (“You can call me Thumper!”) and lots of sweet springtime moments. Chances are, your kids haven’t seen this one, and it’s a classic Disney movie.

You can stream Bambi on Disney+.

Jesus Christ Superstar

If your family is into musicals and a dose of religion, you need to put on Jesus Christ Superstar for an Easter movie. You can probably find a version of the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice Broadway rock opera, but the 1973 movie adaptation is great, too. Everything takes place during Holy Week, so it feels appropriate — and fun to sing — for Easter.

You can stream Jesus Christ Superstar on Amazon Prime and Apple TV.

Springtime with Roo

Springtime with Roo is such a delightful little movie. Winnie-the-Pooh, Eeyore, Kanga and Roo, and the rest of the Hundred-Acre Woods gang head to Rabbit’s house to celebrate Easter — but are met with a “spring cleaning” day instead. It’s the sweetest musical featuring all your favorite friends, and is a must-watch this time of year.

You can stream Springtime with Roo on Disney+.

Here Comes Peter Cottontail

An old-school stop-motion made-for-TV movie, Here Comes Peter Cottontail has all the vibes of your favorite Christmas TV movie classics — just Easter-themed. This one stars Danny Kaye, Vincent Price, and Casey Kasem, and is just such a nice, vintage Easter watch.

You can stream Here Comes Peter Cottontail on Tubi and Amazon Prime.

Honestly, any springtime movie is a great choice to watch on Easter weekend, but hopefully you’ll find some inspiration from this list, whether you’re watching it with your kids or on your own.

If someone asks you, “Hey, what’s on your mind?” right this very second, what would you say? You might want to say, “Oh, nothing, really” at first, but then your brain catches up. You’re thinking about your marriage, about the state of your house, about your job. You’re thinking about your old crush that popped up on Facebook last night, about the text your MIL sent your teenager on their birthday, about the summer camp registrations you have to pay for ASAP.

Because you’re a mom — and your brain is always working.

Give it a little break and dive into the brains of other moms with this week’s confessions. From trying to better themselves to stressing about the state of their relationships and parenting woes, there’s a lot here that will make you feel seen... and maybe a little grateful.

Scary Mommy Confessions are a tried-and-true part of what makes our site so fun. If you want to anonymously confess, look for our weekly callouts on Instagram. And to browse past Confessions, head here.

President Donald Trump attended an Easter Luncheon on Wednesday, April 1, where he said some shocking things about what the federal government should be spending money on right now.

Hint: not on caring for our country’s very young or very old.

The President explained that the federal government should not be subsidizing daycare because they need to focus all of its money on war, and he did not parse words. He added that he did not think the federal government should be funding Medicaid or Medicare either.

“I said to [Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought], ‘Don’t send any money for daycare because the United States can’t take care of daycare,’” he said. “That has to be up to a state. We can’t take care of daycare. We’re a big country. We have 50 states. We have all these other people. We’re fighting wars.”

Currently, the federal government does assist with some daycare funding. But in January, they cut funding to 5 Democrat-led blue states: California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, and New York.

“We can’t take care of daycare,” he continued. “You got to let a state take care of daycare, and they should pay for it too. They should pay. They’ll have to raise their taxes, but they should pay for it. And we could lower our taxes a little bit to them to make up.”

Up to this point, the Iran War has cost the United States an estimated $38 billion, and an estimated $1 billion more is spent on each passing day. At the same time, universal, fully-funded pre-kindergarten programming for every kid in the United States would cost an estimated $40 billion — almost the same amount.

“It’s not possible for us to take care of daycare, Medicaid, Medicare, all these individual things,” he concluded. “They can do it on a state basis. You can’t do it on a federal. We have to take care of one thing: military protection. We have to guard the country. But all these little things, all these little scams that have taken place … you have to let states take care of them.”

The event was live-streamed on YouTube, but the White House has since set the video to private.

Naming a baby is a process, and there are truly countless options to choose from. Maybe you specifically want something unique and old-fashioned, a name with a special meaning, or a moniker borrowed from a historical figure. But sometimes, you just know the vibe you want — and frankly, that’s enough. If you’re sick of hearing about the manosphere and want to pick a name that feels masculine but kind, intellectual, and soft, you’re not alone. These artsy boy names fit the bill — you can’t tell me Asa and Cormac aren’t going to grow up to own a bookstore.

Here are some of our favorite artsy boy names.

Asa

Asa is a gorgeous and soft unisex name that would be so adorable on a baby boy. It means “doctor” or “healer,” and also “morning.”

Finch

Bird names are some of my personal favorites for boys and girls alike. Finches are friendly songbirds with a lively, cheery personality, and your little Finch will definitely sound different from all the Jaydens, Braydens, and Aidens in his preschool class.

Jude

“Hey Jude” and Jude Law automatically spring to mind for most people who hear this name, but honestly, that’s part of the artsy appeal. It’s derived from Hebrew and means “praise.”

Leopold

This old German name means “bold people” or “brave people,” so it has a virtuous and special meaning on top of sounding very artsy. You could obviously call him Leo for short, or stick with Leopold in full.

Silas

Silas is a lyrical, soft-sounding boy name — he definitely sounds like he has round glasses and a lock of hair always falling in front of his eyes. It’s a name with Latin roots that means “forest,” so it’s perfect for nature-lovers who don’t want to name their baby after a literal tree.

More Artsy Boy Names & What They Mean

• Alden — “old friend”
• Ansel — “under divine protection”
• Asher — “happy,” “blessed”
• Cormac — “son of the raven”
• Douglas — “dark stream”
• Evander — “good man”
• Ewan — “of the yew tree”
• Griffin — “prince,” “lord”
• Harrison — “son of Harry”
• Heath — “dweller on the heathland”
• Hollis — “holly trees”
• Ira — “watchful”
• Joss — “luck,” “fate”
• Julian — “youthful”
• Kieran — “little dark one”
• Kit — “pure”
• Milo — “merciful”
• Oliver — “olive tree”
• Percy — “one who pierces the valley”
• Perry — “dweller by the pear tree”
• Quincy — “the fifth”
• Remy — “oarsman”
• Rory — “red”
• Sawyer — “woodcutter”
• Thatcher — “roof thatcher”
• Theodore — “God’s gift”
• Tristan — “melancholy”
• Wilder — “untamed”

Do any of these artsy boy names sound like your son’s?

Imagine for a second this sweet moment: You’re tucking your kids into bed, telling them how proud you are of them for the soccer goal they made that morning or for the way they helped their little brother put his shoes on at the park. They still sleep with a bunch of Squishmallows, and they smell like baby shampoo because you refuse to buy the grown-up kind yet. You’re giving them the last few hugs when they stop you and say, “Wait, can you tell me a story?”

You sigh. It’s late. You’re so tired.

They’re only little once rings in your head like a clock counting down. You only get 18 years of childhood. One day will be the last day you ever tell them a story — and you won’t know it.

“Please?” they ask.

You can’t resist. “Just one,” you say. You sit down, you snuggle back into their blankets with them, you pull them close...

And then you pull up your favorite AI bot and ask it to come up with a “good bedtime story with princesses and dragons for a 7-year-old girl and make sure the princess’s name is Ava and—”

STOP THAT RIGHT NOW.

Apparently (!) this is a thing we’re doing now. Grown adults with their very own children are using AI bots to come up with bedtime stories. Not just looking up a prompt or texting a friend, “Hey, how do you start bedtime stories with Zack?” but relying on some robot named Grok or Claude or Big Idiot Who Wants To Turn Your Brain Into Mush for this precious moment.

And it’s so damn bleak.

I get it. I really do. You’re tired, and the last thing you want to do is tell a bedtime story when you’ve been going and going since 6 a.m. when your kid woke you up with an elbow drop to the tits. But hear me out — because I think we’re giving something up here that we can’t get back.

Everyone who uses AI has a “good reason” for it. They use it because they’re insecure about their email writing skills. They use it to “clean up” their documents. But if you never write your own email again or proofread your own document or come up with your own ideas, you’re never going to get better at those things. You just... stop. And eventually, you forget how.

Too tired to come up with a bedtime story? GREAT NEWS — the world has books. You could go to your library, Barnes & Noble, or the local indie bookstore and pick one out. You could ask your mom what she used to read to you at night. You could even Google “children’s books” and find a bajillion of them with reviews and everything.

You can also just be a human person. Not everyone whose kid asks them to tell them a story is going to come up with some magical novel idea that Scholastic would buy and Warner Bros. would turn into a theme park in a year. And that’s how it’s supposed to be!

Stumble over the words, forget that you said the princess was named Ava and start calling her Ellen halfway through, let the story twist and turn without knowing where it’s going until your kid is howling with laughter because how on earth is a dragon supposed to get out of a birdhouse that’s been cursed by a witch?

Tell a story about your childhood, like the time your grandpa found a baby raccoon in the backyard and you named it and left oatmeal cream pies for it. Tell your kid the plot of Angels in the Outfield. Make up a story with the word “fart” and “butt” at least once every three sentences — your kids just want you to stay in bed with them and talk. That’s all this is! But you’re making it out like if you don’t have a perfectly curated bedtime story, then none of it matters.

I know AI has its place. But let it have its place in the mundane things that take up too much of your time. Upload your school calendar and let it add all the dates into your family planner. Ask it how to divide cookie dough so you can set aside enough of it for the kid in your child’s classroom with a peanut allergy. Have it split up your grocery list into sections and then by the stores you need to go to so that you can make your errands more efficient.

And do all of that while remembering this is the point of AI — to simplify your lives. Not to take over them. Let AI handle all the stuff that takes up too much brain energy so you can let your brain jot down funny notes in your friends’ birthday cards and write emails from the PTA and tell your kids bedtime stories.

You don’t need all that blue light glow in your face at bedtime anyway.

April is Autism Awareness Month, and Sesame Workshop is celebrating by expanding its resources to help the world be a more inclusive, joyful place. And honestly, this is the kind of thing that has no age limit.

Sesame Street and Sesame Workshop have always been pillars of kindness and love. From showcasing diversity to tackling tough subjects, the organization is the perfect example of teaching lessons that stick (and ones kids don’t even realize they’re learning). But even as a mom of three in my late 30s, I find myself feeling those lessons and resources from Sesame Workshop in a big way, and the Autism Awareness Month celebration really drove them home for me.

I’ve always loved watching my three daughters make friends — especially my middle child. She’s sensitive and empathetic and sees zero societal norms or pressures when it comes to making friends. Everybody is her friend! Everybody is worth talking to! Everybody deserves kindness! I recently learned that she’s picked by a friend in her school’s autism program almost every week to join them for “friendship Friday,” where they eat lunch together in the sensory room of her school. It’s truly magical to behold how she’s become a model of safety and comfort to her friends with autism.

And I want to be more like her.

The Sesame Workshop resources want the same for everyone. They are meant to help facilitate safe, inclusive group settings by giving children (and adults!) tips and engagement ideas for reaching out to someone, inviting others into your play, and offering encouragement to a kiddo who might feel a little uncertain or left out.

These new resources include four videos (including one with Julia, the friend on Sesame Street with autism who’s best buddies with Elmo), three printables, and one informative article. Using insights from autism experts and community members, the new resources encourage children and families to include new classmates or neighbors in conversation, learn different ways to play with new friends, and make group activities feel fun for everybody. There’s also a sweet moment when Elmo finds Julia’s headphones before a loud fire drill, which can help teach how to support those around us and make even the smallest connection mean something bigger.

We’ve come a long way in autism acceptance and inclusion, but we can always be better and kinder. I know that even I can shrink away from someone if I’m unsure how to connect with them, and looking over these Sesame Workshop resources, it empowers me to reach out more.

In an interview with Elmo and Julia, I also had the chance to ask Dr. Abigail Bucuvalas, senior director of curriculum and programs in the Global Education Department, how to encourage kids to reach out to someone who may act or seem different from them. She said it really is all about creating an environment of kindness and inclusivity, and watching behaviors bloom from there.

It’s so important, and it’s something I feel great pride in with my own parenting. If Sesame Street says it works, then goodness — I know it does.

You can find all of these new resources and more at Sesame Workshop.

In the past week alone, lithium-ion batteries have sparked fires at homes in Madison, Wisconsin, Washington, D.C., Lakeland, Florida, and even a dorm at San Diego State University. With the constant headlines about lithium batteries sending houses up in flames, it’s natural to wonder if you’re storing yours properly to manage the risks. Here’s how to store lithium batteries to keep your family safe, according to the authorities on fire safety and hazardous materials storage (*gulp*).

What devices use lithium-ion batteries?

Lithium-ion batteries are used in so many of the tech items we own today — phones, laptops, tablets, wireless headphones, e-bikes and scooters, cameras, portable chargers, and vapes. There’s also a strong chance you have large lithium-ion batteries in the garage; they provide the juice to wireless power tools and lawn equipment. Every American household has roughly 40 lithium-ion batteries inside, according to the United Fire Authority.

Where is the best place to store lithium batteries at home?

Can lithium batteries be stored in the house? What about the garage? You need to consider the temperature first and foremost.

According to U.S. Chemical Storage, the perfect temperature for lithium-ion battery storage is 59°F. More realistically, you should store them in “a moderate area that isn’t extremely hot nor extremely cold.” The label on the battery should list a temperature range it needs to stay within, but generally it’s going to mean storing them indoors in a temperature-controlled environment, rather than a garage that heats up during the day, per the EPA.

You also want to store your batteries after you use them, but before recharging, the hazardous materials authority says. “Lithium-ion batteries should be stored at around 40% state of charge. Overcharging may cause excessive heat to damage the battery internally and potentially create a fire event. Some batteries specify a charge between 30% and 50%. Always follow the individual charging instructions provided with each Li-ion battery from the manufacturer.”

So yes, while the power tools themselves can stay in the garage, you’ll want to make room for their batteries somewhere in the A/C.

Lithium-Ion Battery Safety Tips

According to the New York City Fire Department, the majority of lithium-ion battery-related fires in the city’s recent years originated from batteries used to power e-bikes and e-scooters. These vehicles have become more popular nationwide, but particularly in big cities. If you intend to buy an e-bike or e-scooter, or any device powered by a lithium-ion battery, FDNY and the United Fire Authority recommend that you:

• Check the battery for the Underwriter Laboratories (UL) Mark. The UL mark shows that the product has been tested to nationally recognized safety standards.
• Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for charging and storage. Read and save the user’s manual so you can reference it when in doubt.
• Charge the battery with the cord provided by the manufacturer only, and never placing the battery on a soft surface to charge.
• Unplug the battery from the charger once it is fully charged — don’t leave it sitting.
• Purchase replacement batteries from the manufacturer to ensure they’re compatible with your device and have been safety-tested alongside it.
• Keep batteries out of heat and direct sunlight.
• Stop using a battery if it swells, leaks, or smells burnt.
• Recycle lithium-ion batteries responsibly — never throw them in the trash. Look up your city’s waste and recycling website and find a designated hazardous materials recycling center near you.

The constant headlines about lithium-ion batteries might have you side-eyeing your partner’s power drill, but by taking some extra precautions and actually reading the user manuals for your devices, you can bring the risks of owning them way, way down.

If you've ever tallied up your food spending after a day at a theme park, you already know the damage can rival the cost of your tickets. And it's hard to avoid because, well, you want to eat all the things! It's your god-given right to roll into the park with an empty stomach and roll out with a Butterbeer in one hand and a turkey leg the size of your head in the other... even if the afternoon sets you back some serious bucks. Happily, Universal Studios Hollywood is looking to change the calculus around food costs with its newly launched Dining Pass — a single upfront purchase that covers your meals and snacks for the day.

For families planning to spend all day in the park, this sounds like it could be a sweet deal. So, let's take a closer look.

How does this work?

It's surprisingly straightforward, tbh. The Dining Pass starts at $59 (before tax), which includes two eligible entrees, plus four additional selections that can be snacks, desserts, or non-alcoholic beverages from select restaurants and food stands throughout the park. You can spread that out across your day, grabbing food when it naturally fits into your flow. In other words, you don't have to shovel it all in your gob in one sitting, and you don't have to wait until someone is mid-hanger-meltdown to stop for snacks.

"Eligible" items are clearly indicated by a Dining Pass logo on menu boards, so there's no awkward guesswork once you get to the service counter. A few ineligible items: food and drinks priced $25 or more, alcohol, Starbucks, Coca-Cola Freestyle drinks, candy, merch, souvenir or collectible items, special events, or anything in Universal CityWalk.

Where do you purchase the pass?

You can either purchase the pass online ahead of time or hit up one of the designated locations inside the park during your visit. Just be forewarned — it activates the first time you use it and is only valid for that date, so it's a real "use it or lose it" situation.

Is it really worth it?

If visiting Universal just wouldn't feel like the same experience for you without grubbing out, you're probably going to save a few bucks going this route or, at the very least, break even.

But whether the math works in your favor truly will depend on how you eat and how long you're there. If it's a quick visit and/or you tend to eat light in the park, you may be better off sticking with your usual à la carte dining.

One thing I'll personally interject here is that the food at Universal doesn't disappoint. Bonus? The menu behind the pass was developed by Executive Chef Julia Thrash and her culinary team, who run the park's 30,000-square-foot production kitchen. "We take enormous pride in preparing an eclectic menu for our guests and want our food offerings to be as exciting as the rides and attractions," Thrash said in a statement.

Is Universal Orlando going to have a Dining Pass, too?

Those of us on the East Coast who consider Universal Orlando our "home" park obviously need to know if the same deal applies. Alas, don't hold your breath just yet. I reached out to a Universal Orlando spokesperson, who confirmed that no equivalent dining pass exists at the Florida parks.

However, the rep did point out that Universal Orlando currently has a pretty compelling hotel-and-ticket offer with built-in dining savings. Guests who book a stay of five nights or longer at Universal Cabana Bay Beach Resort, Universal Aventura Hotel, Universal Stella Nova Resort, or Universal Terra Luna Resort will receive a $300 dining credit to use throughout their stay.

That offer pairs with a new multi-day ticket promotion for U.S. residents that grants you six- or seven-day park-to-park access to all four Universal Orlando theme parks: Universal Studios Florida, Universal Islands of Adventure, Universal Volcano Bay, and, yep, the new Universal Epic Universe. All for the price of a five-day ticket (for a limited time). It's a great value, considering it gives you access to more than 75 rides and attractions across the four parks.

So, while Hollywood is experimenting with a one-day, all-in dining model, Orlando is leaning into longer stays and bundled value — part of a bigger push to position Universal Orlando as a full weeklong vacation destination, especially with the addition of Epic Universe.

Whether the Dining Pass does eventually make its way to Orlando remains to be seen, but it still feels like a step in the right direction. Ideally, we'll keep inching toward a theme park reality that feels smoother and (dare we say?) even a little more affordable.

Because at the end of the day, the only thing you should be overthinking at a theme park is which ride you're going on next.

Any parent who plans a family vacation — let alone actually travels with kids — deserves a post-trip vacation on their own… or at least a few hours alone to truly destress and decompress.

As a child-free adult Disney fan (go ahead and roll your eyes, reader!), I’m well aware of the many pros and cons of planning a theme park vacation. Packed days running from ride to ride ensures your kiddos will never be bored, but record-high crowds year-round, price increases at every turn, and the need to plan out every precious moment ahead of time, and it’s understandable why you might want to throw in the towel before you even book a single ticket.

So, if popular theme parks and attractions are cost-prohibitive or the thought of making a spreadsheet to plan a vacation simply makes you want to cry, don’t fret. There are plenty of family-friendly hotels and resorts in the U.S. with amenities and attractions that kids of all ages will love so much that they won’t even miss the characters, churros, or coasters.

Kingsmill Resort | Williamsburg, Virginia

If you’re looking for a place where your family can rest their weary bones after taking in the many famous Williamsburg attractions (including Colonial Williamsburg, Yorktown, Jamestown, and, of course, Busch Gardens Williamsburg), you’ll find equal parts fun and relaxation at Kingsmill Resort.

A lush golf and spa resort situated on 2,900 acres along the James River, there are plenty of options to keep kids busy, including hiking, biking, watersports, and a game room. Of course, we don’t blame you if you instead choose to spend hours in the serene lazy river pool, which you can enter by way of waterslide or simply by hopping onto a float. Your choice.

Big Cypress Lodge | Memphis, Tennessee

You’d be hard-pressed to find a hotel as unique as Big Cypress Lodge, which is situated in a massive glass pyramid within the world’s largest Bass Pro Shops. Billed as a “rustic nature retreat,” you can stay in one of more than 100 rooms with either a treehouse or duck-hunting cabin theme.

Kids of all ages will love the glass elevator ride to the observation deck at the tippy top of the pyramid, the indoor aquarium, and the ocean-themed bowling alley, while adults will love the world-class dining options and luxe spa amenities.

The Plaza New York | New York City

Sure, The Plaza is a splurge. But on a trip to the Big Apple, it’s so worth spending a night or two tucked away in this classic New York stomping ground that prominently features the playful Eloise. You and your princes and princesses can stay in the iconic Eloise Suite (which does cost a pretty penny) or simply visit the hotel's Eloise Shop and Palm Court and Eloise Shop. At the former, you’ll find all kinds of special-themed goodies to shop, and at the latter, you can enjoy an Eloise-themed afternoon tea service with treats like cake pops, cotton candy, and cupcakes.

The Plaza also has a Home Alone 2 experience, complete with the requisite ice cream sundae!

Hawks Cay Resort | Duck Key, Florida

There’s so much to see in Florida beyond the Orlando theme parks, and Hawks Cay Resort in the Florida Keys (located directly between Miami and Key West) is a shining example of that. Oversized family suites overlooking the ocean and multi-bedroom villas provide enough wiggle room for everyone, and the family will love swimming, enjoying the resort’s private marina, deep-sea fishing, dolphin spotting, saltwater lagoon, stand-up paddle boarding, and snorkeling. Animal lovers can even learn a thing or two about aquatic life as part of the in-depth environmental educational programs provided on-site.

Dog Bark Park Inn | Cottonwood, Idaho

Welcome to the Dog Bark Park Inn! This charming roadside attraction is for the dogs… and anyone who loves them, of course. Nestled inside the world’s largest Beagle named Sweet Willy (so cute) is a four-person guesthouse with everything you need to get a solid night’s snooze, including a sleeping loft and a private bathroom, plus a microwave, a mini-fridge, and a coffee maker. Naturally, this one-room hotel is dog-friendly, and you’ll find all kinds of canine-themed creature comforts, such as dog-shaped cookies and treats and a gift shop with all kinds of quirky finds.

The Roxbury Experience | Roxbury, New York

I’ve stayed in hotels from Shanghai to San Francisco, but none have charmed my heart quite like The Roxbury. Nestled in the Catskills, each of the sister resorts’ rooms is impeccably themed, and you can choose between a bevy of tower cottages, mansion rooms, and standard rooms and suites. But trust me: There’s nothing standard about this whimsical masterpiece of a motel, which features intricate detailing in every corner and so much for kids to explore on-site.

Whether your family wants to stay in a lush, fairytale-themed tower cottage or you’re eyeing the colorful two-bedroom genie’s bottle suite, as soon as you arrive at the Roxbury, you’ll be on the website planning a return visit. The owners pour love into every single square inch of these properties, and it’s a magical place whether you’ve got winter sports lovers on hand or you want a quiet warm weather escape to the mountains.

Pro tip: Visit on a weekend, as nearby dining options during the week can be limited.

Capitol Reef Resort | Torrey, Utah

Experience a slice of pioneer life in the unique accommodations of Capitol Reef Resort, where the whole family can stay in an actual Conestoga wagon, teepee, or cabin. Each pick is chock-full of luxe amenities (don’t worry, there’s air conditioning!), but you can also stay in the onsite guestrooms, which are a bit more modern than their 19th-century-inspired counterparts.

The entire resort overlooks the stunning Red Rock Cliffs, and you’ll make priceless family memories as you gaze at the stars in front of the resort’s cozy fire pits.

Topnotch Resort | Stowe, Vermont

Few places are as perfect to rest and recharge after exploring all that Stowe has to offer as the idyllic, luxurious Topnotch Resort with picturesque mountain views. There’s truly something for everyone here, including indoor and outdoor pools, whirlpool Jacuzzis, tennis courts, and a full spa. Kids especially will love the onsite Equestrian Center for horseback riding and carriage or sleigh rides, as well as the outdoor fire pits with s’mores kits, hot cocoa, and afternoon tea. When they need to run around a bit, the wide expansive lawn overlooking Mount Mansfield also has badminton and volleyball courts.

You don’t even need to leave Fluffy or Fido behind — the resort is pet-friendly, offering in-room dog beds, water and food bowls, endless treats, and special canine-friendly turndown service and spa treatments (including an in-room Rover Reiki and Massage session). Nothing but the best for our human and furry family members, right?

The Curtis | Denver, Colorado

The irresistibly kitschy Curtis is located right in the center of Denver’s theater district, and the toughest part will be choosing which hyper-themed room to stay in. From an out-of-this-world Star Trek theme room to the famed video game suite that includes a Donkey Kong arcade and board games, it’s the quirky escape that lets you live out your childhood fantasies — but even better, because you can bring your own kids along for the fun.

Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge | Talkeetna, Alaska

The unbeatable panoramic views of the unforgettable Alaska Range are merely the tip of the iceberg (pun absolutely intended) at Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge, as this gorgeous getaway destination provides memorable experiences for all ages and vacation styles. Enjoy onsite activities like jet boat tours, fishing, hiking, biking, zip lining, and even sightseeing flights — all of which offer a unique chance to soak up the true beauty of Alaska on a trip your crew will never forget.

JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa | San Antonio, Texas

A dreamy, idyllic resort oasis located smack in the middle of Alamo City? You betcha. Take advantage of everything San Antonio has to offer, and then rest your bones at JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort and Spa. The lush, 600-acre property includes multiple pools that are heated year-round, an expansive lazy river, and water slides to suit adventure seekers of all ages.

Big Cedar Lodge | Ridgedale, Missouri

The lakeside Big Cedar Lodge is massive, and every square inch is packed with outdoor fun for adventurous families. In fact, you can leave the fear of dull moments at the door here, because there’s a dizzying list of onsite activities to try, including paddle boats, canoes, and kayaks. You can dip your toes in your choice of five different swimming pools, a lazy river, or a white sandy beach, keeping warm by the onsite bonfires. There are also plenty of boredom-busters on dry land, including mini golf, go-karts, a ropes course, an underwater-themed bowling alley, and laser tag.

Adventure Suites | North Conway, New Hampshire

All-ages fun abounds at the boutique Adventure Suites. Each room is expertly themed, which means you can bring up to 18 guests and splurge on the spooky five-floor haunted castle or cozy up with the fam in the intricate treehouse suite. It makes for the perfect getaway to the mountains, and kids will love the arcade games and billiards in the saloon, as well as the hammock, swing, yard games, playground, and cozy outdoor fire patio that’s open year-round.

Grand Hotel | Mackinac Island, Michigan

The charming Grand Hotel is known for having the world’s longest front porch, and the entire family will love strolling around the grounds, playing lawn games, biking, and enjoying horseback rides and carriage tours at the hotel’s stables. You won’t want to miss the incredible pool, which features a zero-depth beach entry, a water jet play area, and a water slide. You can even enjoy onsite live music and dancing — there’s truly never a dull moment at this lively hotel.

Tanque Verde Ranch | Tucson, Arizona

If an all-inclusive family resort tucked in Tucson’s most gorgeous desert landscape sounds like your idea of an incredible getaway, you’re officially in luck. Tanque Verde Ranch outpost provides plenty of opportunities to relax and recharge the batteries. Bonus? The kids will have the opportunity for fun at every turn thanks to a jam-packed daily activities schedule that you can purchase for the day or a la carte. Activities include archery, horseback riding, slime making, clay modeling, and so much more, and parents can rest easy knowing their kids are having an absolute blast the entire time.

Four Seasons Oahu | Kapolei, Hawaii

The Four Seasons Oahu is, hands down, one of the most welcoming family resorts and makes it a point to make sure kids feel seen and families get those core memories they came for. Nestled along four breathtaking jewel-toned lagoons, this destination features tranquil waters, an expansive kids’ club, and an array of cultural and adventure activities for the whole family.

Even the spa can be catered to families with their private family Mu Hala Sound Journey — a tranquil, sensory-rich immersion designed to calm the mind and bring families into deeper connection. Talk about family connection!

They resort even has a complimentary kids program which invites children ages 5 to 12 to experience a world of fun and discovery through an array of Oahu kids activities – arts and crafts, outdoor sports, swimming, and more – taking advantage of our Resort’s expansive grounds. So, the kids get to be kids, while mom and dad can sneak away for a moment of peace. Win-win!

Every night before I go to sleep, I spend a few moments clearing out my bed: books, a few plastic pieces of food, a doll or stuffed animal or two, and almost always a fistful of crumbs from someone’s Goldfish crackers or granola bar or popcorn eaten after school.

Because my three daughters treat my bed — my entire bedroom, honestly — like it’s just an extension of their own. Forget raising living room kids or bedroom kids; I’m clearly raising “parents’ bedroom kids.”

Does it mean anything?

My own mom tells me that going into her parents’ bedroom as a kid was pretty much a no-no. She only went in there if she had asked permission, and she never thought to jump into her parents’ bed while they were in there.

During my own childhood, my parents’ bedroom wasn’t off limits — I definitely wandered in and flopped on my mom’s bed so I could talk to her while she got ready for bed — but it never, ever occurred to me to hang out in there without her. It was just Mom’s room.

But my own grown-up bedroom? My kids treat it like another playroom, even when I’m not in there. I frequently find evidence of them hanging out in our bedroom, just having a good time. Sometimes they use our bedroom for pretend games, turning our dresser into a grocery store and our bed into a veterinary office, where I find stuffed bunnies wrapped up in American Girl doll slings and fake cans of spaghetti sauce under my pillow.

Sometimes they take their tablets up there and play games together, all sprawled out on our queen bed. Sometimes they watch a movie. We’ve even walked in to find friends over for a playdate snuggled up in our bed, like our kids just think it’s a free-for-all.

Our kids happily sleep in their own beds and use their actual playrooms, too. But given the choice of where to relax? They almost always choose our room. Never did I suggest they hang out in our bedroom — but I’ve never told them not to hang out in there either. It just sort of happened.

So, what does it mean?

“Children visiting their parents' bedroom is not about the space only. Rather, it's all about the emotional safety, closeness, and effortless emotional regulation that a parent's bedroom holds for their child,” says psychiatrist Dr. Maya Reynolds, MD, MPH. “If I talk from a developmental viewpoint, I would add that it indicates a child's secure attachment because whenever they want a connection and comfort, they come close to their parents.”

Reynolds also points out that today’s parenting culture is more flexible and relationship-centered, making shared spaces feel natural and sheltering.

This kind of insight makes me want to cry. I love that my girls find our bedroom so comforting. I love that they don’t feel like they have to walk on eggshells in any part of our home. I love that they feel safe crawling into my bed to watch Matilda.

But, like... I’d love to not find a toy in my bed every single night.

Balance matters, Reynolds says. If kids are consistently gravitating to your room and avoiding their own space, it might signal anxiety or overstimulation (and I might need to work on some boundaries).

If you’re in a similar boat, Reynolds suggests spending time with your kids in your bedroom while also encouraging them to seek out their own independent play and hang out in their own spaces. Simple rules can help: no toys in the bedroom, or the bedroom is for bedtime stories only and then it’s back to their own rooms for your kiddos.

We already have a few of these rules in our house. Our kids aren’t allowed to dig into our dresser drawers or nightstands, and if they borrow a charger or an outlet, they have to make sure everything’s put back like it was. Ideally, I’d ban them from eating in my bed, but honestly, is there no greater comfort than a snack in your parents’ bed while you read a book?

Living room kids, bedroom kids, parents’ bedroom kids — may we all have a home where our kids feel free to wander and plop themselves down with a handful of Oreos.

Spring is here and summer beckons. Before long, it’ll be time for beach trips, patio margs, and backyard barbecues. That also means that when you’re getting ready for these fun in the sun days, you have to decide whether it’s even worth it to put makeup on or if it’ll just melt off your face in five minutes.

Well, we here at Scary Mommy are in the same boat (we wish we were on a real boat...), and we’re sick of feeling like a sweaty mess when we want to feel pretty and sun-kissed. So, we asked a professional makeup artist for her best advice on how to get your makeup to stay on in the heat. It’s a little bit about what you use, and a lot about how you use it, she says.

How To Get Your Makeup To Stay On In The Heat

Most makeup artists agree that for your makeup to look its best and wear its longest, you need to prep your skin before applying. And when it’s hot out, you want to start with a gripping primer and then build up your foundation a little at a time.

“When it’s hot or humid, the longevity of your makeup really starts with how you prep the skin. I always begin with a smoothing primer to create grip, followed by a lightweight, breathable complexion product rather than anything overly heavy. Thin layers are key — after all, it’s much better to build coverage gradually than to apply a lot at once, because thicker layers tend to break down faster in heat,” says Nikki DeRoest, LA-based celebrity makeup artist and founder and CEO of ciele Cosmetics.

If you’re worried about heat and sweat, you should probably also be thinking about sun exposure, DeRoest says. Her advice is to reach for products that have SPF built into their formulas. They’ll help you prevent exposure to harmful UV rays throughout the day, and you won’t ruin your makeup by reapplying a traditional SPF — you can just pop on a little more skin tint instead.

“For example, I’d start with Ciele’s Prime & Protect SPF 30+ to smooth the skin and help makeup adhere better, followed by Ciele’s Tint & Protect SPF 50+, which gives breathable coverage while also protecting the skin,” she explains.

You may have to touch up your makeup in the summertime, even if you’re not someone who typically does so during less sweaty seasons of the year. You don’t need to travel with your whole makeup bag, but keeping a few versatile tools in your purse can do wonders, DeRoest says.

“I always recommend keeping blotting papers, a small powder compact, and a lip product in your bag. Blotting papers are great because they absorb excess oil without adding more product. A powder blush is also helpful because you can lightly revive the cheeks if needed,” she says.

If you’re a millennial who spent time learning from beauty guru YouTube, chances are you’re wondering where setting powder fits into this sweat-proof makeup routine. Those early influencers set every inch of their face in every tutorial. But you really don’t need to do all that, DeRoest says.

“You absolutely don’t have to mattify your entire face to make makeup last. I actually prefer keeping the skin luminous and only setting the areas that tend to move the most, like the center of the face or along the temples if you tend to sweat,” she says. “A cream blush or complexion product layered with a very light touch of powder in strategic areas can help maintain that skin-like finish. For example, you might apply a cream blush first and then lightly tap a powder blush over it to set the color without losing the glow.”

Setting spray, on the other hand, really can help hold your makeup in place without changing the finish of your skin. Makeup setting sprays contain polymers that form a lightweight film or “net” over your makeup, which holds it in place throughout the day and makes it more resistant to humidity, sweat, and smudging.

As a beauty lover who tests a ton of products for work — and a lifelong resident of the Sunshine State — here are the products I keep on my vanity for hot summer days:

Power Grip Primer

e.l.f. Cosmetics -

Skinforia Serum Foundation

Well People -

Hydro Grip 12-Hour Hydrating Gel Skin Tint

Milk Makeup -

Do It All Radiant Concealer

IT Cosmetics -

VividLuxe Crème Blush Stick

Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics -

Ultra-Blur 24HR Hydrating Setting Spray with Hyaluronic Acid & Niacinamide

Laura Mercier -

Loose Superpowder Brightening Powder

Well People -

Whether you want to put on makeup or declare this a bare-faced summer, more power to you. If you do want to pop on a little something before you meet the girls for oysters later, we hope these tips and tricks help you feel beautiful.

If you had a job before kids, chances are you had aspirations to go really far with that career — or to potentially find a better, more successful position. Maybe you wanted to be at the top of the corporate ladder or to manage an entire business. Maybe you just knew that the position you were in wasn’t going to be enough, and you’d eventually want more and more. Pay raises, promotions, success after success — it’s what we’re all supposed to want, right?

And then we have kids.

One parent took to the Reddit /parenting group to ask, “Anyone else give up on the corporate ladder after having kids?” The original poster (OP) shared that they’ve been in corporate America for 16 years, starting off as a customer service rep making $16/hour to now bringing in six figures in the software development department of the same company. The OP said that going farther and farther up the ladder was always their intention, and that they often worked weekends and far past their 5 p.m. day cutoff to make sure that happened.

“Then kids came along and I really don’t give a crap about climbing anyone’s ladder. I don’t want to be a director, I don’t want more work responsibilities, and in fact, I’m still on my 5 p.m. departure schedule and at 4:50, I’m packing up to get the hell out of there immediately and go home,” OP wrote. “Work went from top two on my list to probably somewhere near the bottom, and being with my family is now number one. Times have changed pretty dramatically.”

And according to comments, they definitely aren’t alone.

“Yep! As soon as mine were born, it became less about ‘I want to be successful and make a ton of money’ and more of ‘I just want to be financially secure, give my kids a good start to their lives, and spend time with them,’” one commenter wrote. They added that any job or promotion that requires nights or weekends is a no. “I’d rather just stay at my current level forever.”

“I'm on the hunt, myself, and I already know my career has stagnated (but I've had a lot of time for my family so I'm fine with it) but I'm actively looking for jobs which are barely a step up from my current/last job just so I don't have to take on more responsibility,” another shared.

“Yep, the only people in my life I want to be the best version of myself for is my kids and husband,” another wrote. “I’m not going to bomb at work because I need the money to feed said kids, but they will get exactly 75% of me and nothing more. I’ve worked my ass off too hard for too little for me to ever feel like giving 100% to a corporation is worth it.”

But other commenters were quick to point out that while they don’t want a high-stress job that takes them away from their family, the allure of more money is definitely still there.

“I don't at all BUT there are days the ‘What if i can make more $ for my family?’ creeps in,” one commenter wrote.

One mom shared that she feels the opposite of OP, and actually works harder now and wants to achieve more since having kids. “I want my daughter to have financial security and a comfortable life, something my childhood lacked. I also want her to see women not just staying at home, which is part of the reason I love her preschool. It's all high achieving parents.”

Another mom added that she was fine giving up the corporate ladder, but not the academic one. “I enrolled in a master degree after leaving the corporate world and loved it. I got pregnant in the end, presented my thesis 8 months pregnant. I was OK with being a SAHM, but now I really miss my academic career,” she wrote. “I think I will be a PhD candidate when my kids (I intend to have more) get to school age. I was hoping to wait until they were in high school, but I think I can't wait so much.”

Bottom line: it’s all about what you’re passionate about. Of course it’s normal for work to become less of a priority and for family to be the only thing that matters, but that doesn’t mean you have to give up all your dreams or aspirations. You reconfigure, work hard at what matters, and stop letting the rest stress you out.

This Reddit thread is also a great reminder that there’s nothing wrong with being content. There seems to be so much pressure to go, go, go and to get bigger promotions and make more money and achieve more and more things. But if you’re happy doing whatever it is you’re doing — whether it’s a corporate job or a part-time gig — then why mess with a good thing?

And seriously, no matter what you’re doing for work — leave when you’re supposed to. Do good work, but don’t give away your soul. Keep your own work ethic and make yourself proud without sacrificing any of your life. It’s easier said than done, but it’s important.

No two kids are the same, yet many parents fall back on the same habits to calm or distract their children (think: a sweet treat, a new toy, or an engaging game). There’s a reason these reliable rewards work to turn your kid’s frown upside-down, but when a child is feeling riled up or anxious, the best thing you can do is help them regulate their emotions. One thing that can aid in that: a calming movie!

What you play on the TV to settle your kids down when you need a moment (or several) of peace — or when you need to get work done at home — can actually play a large role and act as a helping hand in mitigating stressful or high-energy times in your household. So, while it’s true that screen time shouldn’t be your automatic response to calming your child, it’s not a bad idea either.

What It Means To Feel Calm When You’re A Kid

The first thing to remember when it comes to calming your child — and maybe parenting in general — is that every kid is different.

“What might be calm to one child might be different for another based on just who they are, what their personalities are, but also their neurotypical-ness or atypical-ness,” says Jennifer Thompson, the executive director of the New Jersey Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. Still, one commonality is that children feel and behave better with structure. “They thrive and feel most secure and calm, and exhibit calm behavior, when they understand the rules and the boundaries,” Thompson says. When structure and supervision are in place, it “gives them the safety to be who they are and explore safely.”

How To Help Children Calm Down With A Movie

When a child is feeling stress or exhibiting excess energy, calming them means soothing their emotions and physiological state, according to Joanna Fortune, a psychotherapist specializing in parent-child relationships and the author of 15 Minute Parenting and Why We Play.

“When we want to calm children, one of the ways we trigger the subsystems of our brain that are associated with emotional regulation is using rhythm and synchrony,” Fortune says. This may mean holding your child’s hands and guiding them through swaying or tapping motions. Another way to instill calm is to change their field of vision and ask them to identify five things they see, four things they can touch, three things they can smell, and so on, to engage their senses.

When you’re in a pinch and need to soothe your child so you can take a meeting or prepare for company, you can pair these calming behaviors with a film. That might look like sitting with them for at least the first 15 minutes of the film to set the tone and facilitate their watching by cuddling them or asking questions about the storyline. Another way to keep them calm while watching is to assign them corresponding activities. Harkening back to the five senses, providing them with a list of objects to look for and check off as they’re watching or telling them to draw a picture of their favorite character are both ways to keep them feeling calm.

Once they’re engaged, you can leave them to watch while you get your work or chores done and plan to debrief with them at the end of the movie.

How To Choose A Calming Movie

Again, every child is unique, so some movies that seem harmless could upset your child if there are themes or plot points they’re sensitive to. Because of this, the best thing you can do when selecting a movie is consider what’s going on in your child’s life — maybe Coco isn’t the best idea for a child dealing with a loss in the family, for example.

“That’s why I also think using a familiar movie that you know they’ve seen, you know they’re familiar with the content of what’s in it — the familiarity is going to be reassuring to both of you,” says Fortune. Choosing a film you’ve at least seen is a great precaution to take, too.

When you’re seeking out new movies, avoid anything with violence or trauma plot points, such as parental divorce or the death of a pet, that may be upsetting. Also, stray from films that feature a lot of energizing action, even if it is something they can emotionally handle. “If you’re hoping they’re going to sit still and calm down with this, and it has an exciting sword-fighting scene, then they’re going to be jumping up on your sofa,” says Fortune. “It may actually affect the exact opposite of what you had hoped.”

Still, the movies don’t need to be boring. In fact, choosing ones with an upbeat soundtrack may be engaging for a child who enjoys singing, humming, or bopping to music. Other elements you can look for include films that show a range of emotions the characters process, those with muted or primary colors, and those that show children adventuring and triumphing. These qualities may help your child not only feel calm but also empowered.

Calming Kids’ Movies To Cue Up

1. Mary Poppins (1964)
2. The Little Prince (2015)
3. Ponyo (2008)
4. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977)
5. Pooh’s Grand Adventure: The Search for Christopher Robin (1997)
6. Paddington (2014)
7. Ratatouille (2007)
8. Frozen (2013)
9. Moana (2016)
10. Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989)
11. The BFG (2016)
12. Inside Out (2015)
13. Alice in Wonderland (1951)
14. The Adventures of Milo & Otis (1986)
15. In Your Dreams (2025)
16. Wall-E (2008)
17. The Gruffalo (2009)
18. Leo (2023)
19. Thomas & Friends: The Adventure Begins (2015)
20. The Peanuts Movie (2015)
21. Song of the Sea (2014)
22. Spellbound (2024)
23. Stick Man (2015)
24. Maya the Bee Movie (2014)
25. My Neighbor Totoro (1988)
26. Encanto (2021)
27. The Lego Movie (2014)
28. Clifford the Big Red Dog (2021)
29. Secret of the Wings (2012)
30. DisneyNature’s Oceans (2009)
31. A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon (2019)
32. Cars (2006)
33. Soul (2020)
34. Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
35. Babe (1995)
36. Walt Disney Animation Studios Short Films Collection (2015)
37. Mary and the Witch’s Flower (2017)
38. K-Pop Demon Hunters (2025)

In 2018, Mara Martin went viral. It was a different world back then — TikTok wasn’t a thing, Instagram reels weren’t perfectly edited and curated, and going viral meant international levels of recognition. We’re talking interviews with reporters in Australia and segments on everything from local news to Inside Edition and Good Morning America all for Mara’s big moment: walking the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit runway in Miami.

But it crossed more than just hemispheres; this moment crossed a whole lot of societal norms.

Because Mara was breastfeeding her daughter as she walked the runway. Wearing a gold metallic bikini, her long hair down, she took that moment she’d been working towards her whole life and turned into a statement on motherhood, on chasing dreams, and on women being able to have it all.

But that really wasn’t her intention. “I was just feeding her,” she tells me. “It wasn’t this big statement.”

Since then, Mara has continued to be a model, an advocate, and even operates her own PR company, Vyral PR, helping other women find their voice and identity. And even without that viral moment in 2018, she fully believes that chasing her dreams alongside her two daughters is better than doing it on her own. I got the chance to catch up with her and talk about all the things we love most — like being a mom — and how it has completely shifted our mindset on everything else.

Scary Mommy: I need to thank you for being so flexible, I know we’ve had to reschedule this chat a few times because of kid stuff.

Mara Martin: Isn’t it crazy? You were talking about how you feel like your kids haven’t had a full week of school since the holidays, and I’m like, “Oh my God, do they ever?” Even this week, they were off on Monday. We just had a whole spring break. Next week they’re off on Friday. I’m like, “When do they go to school?”

SM: Literally. And even with talking about all the chaos of kids and school, I just have to say that your Instagram really just shows what a joyful mom you are.

MM: Oh my God, thank you.

SM: It’s so nice to see. There’s so much on social media about the dullness of motherhood and the overwhelm, and it’s so fun to see how much you really enjoy it.

MM: I actually do really enjoy being a mom. I actually like being around my kids. In the summer, I don’t put them in any camps. I genuinely enjoy doing things with them. My husband even gets annoyed by it. He’s like, “Can’t we just do something by ourselves?” And I’m like, “I like having them around!”

SM: That’s so funny. I’m the same way.

MM: So yeah, that's basically my life. Even work stuff, I bring them to a lot of my work stuff, too. I'll do runway shows or even interviews, I like to have them see as an example of what I do, and they find joy in it as well. And so, I'm the person that if it doesn't say don't bring your kids, I'm bringing my kids. You might want to put it on the invitation or make it clear beforehand because they're probably going to be there with me.

SM: I mean that’s kind of how your viral moment came, right? You took your baby to the casting call?

MM: In the modeling industry, there's kind of a time limit. You have to make it in your 20s, and that's just what it is. And especially years ago, this was six, seven years ago, and there was this open call casting for the dream brand, like Victoria's Secret, Sports Illustrated. Those are the peak of modeling. And I was like, oh, I've just freshly became a mom, but this opportunity — I've never done this before. And I was just like, I'll just take her. It'll be a typical casting. We'll be in and out. And I got there, and of course I'm the only one with a baby.

SM: Oh, I bet.

MM: And there was 10,000 girls. I remember calling my friend like, “Oh my gosh. I'm going to look so stupid. I had my diaper bag. I didn't even bring a stroller.” And yeah, so I brought her there because I didn't have a babysitter, and I was like, I'm not missing this. And so I brought her, and it kind of really started my whole brand. And the breastfeeding moment, I mean, I love sharing the story because people always assume it was this planned thing and this statement. And I wish it was. I wish I did, like, “Oh my gosh. I'm going to be girl power.” But it almost felt more inspiring in some way that it wasn't planned because it was just the rawness of motherhood. It was just me being backstage, being a mom and having to do my job and my boss supporting me in my job. And the editor-in-chief, MJ Day, she was so supportive. She's like, “Yeah, absolutely. It's your moment, go for it.” There was no hesitation with it.

I’ve thought like, “Oh, would it have been cooler if I would've really planned this out?” But it ended up working out to where it was, in my opinion, the best case scenario. It just showed how this moment of motherhood and postpartum bodies and the working mom on the runway came — because really that's what I was doing all day long, every two hours.

SM: I honestly love that it wasn’t planned. It just feels so, “This is just what moms do.” And it's normalizing it by actually normalizing it by not making a big statement about it.

MM: Yeah, exactly. 100%. And that was part of it too, is I feel like just being that kind of example that we figure it out. Moms always just get the shit done and figure it out.

SM: I was thinking about this during the Olympics with the speed skater, Francesca Lollobrigida, when she won and had her toddler afterwards. And the amount of people who were mad that they were like, “This is taking away from her moment.” And later she spoke out and basically said she wanted her kid up there with her.

MM: I mean, there's always a time — and I know moms can relate to this — where you want to have your moment and you work so hard for it. But I do find, for me especially — and it's not every mom, every mom has their own thing that they feel or want to go through — I find these really big moments of bringing them and showing them because I want to be that example for them, as cliche as it may sound. I had always assumed when you became a mom, you kind of had to give up those dreams. And it felt really cool and inspiring that it was actually the start of my career, the start of everything when I did become a mom. And I was like, “What better example of this is myself to show them that really there's no expiration date?” The limits you set are really on yourself. I've told myself the whole time like, “Oh my gosh, if I don't make it by 30, I'm never going to make it. I'm never going to do this.” So having that moment with Sports Illustrated as a mom, it felt like, oh my gosh, we can do anything at any point in our lives.

SM: Have you seen that quote where it's like, “It may be their childhood, but it's also your motherhood”?

MM: Yes, 100%. That’s exactly it.

SM: I also saw that you’ve advocated for gun safety in D.C.

MM: I felt like it was a disservice not to use this platform that I've been given and so anything that comes my way that I feel passionate about, especially in the motherhood space, I'm like, sign me up. I want to do this because it's just a huge way to share how I feel, but also the people that follow me are mostly mothers and women. And so at Capitol Hill, I mean, I don't know how your stance is on gun violence, but —

SM: Oh, I’m with you.

Mara Martin: OK. So I used to be one of those people where I would post “thoughts and prayers” anytime something like that would happen, and I'm like, I am being hypocritical. I need to do something about this. Posting on my stories is not enough. And so, this opportunity had come with March Fourth and to go to Capitol Hill, and we meet with senators. And I met the senators from Florida, where I'm from. And it just feels so much more important now, even though it's always been important. When I was there my first time, my oldest was in kindergarten. I remember her coming home and talking about these active shooter drills. And I'm like, oh my gosh, because we grew up in a world where we did the tornado drills and the fire drills.

So yeah, I go there with March Fourth, and we meet with senators and hope to make change and show that, again, moms are here. And they don't mess around with us because we're not going to leave. And they listen to everything that we say. And it feels like I could be more involved that way.

SM: Moms have to handle everything.

MM: It's always the moms. It's always the moms. I mean, I always say that. I'm like, if you ever need anything or job-wise, I'm like, just look to a mom to do it because they always figure it out.

SM: What other things are you doing now?

MM: Years after my viral moment, I started a public relations firm. And I now help other women and other brands maximize and elevate their viral moments. And so, I felt like that was such a cool way from going viral myself to then giving back to other creators and people trying to make it in the industry. And so, I now have this great roster of, again, mostly women and moms that are doing really incredible things. I feel, not like I'm an expert at it, but I always tell the people that I meet with as clients, I'm like, “I have a different edge because I've been on the other side of it where I know sharing your story is so important to you.” so you want someone who represents you, who gets that importance. I'm like, “I have a little bit of a uniqueness here,” or that I can position it in a way that is a little bit more storytelling because I've experienced it firsthand.

It would've never happened without that moment on the runway.

SM: What a moment to change everything, especially with your daughter. Being a girl who demanded food is actually a great thing to go viral for.

MM: That's exactly what it was. And I'm like, that's all it was, too. You were just crying and hungry in the back, and now look at our lives.

And I'll die on this hill, but I had always thought that when you become a mom, it consumes your life. And of course it does. But for me, it's just enhanced it so much because it gives you even a bigger purpose because usually you're doing things for yourself, and it's just constantly thinking of them. And I want to make them proud, too. So I want to do things that they look up to me and want to be like me. It just changed — being a mother has just changed so much of my perspective on everything.

SM: You and I have one mind on this. I always say my girls brought a light I didn’t know was there. All the stuff I used to stress about, it’s like, “Why?” They gave me such clarity.

MM: Everything that we worried about in our 20s or before kids does not matter anymore — you want to make them proud and make them see everything. I remember picking apart my looks and even my face, and I'm looking at my daughters, and I'm like, “I couldn't fathom them ever saying that about themselves.” There’s not even a thought that goes through my mind anymore when I get dressed because I don't want them ever to even have that in their thought process. And the millennial era, I mean, we grew up on tabloids of diet pills and starving yourself.

SM: I can still see Jessica Simpson in those size four jeans when they were like “She’s packing on the pounds!”

MM: It was such a crazy time, and it was just normal. That's just what you consumed. That's what you saw. That's what you read. That's what it was. And I'm like, oh my gosh, I know social media is challenging, and it's going to be challenging for our girls, but I feel confident that I'm going to make them confident in themselves and the way they perceive themselves, unlike our millennial era.

SM: Yeah I think the culture is still changing. And millennial moms are overcoming their own trauma.

MM: 100%. I feel like, I mean, I know everyone thinks their generation's the best, but I'm like millennial moms are it. They're peak of everything. They're the hottest. They're the bosses of their own, whatever they're doing. And I just feel like we have it all basically. We’ve experienced every part of internet, no internet, school shootings, 9/11, COVID, and we're just like these fierce moms, fierce women, just wanting to help our kids get out there.

SM: Just trying to feed our kids and get them home safe at the end of the day.

MM: Exactly.

At what age are kids most enjoyable? That debate has probably raged on since time immemorial among parents who found themselves stumbling through toddlerhood but thriving with teens around, or struggling to discipline a headstrong tween when they felt most themselves with a baby in one arm. On r/Mommit, user SecretBabyBump posted about a trip she and her 9-year-old son took together, asking other users if this really is the best age ever, or if her son could possibly get any better.

“For his birthday I took him on a special weekend trip just him and I. We drove five hours away to a little resort town with a fantastic theater where he is seeing his first Shakespeare play. We talked the WHOLE WAY down. The whole car ride! We listened to some history podcasts, talked about them, looked up more podcasts about stuff we talked about, talked about them some more. Talked about God, the nature of the divine and what we think happens when we die (?!?!?) He brought it up mostly? like I asked clarifying questions but was definitely NOT planning on talking about THE BIG STUFF in the car on the way out of town.”

She goes on to say they saw their play and had a fancy dinner together, where her son chatted up the waitress and was just all around precious. “When did he turn into a little man? Is this it? Is it downhill after this? Because there’s no way it can get better,” she wrote. “Moms with tiny tots... it’s so so so worth it. There were definitely days when he was 3 that I was legitimately worried I was raising a psychopath. I didn’t! It’ll be okay.”

While the merit of the newborn stage and terrible twos are hotly contested, the comments on this post all suggest that ages 8 to 10 are indeed a sweet spot for most kids.

“It's one of the best. 8 to about 11 is really fun. Then 12 to 14 is a challenge. But then 14 to 18 is pretty amazing and adult kids are the best,” the top comment reads. One commenter, a teacher and mom, said, “It gets better... Better and better and better. Enjoy every single second. These little people are the most fantastic thing ever and, as long as you listen, you'll have these kinds of memories forever.”

Another commenter chalked up the wonder of 9 year olds to them being in a perfect developmental stage. “They know a little bit of patience and empathy. They understand cause and effect — consequences!!! My 10 year old knows good jokes AND he appreciates funny moments as they happen. He listens and still wants to hang out with us. He has no sharp edges or resentment. There is no pretense or trying to be cool. He just understands things and is enjoyable to be around.”

Other moms point out that actually yeah, their 9 year olds still have two feet firmly planted in childhood — they don’t feel embarrassed to hold hands or get a kiss from Mom in the car line. They want to hang out with their parents first and foremost still. And their conversations and questions are genuinely interesting, and when you can share interests (like Shakespeare plays and fancy dinners), well, then the fun can really begin.

Every mom is unique — we each have our own preferences and baggage and nervous systems that all thrive under different circumstances. While some of us may have adored those hazy newborn days, others among us shiver when we recall them. Some moms adore squishy, bull-headed toddlers, and others would rather give birth 10 times in exchange for skipping the 2- and 3-year-old ages. But for those of us parents with young kids, it’s comforting to know there’s a pretty universal light at the end of the tunnel when we will see all the love we’ve poured into our kids pay off. And it sounds like it happens somewhere around age 9.

When my oldest was a baby, she was notorious for waking up around 5 a.m. every. single. day. I moved back naps, I kept her up late, I even tried dreamfeeds before I went to bed to hopefully make her sleep until at least 6, but nothing worked. Now as an 11 year old, she’s still an early riser, never sleeping past 8 a.m., even on weekends. Some kids are just wired that way.

But one mom on Reddit has really reached her limit, sharing in the /parenting subreddit, “I feel rage when my kids wake up too early.” The original poster (OP) writes that despite 6:40 a.m. being the time they need to be up for school on weekdays, her kids refuse to get up. But when it’s the weekend, that seems to be their natural wake time. “When I hear their voices before 7:30, I feel enraged. Truly I just want good rest. Then I feel impatient for the rest of the day and guilty for that. I want to sleep in so badly. I want them to be quiet so badly,” she writes.

Woof.

As a kid who was an early riser and is now a full-on “morning person” as an adult, I get waking up early on weekends. There’s excitement in starting the day when you actually don’t have school or work to get to, and I think it’s super normal for kids to be up early on the days they don’t have to be. But I also get needing rest — and wanting just one morning where you can actually enjoy sleeping in a bit.

Luckily, Reddit had tons of ideas for her, including the beautiful art of distraction.

“‘This is why I buy Pop-Tarts’ — my boys were up between 4 to 6 a.m. for most of their lives. I was not,” one commenter wrote.

Another agreed, adding, “I don't think OP has discovered the secret of highly effective parents in this situation: Give them an unhealthy breakfast, put on a movie, and go back to sleep.”

“The trick is to limit screens in regular life so you can play the ‘unlimited screens until mommy and daddy wake up’ card. Their little minds go wild and they work so hard to stay quiet. Set them up with some cereal and milk where they can reach and you are good to go,” another parent shared.

Honestly, most of my weekend mornings when I was a kid were spent on the floor of our living room, watching cartoons and eating whatever my big sister gave me.

There were also a lot of great ideas and hacks to buy OP’s self some extra ZZZs:

• “I’d tell them when I woke up we’d clean our rooms, so they always stayed quiet lol.”
• “I think the answer is to either go to bed earlier or switch off with your partner on whose morning it is to get up with the kids.”
• “What time did you go to bed last night? My mornings got a hell of a lot easier when I shifted my own bedtime earlier.”
• “We also bought milk in smaller containers so they could make cereal. They had their own cabinet with plastic cups, bowls, spoons, etc. It would give us a good hour to rest more.”

Other commenters wanted to remind OP that this life won’t last forever. “My almost-15-year-old practically has to be pried out of bed on the weekends. He was a kid that was up at 6 a.m. no matter what time he went to bed,” one wrote.

“I promise it does get better! My 12-year-old and I slept in until 9 a.m. today and I could have cried tears of joy,” another shared.

Above all, tons of the commenters said it’s all about your kids’ ages and if you can trust them to just watch TV or play on their iPad while you catch up on sleep. I remember so many early mornings snoozing on the couch as my toddler sucked down an applesauce pouch sitting on top of me, Sesame Street on TV. It didn’t last forever, and there is a sweet fondness about those memories now.

But more than one commenter wanted OP to know, if you aren’t a morning person and you’re feeling rage, then it’s time to make your own bedtime earlier. It can make all the difference in how you feel in the morning, and we do no talk enough about how good it feels to have the same bedtime as your 5-year-old.

So get more sleep, charge up the electronics, and make sure there’s a box of Lucky Charms or powdered donuts in the kitchen. Eventually, you’ll be vacuuming outside their bedroom door at 10 a.m. on a Saturday morning, absolutely impressed with how soundly they’re sleeping.

Imagine walking into your OB/GYN's office with a detailed symptom log. You’ve been tracking all your weird sleep, mood swings, irregular periods, and all the other weird sh*t that happens when you turn a certain age as a woman. You’re begging for help, asking for a full hormone panel, but you’re met with a lack of concern and just a nod to the ever-trending term: perimenopause.

They don’t offer any tests or bloodwork. Just a prescription for birth control, something that every forty-something woman wants, right?

This exact scenario happened to TikTok creator @imnotmessyimbusy. She shared her frustrating experience on the social media platform, and now, she’s racked up 226,000 views.

In her video, she explained how her doctor wasn’t really helpful about her troubling symptoms, and when she went back to the office, she tried again to get help.

She told the nurse practitioner, “I would like to get my hormones checked before we start treating whatever's going on. Like, how are you treating something and you have done no tests?”

She recalled, “I was in tears. I was so frustrated. I still am. Like, and I said to her, ‘If I go to Quest [Diagnostics], I can purchase this test for like 500 bucks. So, why can't you write it for me?’ And she said, ‘Well, we are treating the symptoms.’ What? That's such bullsh*t!”

“You are not going to see a cardiologist put someone on a statin without doing any sort of test or EKG," she said. “Not for women, apparently. Not us.”

“What does it take to get a full hormone panel, like a full workup as a woman, without having to pay however much it costs, out of pocket, or go to a holistic practitioner?” she asks, desperately.

Several women in the comments shared the OP’s frustration.

“I’m 34. I told my gynecologist I’m almost certain I’m perimenopausal. I listed all those symptoms you named. She basically laughed in my face. I even told her my mom went through full blown menopause at 42, and peri starts 10 years before. She still completely blew me off,” one user shared.

Another said, “Unfortunately you have to tell them it’s for family planning. My obgyn was nice because I told her I wanted to check my hormones bc I was 29 and technically was wanting to check my fertility so she ran the hormone planning under ‘family planning’ it sucks but it works. I think it’s also an insurance thing.”

One user said, “Unfortunately perimenopause isn’t diagnosed using labs. It’s diagnosed using symptoms. Hormones rise and fall all throughout the month in different patterns. Also you can have a ‘normal’ lab and still have symptoms.”

Others mentioned something called a Dutch test.

“You gotta go to a holistic or hormone therapy practice. Get a Dutch test which can cost about $300. Unfortunately OBGYNs just brush us off and don’t do this test.”

“If you work with a dietitian who specializes in hormones we can run it for $50!! I also can order DUTCH test with a provider discount,” another said.

One user wrote, “The Dutch test but getting a doctor to do it is really difficult”

What is a DUTCH test?

According to Allara Health, DUTCH stands for Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones. The DUTCH Complete panel tests sex hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, adrenal hormones like cortisol and DHEA-S, hormone metabolites, and additional markers for nutrients, gut health, and more.

How does a DUTCH test work?

First, you collect four to five urine samples on filter paper over 24 hours. No needles. Once the paper has dried, you mail it back. Results typically take two to three weeks, after which a healthcare provider walks you through what it all means.

How is a DUTCH test different from a regular blood draw?

According to the official DUTCH Test website, unlike a regular blood test, which only shows a small snapshot of your hormone levels at one point in time, the DUTCH test analyzes urine samples over the course of a day — or even a full month with the Cycle Mapping option. The DUTCH Cycle Mapping™ test provides a detailed graphical view of the patient’s entire menstrual cycle, allowing providers to accurately track ovulation, identify causes of mid-cycle spotting or hormonal migraines, and assess ovarian function.

Basically, the DUTCH test shows how your body produces hormones, uses them, and eliminates them. So, the test isn’t just about measuring hormone levels, but what your body is doing with your hormones.

How much does a DUTCH test cost?

The major bummer here is that while the DUTCH test seems impressive and helpful, it is usually not covered by insurance or even ordered by a typical primary care doctor (or specialist).

The baseline DUTCH Complete test will run you $500, and the prices go up from there.

So basically, the DUTCH test isn’t exactly a miracle tool, and it’ll cost you (Thanks, America!), but for women who've been dismissed, told their labs are "fine" while feeling anything but, or handed a prescription before anyone even looked at their hormones, it can get you somewhere. We deserve something more concrete than just a prescription for birth control or “Suck it up — that’s just life!” mentalities.

If you or someone else has ingested kratom and is experiencing concerning symptoms, or if a child or pet has ingested kratom or an unknown substance, call poison control (1-800-222-1222) or dial 911.

Last week, the CDC announced new findings that between 2015 and 2025, there was an approximately 1,200% increase in kratom-related exposure reports to the U.S. National Poison Data System. If you’re not up to speed on what kratom is or how easily accessible it is, that number might not alarm you much. It’s an herbal compound with opioid-like effects — experts warn that the substance can be addictive and, especially in teens, can lead to serious medical issues like liver toxicity. Here’s what parents should know about that CDC report, and a quick primer on kratom if this is your first time hearing about it.

In the past 10 years, U.S. poison centers have documented 14,449 kratom exposures, according to the CDC’s recent report. There were likely many more cases in which kratom users experienced negative outcomes that were not reported — a 2024 study estimated nearly 2 million Americans use the stuff regularly. In 2015, just 258 calls about kratom came in, but by 2025, that number jumped to 3,434 reports. And it wasn’t just calls and reports — hospitalizations have skyrocketed too, from from 43 in 2015 to 538 in 2025. The numbers were even higher for patients who took kratom along with other substances (think alcohol, cannabis, opioids, and even prescribed medications, like benzodiazepines).

What is kratom & what does it do?

Kratom is an herb derived from the leaves of a tropical tree native to Southeast Asia. Kratom products are typically sold as stimulants or mood boosters in a variety of forms, including powders, loose-leaf teas, capsules, tablets, and concentrates.

The compound produces stimulant-like effects in low doses and opioid or sedative-like effects at higher ones, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Users report feeling increased energy and alertness, along with rapid heart rate, or alternatively, they experience relaxation, pain relief, or even confusion.

What are the risks of kratom use?

While herbs might sound safer than, say, opioids, experts say kratom can be just as addictive as the real thing.

“Habitual use of kratom could lead to things such as dependency because we know that the chemicals found in kratom act a lot like opioids, like morphine, and that is, of course, a particular concern because if you develop dependency on something like kratom, you can develop an addiction disorder or withdrawal syndrome,” said Dr. Anthony Jaworski, director of the Poison Control Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, in an interview with Scary Mommy last August.

The side effects of taking kratom range from mild to severe, says NIDA. Some users say it caused them nausea, constipation, dizziness, or drowsiness. Reports from doctors say they’ve seen patients experiencing tremors, seizures, slowed breathing, and more following kratom exposure. Regular, long-term kratom use has been associated with liver damage. In the CDC’s report last week, of the callers who took kratom with other substances, approximately one half of them required inpatient hospitalization.

Jaworski felt particularly concerned about teens’ use of kratom and how they might be influenced to try it by social media ads and personalities. The CDC’s data also suggest that the nation’s youth mental health crisis and the availability of kratom may be colliding in dangerous ways. “Previous studies indicate that approximately one third of kratom users met criteria for another substance use disorder, and approximately two thirds reported using kratom to manage depression or anxiety,” it reads.

Is kratom legal?

The sale of kratom is only banned in six states: Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Louisiana, Vermont, and Wisconsin. In 23 other states, the sale of kratom is regulated in some way, whether that’s more rigorous licensing for retailers or age restrictions around who can purchase it. Last July, the FDA declared it would take action to place 7-OH , a concentrated kratom byproduct gaining popularity among young adults, on the controlled substances list, banning its sale at the federal level. For now, kratom is still sold at gas stations and smoke shops, and even in some grocery and health food stores. It’s also widely available online.

Without federal regulation to protect teens and young adults, experts urge parents to talk to their kids about the dangers of kratom. While it’s sometimes hard to keep up, Jaworski recommends reading what vape shops are advertising in their windows when you drive by. Google it, read up, and see how easy it is to purchase it yourself. “If I can easily see this and walk in and purchase this product, there’s a very good likelihood that a teenager might be able to do the same thing,” he said.

Parents should also instill some healthy skepticism in their tweens and teens, he advises. Explain that just because a product is sitting on a shelf in the store, that doesn’t guarantee it’s safe. Lastly, Jaworski recommends modeling a healthy relationship with substances yourself.

When I was 26, with a newborn, I left my emotionally abusive marriage and moved back in with my mom. At that point, all three of her kids had left home — and then come back. Was it a little disheartening to start all over from my childhood bedroom with a brand new baby? A bit. But was it exactly what I needed to heal — and exactly what I needed for my future? Yes.

Being at home with my mom again was a gift in so many ways, but one of the biggest support systems she created was by not charging me rent to live there. Because of this, when I married my now-husband two years later, we had been able to save a down payment for our house and get a great interest rate on our loan because we were able to get our credit scores where they needed to be.

And in this economy? Parents who let their adult kids live rent-free are giving the same loving support.

In Reddit’s /parenting subreddit, one mom asked other parents of young adults how much they help. The original poster (OP) shared that her 23-year-old daughter moved back home after college and is trying to find a better job that fits her major. While she buys her own food and necessities, this mom said she doesn’t charge her daughter any rent to live there, and she also pays for her cell phone and car insurance, as both are under her name. She does expect her daughter to clean up after herself, but other than that, she doesn’t ask her for anything else. She even lets her daughter’s boyfriend stay the night.

“Rent in my area is easily 3k for a one bedroom, so to me, I'm just doing what I think is not a burden on me, and helps her out tremendously,” she says. “I've had a few friends think I am absolutely nuts and this is not what I should be doing. It was even stated as 'weird' by an ex that kicked his children out at 18. Background is her dad died when she was quite young, so it's just been me and her for years while I struggled. Life was hard. Now that I have a good income, I think we can relax a bit. Am I an anomaly?”

Ma’am — you’re a good parent.

Over the past few years, the amount of young adults living at home with their parents has actually decreased a bit — from 20% in 2022 to 18% in 2023. But there’s also a big factor in where these young adults live, with higher-cost-of-living states and regions seeing more young adults at home than in less expensive areas, like the midwest and the south. And financial reasons is the number one factor for these young adults.

So why not help your kids out if you can?

The comments on the Reddit post proved that, for most parents, if they are able to help their children like the OP said they could, then they absolutely would. And it feels like a no-brainer?

“My life would have been so much different if my parent had done this for me,” one commenter wrote.

“My father-in-law has been so generous to my partner and I, helping us out with down payments, going halfsies on a car, and letting us live with them at one point when it made financial sense. His philosophy is ‘I could hoard all this money and then you’d inherit it eventually after I die… or I can start giving you your inheritance now and be around to see you enjoy the benefits and grow your family,’” one commenter shared. “His help put us in a position to be able to have our son and he is the most devoted and loving grandpa ever!”

“Sounds fine and normal to me. She's not a shit bum and you're not financing a irresponsible lifestyle. Job market is incredibly hard right now, and especially hard for recent grads,” another wrote.

And I personally loved the amount of comments calling out OP’s “friends.” It feels archaic — especially in this economy — to argue that any young adult who needs financial help is a bum or a loser or taking advantage of a generous parent.

“Your 'friends' are cruel and living in the past,” one wrote.

“Your friends have no idea how difficult things are for this generation of young adults. You’re doing the right thing,” another added.

Some of the commenters suggested other ways to help — like having OP “charge” her daughter rent and then just put that money into a savings account for her to have when she can eventually move out. Another recommended having her daughter start up a 401(k) and save for her own future so she’s getting double the advantages of living at home.

And honestly, we forget that humans are communal — and 23 years old? That’s still a baby in the grand scheme of things. If OP and her daughter live well together and no one is feeling burdened or trapped, then there seems to be zero harm in this kind of arrangement.

“In most countries, you are just a normal parent doing what normal parents do — support their kids!” a commenter wrote.

(Especially in this economy.)

There are useful things, and then there are slightly unhinged inventions that somehow seem to make daily life much better. You know, those things that make you ask, “Wait, why didn’t this exist sooner?” From practical problem solvers you never knew you needed to oddly cool gadgets that end up feeling essential, these finds sit comfortably in the sweet spot between bizarre and brilliant. Ahead, we curated a lineup of weird-as-hell discoveries that are surprisingly clever, strangely satisfying, and genuinely useful.

A Caffeine Eye Balm Stick That Brightens & Hydrates

ANAREAL Caffeine Under-Eye Balm Stick

Amazon -

Tired eyes, meet your new favorite it-looks-like-you-slept-eight-hours shortcut. This under-eye balm stick uses caffeine and retinol to help reduce the look of dark circles and puffiness, giving the under-eye area a refresh in seconds. The cooling, hydrating formula also soothes tired skin while adding a bit of firmness and moisture courtesy of ceramides and niacinamide. As one shopper gushed, “The color is so natural — it blends perfectly under my makeup without looking cakey or heavy. [...] Since I started using it, my concealer applies like a dream and lasts so much longer.”

Curved Nail Clippers That Can Tackle Thick & Ingrown Toenails

FERYES Ingrown Nail Clipper

Amazon -

If your regular nail clippers struggle with thicker or ingrown toenails, this special nail clipper is designed to handle them. The slant-curved blade and pointed tip make it easier to reach into the nail groove and trim just how you want, instead of awkwardly trying to angle normal clippers into place. It’s a small tweak, but it makes a noticeable difference when dealing with nails that grow inward or are harder to cut.

A Peel-Off Lip Liner Stain That Lasts All Day

QCMME Peel Off Lip Liner Stain

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Finally, it’s time to skip constant touch-ups thanks to this peel-off lip liner stain. It locks in a stunning matte color that’s waterproof, smudge proof, and budge free, even through meals, drinks, and long nights. It’s also quick and easy: Swipe it on, let it set for 10 minutes, then peel or wipe away to reveal a high-pigment stain that lasts for up to 24 hours. Done and done.

Magnetic Lashes That Go On In Seconds & Don’t Require Glue

LANFLOWER Magnetic Eyelashes Kit

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If glue-free false eyelashes sound like a dream, these magnetic lashes are just what you need. Each set comes with a handy applicator so you can line them up along your lash line without messy glue or irritating eyeliner. The built-in magnets hold strong, keeping lashes in place all day. With four magnets per lash, they’re easy to pop on and take off, reusable up to 20 times (!), and are gentle enough for sensitive eyes.

A Squishy Hair Claw Clip That’s Great For Thick Hair

Mello Squishy Hair Claw Clip

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This squishy claw clip is a huge game changer for people with thick hair. Made from flexible material, the inward-curving teeth keep pressure off your scalp, while the unique shape adapts to whatever you’re leaning against. “I wore my Mello clip for a month to give it some good wear before writing my review, and I’ve decided: I think this clip is perfection!” wrote one shopper. “As someone with thick hair, it gathers all of it with ease, and I don’t feel like it’s going to snap. I find myself reaching for this clip over others every time.”

A Spray That Makes Dermaplaning Your Face So Much Easier

OYB Hair Face Shaving Identifier Spray

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Tired of missing those tiny, hard-to-see facial hairs? This funny-looking hair identifier spray is like a flashlight for your face. Spray it on and it makes even the tiniest hairs pop so you can shave and remove them with precision. Made with botanical extracts, it’s gentle on all skin and even reduces friction. As one shopper gushed, “When I tell you my flabbers were gasted at the amount of hair this product revealed. I’m very blond and apparently a descendant of Sasquatch himself. The blades work really well! I didn’t have any type of negative skin reaction.”

Moisturizing Socks That Fix Dry, Cracked Heels Overnight

ZenToes Moisturizing Sleep Socks (2 Pairs)

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If your heels are dry and cracked, these moisturizing sleep socks have you covered (literally). Infused with jojoba oil, olive oil, and vitamin E, they give your feet moisture while you sleep. The fuzzy open-toe design keeps them comfy all night, so you don't overheat. Perfect for an at-home pedicure or just treating yourself, they’re reusable, washable, and come in regular and wide fits.

An Insulated Cup Sleeve That Keeps Drinks Cold & Hands Dry

Sok It JavaSok Cup Sleeve

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For those who need iced coffee or ice-cold soda on the daily, this cute cup sleeve is a game changer. It keeps drinks cold longer (reviewers report up to six hours) while protecting your hands from that annoying condensation. Bonus points: It’s reusable, washable, and eco-friendly, so you’re saving money and ditching disposable sleeves all while sipping in style.

A Magnetic Nail Set That Makes DIY Nail Art Easy

modelones Cat Eye Magnet Set (15 Pieces)

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DIY nail art is no easy feat, but this magnet nail tool set makes it a breeze. Just apply magnetic gel polish and hover the magnet over your nail to pull the pigment into place. It’s great for experimenting with nail art without expensive salon trips and turning a basic manicure into something more fun.

Forehead Wrinkle Patches That Aim To Smooth Fine Lines

Okela Forehead Wrinkle Patches (20-Pack)

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These forehead patches are an easy, non-invasive tool to address wrinkles. Made to target fine lines and deep creases, they work overtime to help smooth the skin between your brows and across your forehead thanks to the addition of vitamin E and collagen. Reviewers were especially pleased with how well they stay in place overnight, too.

Steamy, Self-Heating Eye Masks That Soothe & Relax

Jekeno Steam Eye Mask (16-Pack)

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These steam eye masks are like a little spa getaway for your eyes. The self-heating design warms up, which helps to relieve dryness and puffiness, all while giving your under-eyes a soothing moisture boost. Each mask lasts up to an hour, so you can really sink into the warm comfort without worrying about it cooling off too fast. They work great on their own or layered over eye creams to really lock in hydration.

Spinner Rings That Let You Fidget Without Anyone Noticing

FIBO STEEL Fidget Anxiety Rings (9 Pieces)

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This set of fidget rings is designed to keep your hands busy in a very low-key way. Each ring has a smooth spinner that rotates, giving you something to focus on during stressful moments. They’re great to wear alone or stacked, doubling as everyday jewelry while providing a subtle way to stay calm and focused throughout the day.

A Cushy Lap Desk That Turns Any Cozy Spot Into A Functional Workspace

Olumoon Lap Desk Pillow

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This lap desk pillow is all you need to make working from home a whole lot better. Made from soft memory foam and complete with built-in arm support, the flat desktop surface keeps your computer where it belongs, while the cushion reduces pressure on your arms so you can relax longer. It also has a cupholder and a removable, washable cover so you can keep it clean.

A Car Lip Balm Holder That Keeps Products From Melting

Xbrtaia Car Lip Balm Holder

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This little adhesive lip balm holder is a surprisingly useful car accessory. Made to keep your lip balm upright and where it belongs, it helps to prevent melted messes by keeping it all contained (rather than leaking toward the cap). Plus, it gets less direct heat exposure this way rather than lying flat against a hot surface. The small size fits most lip balms and lipsticks, while the rhinestone bling is sure to add some sparkle to your dashboard or console.

Lifting Masks Designed To Firm, Lift, & Define Your Jawline

MARÉE Gold and Collagen Lifting Mask (5-Pack)

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If you’re looking to shake up your beauty routine, this lifting mask set has your back (and chin and neck). Made with retinol and hyaluronic acid, it hugs your face and neck while helping to firm skin, reduce wrinkles, and give a subtle lift. Slip it on, chill for a bit, and let the mask do its thing while you read, scroll, or just enjoy some me time.

Expanding Facial Sponges That Cleanse & Exfoliate

Spunspon Compressed Facial Sponges (50-Pack)

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Made from 100% natural cellulose, these heart-shaped facial sponges are gentle on all skin types while still delivering a deep, refreshing clean. They’re perfect for daily face washes, exfoliating, removing masks, or wiping off makeup. They expand with water into palm-sized sponges, making them so easy to toss in your bag or purse. With 50 in a pack, they’ve got you covered whenever you need a refresh.

Curly Hair Root Clips That Deliver Big Volume

Ivyu Hair Volume Clips (10-Pack)

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Are flat roots your nemesis? These root-lifting hair clips are here to save the day. Made with double rows of teeth, they grab hair at the roots to create long-lasting volume (think: bouncy curls). Clip them in while blow drying, diffusing, or even air drying, and your style will have great lift and life in no time. Plus, they’re lightweight and gentle, so curls stay secure without tangling.

A Waistband Tool That Lets You Tuck, Crop, & Style In Seconds

Croptuck Waistband Tool

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Anyone who loves oversized sweaters and tops will appreciate how this waistband tool lets you customize your wardrobe. It works like a charm to tuck and shape shirts and sweaters in seconds, giving you a polished, cropped look without having to do any work. Light, stretchy, and surprisingly secure, it holds everything in place all day (even heavy sweatshirts) while staying comfortable and barely noticeable.

A Round Loofah Shower Mat That Drains & Stays Put

Mofonky Shower Mat with Drain Hole

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Forget stepping onto a cold, slippery shower floor thanks to this loofah shower mat. The soft, cushy texture will feel plush under your feet, adding a little spa-like twist to your daily routine. With a smart center drain hole and lattice-bottom design, water passes right through, so you won’t have to deal with gross buildup. Plus, the nonslip layer keeps it in place to help you avoid mid-shampoo slip scares.

Mini Makeup Bags That Keep Small Items Organized

BUSOHA Mini Cosmetic Pouch (4-Pack)

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This set of mini cosmetic pouches is here to keep you ultra organized. They’re made with waterproof faux leather and have a soft suede-like lining that keeps jewelry and other small essentials safe from scratches. They’re ideal for storing whatever little items are always slipping to the bottom of your bag. Plus, the snap-top makes grabbing stuff easy, and they’re cute enough to toss in any purse.

A pH-Activated Lip Balm That Turns Your Lips A Custom Shade

Winky Lux Glimmer Balm

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Believe it or not, this little lip balm goes beyond basic moisture. It has a pH-activated color-changing technology that helps it adapt to your lips, creating a completely personalized shade, plus a hint of glimmer. As one shopper raved, “This is a no-fail color match to your own skin tone! I love it so much. Feels great on your lips, adding moisture, not grease. Definitely doesn’t dry out your lips ever!” Clean, vegan, and cruelty free, it makes for a reliable everyday balm.

A Retractable Clothesline That Holds Heavy Items Without Sagging

MUSTORN Retractable Clothesline

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Make laundry day easier with this clever retractable clothesline. It stretches up to 15 feet and is strong enough to hold up to 40 pounds of clothes, all without sagging. Made from stainless steel and featuring a waterproof case, it’s made for both indoors and out. When you’re not using it, just retract it back into its tiny casing, and it basically disappears.

A Heated Eyelash Curler That Creates Long-Lasting Curls

BEOVEA Heated Eyelash Curler

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Do your lashes need a little boost? This heated eyelash curler makes it easy and fast. It heats up in just eight seconds, so you can get reliable curls without fiddling around with a traditional curler. Small and rechargeable, it’s perfect for touch-ups on the go or tossing in your travel bag. Plus, the heat lifts and shapes lashes without tugging or damaging them, making it safe and easy to use.

A Baseball Cap That Lets You Rock A High Ponytail

ProMindFun High Ponytail Hat

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This ponytail-friendly baseball cap is made for bad hair days and lazy mornings alike. The cotton keeps it comfy and breathable, while the ponytail slot lets thick or thin hair slide right through without messing up your look. The adjustable band makes it fit just right, and the lightweight, casual design makes it perfect for the beach, pool, park, or any outdoor activity.

Magnetic Necklace Clasps That Stay Put But Are Easy To Remove

OHINGLT Magnetic Necklace Clasps and Closures (8-Pack)

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Struggling with tiny clasps or long nails? These magnetic necklace closures will make things so much easier. Each clasp is made with strong magnets that snap together, so putting on your favorite necklaces and bracelets won’t require any more fumbling or twisting your fingers. Made from sturdy silver-plated metal, they’re built to last without turning your skin green or causing irritation.

A Hairbrush Cleaner Tool That Actually Gets All The Gunk Out

Kitsch Hairbrush Cleaner Tool

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Cleaning your hairbrush is one of those tasks everyone avoids — that is, until you have this helpful hairbrush cleaning tool. This funky-looking brush has two sides: one with a metal pick to pull out trapped hair, and another with a set of bristles to get rid of buildup, lint, and leftover product. It’s lightweight, easy to hold, and works on everything from dense bristle brushes to wide-tooth combs.

A Light-Up Car Vanity Mirror With Adjustable Brightness

JOYTUTUS Car Sun Visor Vanity Mirror

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Doing your makeup in the car just got a major upgrade. This visor mirror has 60 LED lights and three lighting modes, so you can switch between bright, warm, or natural light depending on how much glow you need. It’s dimmable, too, with touch controls that let you adjust brightness or change lighting with a quick tap. Plus, it remembers your last setting. The result? Your car will be a mini glam station with actually good lighting.

A Flower-Shaped Push-To-Start Button Cover

86 V THE BUTCHER Car Engine Start Button Cover

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This little push-to-start cover is both practical and cute. Easy to install with a sticky backing, it’s a small detail that makes your setup feel a lot more fun and personalized. One shopper was a huge fan of it, writing, “Cute. I love being able to just push this. My push-to-start is by the steering wheel, so this sticking out helps a lot when it comes to seeing the button. Durable, [and] didn’t fall off in the heat.”

A Cat-Shaped Ring Holder That Keeps Jewelry Organized

Umbra Cat Ring Holder

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How cute is this little cat ring holder? Small but mighty, it holds up to 10 rings, keeping them organized and easy to grab without digging through a messy jewelry box. The velvet-padded base helps protect your rings from scratches, while the cute cat shape adds a fun touch to your nightstand or vanity. Small, simple, and actually useful, it’ll keep your jewelry exactly where you need it.

A Ring Adjuster That Keeps Your Rings Secure

5 STARS UNITED Ring Adjuster (12-Pack)

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This pack of ring adjusters is small but effective, helping loose rings fit just right. Each pack comes with 12 clear, flexible guards that wrap around the band, tightening the fit so your rings stay put. They’re soft, comfortable, and basically invisible once they’re on. As one shopper wrote, “Saved me from having to size a ring. Just trim to fit your preference and wrap onto the ring.”

A Cat-Shaped Heating Pad That Helps With Aches & Cramps

Cuckool Cat Microwave Heating Pad

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This little cat heating pad is cute, cozy, and actually useful. Pop it in the microwave for about a minute, and it gives off a comforting, soothing heat that helps with everything from cramps to sore shoulders and tight muscles. The inside is filled with flaxseed and a hint of lavender, so it’s more relaxing than your classic heating pad. It’s also cordless, which makes it easy to move around wherever you need it. P.S. It also comes in different cat breeds.

An Ear-Piercing Pillow That Lets Side Sleepers Rest Comfortably

Wuronsa Ear Piercing Pillow

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Fresh piercings or sore ears keeping you up? This O-shaped ear piercing pillow has a perfectly sized hole that cradles your ear while you snooze, so you won’t wake up feeling like your ear has been through a wrestling match. The cotton fabric is soft and breathable, the fill is plush but adjustable thanks to a hidden zipper, and yes — it’s machine washable.

A Leaf-Shaped Weighted Lap Blanket That Feels Like A Hug

Kaisa Weighted Lap Blanket

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This 7-pound weighted blanket is the cozy addition you need for your home. It has tiny little beads that weigh it down, giving you soothing pressure for tense muscles, sore shoulders, or just that “I need a moment” kind of day. It comes with a carry bag and storage box, so you can roll it up and take your little slice of calm wherever you go.

A Satin Heatless Curler Set That Keeps Hair Bouncy & Protected

Kitsch Satin Heatless Curling Set

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Wake up to fabulous waves when you have this satin heatless curler set. It comes with a curling rod and two matching scrunchies, letting you style your hair overnight without any heat or damage. Just wrap your hair around the flexible rods, secure it with a scrunchie, and let it work its magic while you rest. Beauty sleep, here you come.

A Caffeine Butt Mask That Hydrates & Smooths Your Behind

BAWDY Caffeine Beauty Butt Mask

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Give your behind some well-deserved love with this caffeine butt mask. In just 15 minutes, this plant-based mask smooths and moisturizes your skin so your booty feels nice and soft with collagen, oat extract, and more. One shopper was a big fan and noted, “I used this right before vacation since I planned on skimpy bikinis just to have a nice, smoothed look. It was perfect [...] Never thought I’d buy a booty mask, but it was a cute treat and relaxing while I binged a TV show.”

A Foot-Peeling Mask That Leaves Your Feet Baby Soft

PLANTIFIQUE Foot Peeling Mask (2 Pairs)

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This foot-peeling mask is super satisfying. It works its magic by exfoliating dead, dry skin while peach kernel oil nourishes and speeds up skin regeneration. That means rough heels are gone in no time. Plus, it’s super simple to use: Soak your feet, slip the mask on, sit back with a book or your favorite show, and let it do its thing. Over the next few days, peel after peel, your feet will become silky smooth.

A Dark Spot Soap That Makes Skin Brighter

VALITIC Kojic Acid Dark Spot Remover Soap Bars (2-Pack)

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This kojic acid soap works to brighten and even out skin tone. Infused with vitamin C, retinol, and collagen, it helps hydrate and smooth your skin while reducing the look of dark spots, blemishes, and sun damage. Turmeric adds an extra boost, helping with scarring, fine lines, and restoring moisture balance. Not to mention, it also has hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, and shea butter, which leave skin soft.

A Fish-Shaped Glass Set That Makes Hydrating Fun

MDLUU Stackable Drinking Glasses (Set of 4)

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These fish drinking glasses are stackable, pretty, and each one comes with its own unique fish scale texture, so you don’t have to deal with those “Which glass is mine?” moments at the table. The thick, smooth edges feel nice in your hand, and the colored glass keeps its pop of color, no matter how many times you wash it. Stack them up to save space and create a sculpture, then use them for water, juice, soda, or even a cold cocktail.

A Winged Eyeliner Stamp That Makes Cat Eyes Almost Too Easy

iMethod Winged Eyeliner Stamp Pens (2-Pack)

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Struggling to get a perfectly symmetrical wing? This dual-ended eyeliner stamp has you covered. One end has a wing stamp for perfect placement, while the other has a fine liner for filling in and perfecting the look. Each set comes with a stamp for the left eye and one for the right, so getting matching wings is easy as can be. Not to mention, the formula is long-lasting, waterproof, and smudge proof, holding up through long days or nights.

Tweezers With A Built-In Light That Makes Hair Removal A Breeze

1st Choice LED Eyebrow Tweezers (Set of 3)

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These LED tweezers are what your brow beauty routine has been waiting for. They shine a bright light right where you need it, so you can tackle even the tiniest stray hairs with precision. Made of stainless steel, they’re sturdy, sleek, and surprisingly satisfying to use. They’re perfect for your vanity, your travel bag, or that late-night touch-up when the bathroom lighting just won’t cooperate.

A Multi-Tool Key Chain That’s Cute & Super Handy

FUNBRO 6-in-1 Multi-tool Key Chain

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This colorful key chain is basically like a full-on mini survival kit. It has six functions in one, including a knife, a bottle opener, screwdrivers, and even a glass breaker for emergencies. The small, lightweight design (it weighs just over 3 ounces) makes it easy to clip onto your keys, bag, or belt loop, so you can have it when you need it.

An Octopus-Shaped Blackhead Remover Stick That Cleanses Pores

TONYMOLY Blackhead Remover Scrub Stick

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This little Korean blackhead remover scrub stick is all about reaching hard-to-get blackheads and excess oil. Inside, a solid balm melts into a gel that clings to sebum and gunk, while charcoal, dead sea salt, and marine plant extracts help cleanse pores without hard scrubbing. Add in witch hazel, tea tree oil, and hyaluronic acid, and its formula helps minimize pores and keep skin hydrated. Travel friendly and easy to use, it’s a surprisingly smart (and cute!) tool.

A Mini Car Trash Can That Fits In The Cupholder

SGLRT Car Trash Can

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No one likes a messy car, but wrangling wrappers, receipts, and random gunk is way easier when you have this mini car trash can. The flip-top lid makes tossing trash easy, and it snaps shut on its own, which helps keep odors at bay. Plus, it comes with 20 disposable bags so you can swap them out when needed. Its compact design means it fits in cupholders, door pockets, or behind seats, and it’s leakproof and easy to clean.

Super Teeny-Tiny Travel Scissors That Are Just So Cute

CANARY Mini Travel Scissors

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These itty-bitty travel scissors might be tiny, but they’re mighty. At a little over an inch, they snip paper, thread, and tags with precision you wouldn’t expect from something this small. TSA approved and key chain-ready, they’re perfect for travel, sewing kits, or just keeping in your purse for those “oops, need scissors” moments. Trust, they’re the ultimate pocket-sized multitasker.

An Exfoliating Pumice Stone That Gives Your Feet A Spa-Level Scrub

Maryton Natural Pumice Stone for Feet

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This natural pumice stone works wonders. Made from real lava, it’s a powerhouse for softening and removing rough, dry skin and calluses. Use it on wet skin during a shower, bath, or foot soak and it’ll buff your heels and feet back to perfection. “I complained to my podiatrist about the constant rough heel edges I was getting,” one shopper wrote. “He suggested pumice every day in the shower and these do the trick perfectly! I was shocked that I could keep my feet this smooth by adding this one simple item to my routine! AND they last a long time!”

A Polarized Sun Visor Extender That Cuts Down On Glare

Veharvim Polarized Car Sun Visor

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It’s time to say goodbye to squinting at the bright sun and blinding glare bouncing off other cars with this polarized visor extender. It uses UV polarization to block rays and reflected light, keeping your eyes protected and your vision crystal clear. One shopper loved its features and noted, “This may just be a lifesaver. I am 4 feet 10 inches, and the sun in my eyes was a danger to all. I feel much safer driving now.”

A Zipper Helper That Makes Getting Dressed Way Easier

FYOURH Zipper Helper

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This zipper puller is your new secret weapon for tricky back zippers. It comes with three different metal hooks on a long strap to attach to your zipper pull, so whether it’s a hidden dress zipper, a heavy-duty boot, or a leather jacket, you’ve got the perfect match. Bonus: It tucks neatly into a cute little travel bag, making it super easy to bring along and zip yourself up any time, anywhere.

A Drain-Saving Hair Catcher That Sticks To The Shower Wall

Olatay Reusable Hair Catcher

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Got random clumps of hair draped across your shower wall? Waging a losing battle with a clogged drain? This wall-mounted shower hair catcher holds strands, keeping your shower clean and your plumbing stress free. Just run your fingers across the bristles to trap hair, swipe the other way to toss it, and you’re done — easy as that. Plus, it sticks to just about any surface (tile, glass, marble, and plastic), thanks to the trusty adhesive.

A Hair Tie Cutter That Saves Your Strands

Kitsch Hair Tie Cutter (3-Pack)

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If you’re dealing with tiny, tangled elastics, these little hair tie cutters make removing tight bands a total breeze. They slide right under small rubber bands and snip them safely, making everything from braids to mini ponytails easy to undo, all without the breakage. Made from recycled plastic and designed to last, they’re tiny, eco-friendly tools that keep your hair happy and healthy.

A Hair Wax Stick That Keeps Flyaways In Check

Samnyte Hair Wax Stick

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Stray hairs, be gone. This hair wax stick is all you need to keep baby hairs, frizz, and those pesky flyaways at bay. Made with castor oil and packed with hair-loving nutrients (like vitamin E and avocado), it smooths and tames hair without making it feel greasy or crunchy. It’s great for slicked-back buns, ponytails, and any other style you want to stay put.

Velvet Scrunchies With Pockets For Secret Storage

LokiStashed Hidden Pocket Scrunchies (3-Pack)

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Although these velvet scrunchies look normal, they’re anything but average. They double as tiny storage solutions, thanks to hidden zipper pockets that can hold keys, cash, and other little essentials. Whether it’s a festival, a night out, or just running errands, these scrunchies are practical, cute, and super sneaky.

A Small Bag Hanger That Holds Over 30 Pounds

Clipa Bag Hanger

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This tiny bag ring attaches to your purse but turns into a hanger in seconds and can hang from almost anywhere. Just clip it onto your bag strap, and you’re good to go. It holds up to 33 pounds (yes, that’s basically your life in tote form), which means you can stash all your goodies in your bag, no matter where you’re going. Shop it in gold, black, silver, and more.

A Hidden Bra Wallet That Keeps Your Valuables Safe

Zero Grid Hidden Bra Wallet

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If you’ve ever panicked about your jewelry or cash while you’re out and about, this bra wallet is about to be your new best friend. It holds onto your essentials (think: your passport, ID, credit cards, cash, whatever), right under your clothes and totally out of sight. One shopper loved it, writing, “I put my ID, emergency credit card, and some emergency cash in this while vacationing in India. I attached it to my bra strap under my arm. I never even noticed it was there.”

Heart-Shaped Purse Lights That Brighten Up Any Bag

HYCCRAFT Purse Lights (2-Pack)

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These heart-shaped lights are the cutest way to carry a little light wherever you go. Clip one on your purse or backpack, tap it, and — voilà — you can enjoy a nice, soft glow. They shut off after 10 seconds, are rechargeable, portable, and just plain cute. The best part is, they help you see inside your purse, so you can grab exactly what you need without fumbling around.

Mini Refillable Perfume Bottles For A Quick Spritz Anywhere

Yamadura Mini Refillable Perfume Spray Bottles (4-Pack)

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These mini refillable perfume spray bottles are the ultimate travel buddy for your fragrances. Tiny enough to slip into any purse, backpack, or even a pocket, they make it easy to freshen up on the go, whether you’re hopping on a plane, heading to the office, or needing a midday refresh. The refillable design means you can bring your favorite scents without lugging around a full-size bottle, and the sleek aluminum finish makes them look chic while staying totally practical.

A Small Travel Jewelry Case That Keeps Your Things Where You Need Them

Lion Latch Travel Jewelry Box Case (3-Pack)

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These mini travel jewelry boxes keep rings, earrings, and necklaces safe and sound, whether you’re at the gym, on a plane, or just tossing one in your bag for the day. Tiny, portable, and ridiculously handy, they’re the type of on-the-go accessory you’ll use all the time. Bonus: They double as key chain pillboxes, so you can stash vitamins or supplements without lugging around bottles.

A Trifold Lighted Mirror For Expert Makeup Application

HUONUL Lighted Vanity Mirror

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The cute vanity mirror is the literal glow-up your makeup routine has been begging for. With three different magnifications, every brow, lash, and eyeliner flick is crystal clear, even in dimly lit bedrooms or hotel rooms. The adjustable LED lights give a full, even glow, and the touch control makes it easy to find the perfect brightness. Foldable, sleek, and portable, it works at your vanity, in your dorm, or on the go with battery power.

Mini Paper Soap Sheets That Keep Your Hands Clean Anywhere

FOMIN Paper Soap Sheets (300 Sheets)

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If you’re traveling, camping, or just trying to keep your hands clean on the go, you need these paper soap sheets. Tiny, lightweight, and portable, each sheet dissolves into a foamy lather with just a bit of water. They’re gentle enough for all skin types, but tough enough to tackle dirt and grime. The best part? They come in refreshing scents like orange, tea tree, and lavender.

Ear Patches That Let You Wear Heavy Earrings Without Discomfort

Lobe Wonder Ear Lobe Support Patches (60-Pack)

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These earlobe support patches lift, support, and protect your lobes while still letting you wear the big, bold statement pieces you love. Stick them on behind your ears, pop in your favorite earrings, and go. Once you’re done, peel them off, and you won’t even notice they were there. As one fan raved, “Okay, you think you don't need these, but you do. Many times I've worn earrings that kept pulling forward, almost out of my ear, either from weight or size; these hold them in place perfectly. They just give them extra support!”

A Silk Bonnet That Keeps Hair Frizz-Free While You Sleep

YANIBEST Silk Bonnet

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This silk bonnet wraps your strands in buttery soft, double-layer satin to prevent friction, frizz, and moisture loss while you snooze. The adjustable ties mean it stays put all night, even if you roll around. It’s great for all kinds of hair types and helps reduce breakage and tangles. Shop it in a ton of cute colors, including soft pastels and vibrant hues.

Space-Saving Hangers For Bras, Tank Tops, & More

Necamocu Space Saving Hangers (2-Pack)

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If you’re battling a messy closet, let these bra hangers help you. With foldable hooks and a rotating design, they hold everything from bras and tank tops to scarves, belts, and even jewelry. They keep things hung up and organized, and even help to create more space by taking up less room on your closet rod.

Satin Pillowcases That Keep Hair Smooth & Skin Crease Free

Bedsure Satin Pillowcases (Set of 2)

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Say hello to beauty sleep and goodbye to morning frizz and pillow creases with this satin pillowcase set. These pillowcases are soft and smooth, and help protect and tame hair while you sleep. One shopper was a huge fan, writing, “[These] are hands-down one of the best small upgrades I’ve made to my sleep routine. They feel luxuriously smooth—almost like silk—but are much more affordable and easy to care for. [...] I really notice the difference in reduced friction compared to regular cotton cases.”

Collagen Lip Masks That Give Your Lips A Hydration Boost

NIYET Collagen Lip Masks (Set of 30)

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If your lips have been feeling dry, dull, or just a little lackluster, these collagen lip masks are about to become your new obsession. Each mask is infused with collagen, plus vitamins and minerals that work together to hydrate, smooth, and plump your lips. They lock in moisture, and the gel texture absorbs easily, so your lips get all the benefits without feeling sticky or heavy.

A Stitch Gun That Makes Quick Clothing Fixes Super Easy

Wannent Clothing Stitch Gun Kit

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This clothing stitch gun is here to level up your wardrobe. Whether it’s a loose button, a small tear, or something in between, this handy tool gets the job done fast. Each kit comes complete with 1,000 black fasteners, 1,000 white fasteners, and six needles, giving you everything you need for quick repairs at home. To use it, just insert the fastener, pass the needle through your item, and squeeze the grip. Finally, your garment will look as good as new.

A Color-Changing Foundation Stick That Matches Your Skin

ELROEL Color-Changing Foundation Stick

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This color-changing foundation stick is just so cool. It starts as a soft white balm, then turns into a silky, tinted cream as you blend. Not to mention, the dual-ended design is another win. One end holds the foundation, while the other features a detachable brush for an even finish every time. As one shopper gushed, “Love Love love. I always hate putting on foundation, but I love how easy this is. Blends easily and looks so natural. Doesn't cake last all day.”

Finding the perfect gift for everyone on your list is a tall task. How do you know what people want? Easy. Amazon has a Most-Wished For section that reveals giftees secret desires. The Scary Mommy team has combed through these highly desired gifts to find the best viral things under $25 to also help make your shopping budget-friendly. And trust us, these gifts might be cheap, but they’re high quality.

Fine-Tipped Marker Pens With Playful Roller Stamp Ends

AECHY Curve Highlighter Pen Set (18-Pack)

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These pens feature dual sides — one fine-tipped end and a stamp roller on the other. They’ll be able to write or draw with the pen tip and flip it over to the stamp roller to underline important quotes on notes. The stamp end features different designs that can add some flair to boring notes or to add a cool element to letters, cards, or scrapbooks.

An Insulated Owala Travel Mug WIth A Leakproof Slider Lid

Owala SmoothSip Insulated Coffee Tumbler

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This travel mug can keep drinks cold for up to 24 hours or hot for up to six hours. It features a slide lid so it’s easy to sip from yet it’s leakproof when closed to prevent spills. Shoppers reported that it’s comfortable to hold, easy to clean, and durable. It’s cupholder-friendly and available with or without a handle, in three sizes, and in various colors.

An Adorable Slim Wallet With A Key Ring & RFID-Blocking Technology

Jogjam RFID Wallet

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Although this wallet is slim and compact, it provides enough room for essentials. It features an ID window, seven card slots, a cash compartment, and zippered coin compartment. It has a bi-fold design with a buckle to keep it closed and a keychain so it can be attached to keys or on a bag. Plus, it has RFID-blocking technology to prevent illegal scanning. Oh, and it’s available in over 30 designs from bold patterns like a black cat with a floral background to subtle solid colors.

Cool Lava Gel Pens With Scented Ink

Lifelines Scented Lava Gel Pen Set (5-Pack)

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When these pens are turned upside-down, colored bubbles rise and fall like lava lamps to help one relax, focus, or mediate. Plus, each pen is filled with scented ink infused with a different essential oil blend that emits a fragrance while writing. Shoppers reported that they smell amazing and are fun to use.

A Large Toiletry Bag That Keeps Everything Organized & Accessible

BAGSMART Travel Toiletry Bag

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Designed with various compartments, this toiletry bag is designed to keep things organized and neat. It also features two large compartments that keep things upright and side compartments with mesh pockets and elastic straps to hold items securely in place. Not only does it keep toiletries organized, it also makes it easy to find things without the need to empty it.

An Irresistible Hair Perfume Available In 6 Scents

Kitsch Warm Sugar Hair Perfume

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Formulated with patented molecules, this best-selling hair perfume can neutralize unwanted odor instead of masking smells to help them go longer in between washes. And it comes in in intoxicating scents like warm sugar and sheer violet. Not only is it great for hair, it can also be applied on their body, pillow, and sheets.

A Brightening Eye Stick Infused With Caffeine & Retinol

VELAMO ADVANCED Retinol & Caffeine Eye Stick

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This eye stick is infused with ingredients like caffeine, retinol, hyaluronic acid, and bakuchiol to brighten, hydrate, smooth, and improve tone and texture making the area under eyes look more radiant and refreshed. Some reviewers reported noticeable results in as little as a week. Better yet, it’s easy to apply and prevents fingers from getting messy.

A Cute Night-Light That Looks Like A Smiling Kerosene Lamp

WANIDEA Cute Chibi Flame Lamp

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Designed to look like a vintage kerosene lamp with a smiley faced-flame, this night-light will add a whimsical touch to any room. It has two lighting modes, a dimmer, and a timer function. The plastic covering is removable and the flame is made of soft silicone that’s fun to squish. Plus, it’s rechargeable so it can be moved around easily.

An Easy-To-Learn Card Game That’s A Hilarious Way To Get To Know People

Disturbed Friends

They’ll laugh out loud and find out things about their family and friends that they never knew before with this card game. It’s fun to play and easy to learn. One player will choose a card, read a multiple choice question, and other players will vote on the answer they think that person would choose. Best of all, this adult party game is compact enough to travel with.

A Bluetooth Label Maker That Doesn’t Require Ink Refills

Phomemo D30 Label Maker Machine

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This label maker is a practical gift with so many uses, it’ll make just about anyone’s life easier. It’ll allow them to print labels they create using their phone and a free app that comes loaded with free icons, fonts, templates, and more for ease of use and thousands of designs. They can create labels for books, folders, boxes, leftovers, and more to keep their home and/or office tidy and organized.

An Embroidery Starter Kit With Pre-Printed Cloths

Maydear Embroidery Starter Kit (4-Pack)

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This embroidery starter kit is perfect for beginners. It includes four pre-printed cloths featuring different designs so it’ll be easier for them to learn different stitches and create a beautiful pattern. The designs wash off so they won’t be visible after they’ve made their creation. It also comes with scissors, needles, a needle threader, an embroidery frame, and thread in various colors.

A Fluffy 3D Stripe Blanket That’s Available In Over 30 Colors

Bedsure Fleece Throw Blanket

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Featuring a 3D stripe design, this blanket is as stylish as it is cozy. It’s crafted from premium microfiber that’s ultra soft, fuzzy, and comfortable against skin. Multiple reviewers mentioned that it’s lightweight yet warm and although it’s affordable, it’s great quality. Not only is it great for snuggling up on the couch or in bed, it’ll also look great draped on a chair or sofa to enhance any room.

Positive Affirmation Mushroom Cards In A Jar

Dearmine Positive Mushroom Jar With 60 Daily Affirmation Cards

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These affirmation cards are a gift that keeps on giving. They’re shaped like mushrooms and come in a convenient jar, so they can just reach in and pull one out when they need to boost their mood. The jar and the cards feature colorful mushroom artwork. They’re also available in other styles like unicorns, tacos, and more.

Deeply Nourishing Overnight Sheet Masks That Are Bestsellers

BIODANCE Bio-Collagen Real Deep Mask (4-Pack)

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These sheet masks are certified viral online and boast bestseller status on Amazon. Each one in this four-pack contains ultra-low molecular collagen that maximizes absorption and skin penetration. They can help to reduce the size of enlarged pores, increase skin elasticity, and smooth skin. For best results, these face masks should be worn for at least four hours or overnight, and they turn transparent when they've been fully absorbed.

A Best-Selling Whodunit Book Packed With 100 Logic Puzzles

Murdle: Volume 1 by G.T. Karber

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This book features maps, clues, witness interviews, and codes for readers to use the power of deduction to figure out mini murder mysteries. But don’t worry, these logic ouzzles have a touch of humor. The goal is to figure out who did it, the weapon used, and where the crime was committed. One shopper wrote, “I absolutely love it! It is just the right amount of challenging and entertaining. Once I get close to being done with this one, I will definitely be ordering more.”

A Silicone Grill Caddy That’s Heat Resistant & Dishwasher Safe

Find Law Griddle Mat

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This silicone caddy is the perfect grill accessory because it provides a spot for sauces, spices, and more. It also has prongs that can hold various cooking utensils in place. It’ll prevent spills and messes due to its textured design and raised edge. It’s slip-resistant and heat-resistant. Plus, it’s so easy to clean — just pop it in the dishwasher.

An Aesthetic Incense Holder That Collects Ash

Ceremony Ash Catching Incense Holder

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Designed with a wooden base, this best-selling incense holder will collect ash so it won’t make a mess on counters or tables. It will add a contemporary touch to any space with its rectangular glass bottle, and it has a metal clip to hold incense sticks in place. Shoppers mentioned that its design helps smoke to rise in the glass which can disperse fragrance more efficiently and create a cool effect.

Convenient Sunglasses Holders For Car Sun Visors

Yuoyar Sunglasses Holder (2-Pack)

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They’ll be able to keep their sunglasses handy yet out of the way with these sunglasses holders — no more misplacing or accidentally sitting on them. With built-in magnets, they easily clip onto their sun visor and can be used with just one hand, so they can place and remove shades easily. They’re made from soft leather and can accommodate glasses in various styles and sizes without damaging them.

An Emollient-Rich Sheer Lip Balm With A Shiny Finish

Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey

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This lipstick is designed to look great on anyone, and its certified viral status and nearly 10,000 five-star ratings on Amazon back that claim. Available in three shades, this Clinique product offers subtle, buildable color with a glossy finish. Its emollient-rich formula glides on easily and hydrates your kisser.

Trendy Gold-Plated Bracelets That Are Perfect For Stacking

DEARMAY Dainty Stackable Bracelet Set (6 Pieces)

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Crafted from 14-karat gold-plated brass, these bracelets look more expensive than they actually are. According to shoppers, they’re also great quality and do not tarnish. This set includes six bracelets in different styles so they’re great for mixing and matching, wearing individually, or stacking. Each bracelet can be extended up to 2.5 inches and features sturdy lobster clasps.

A Viral Face Cream Infused With Niacinamide & Hydrolyzed Collagen

medicube Collagen Jelly Cream

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Their skin will look glowy and more radiant with this jelly-like face cream. It’s made with freeze-dried hydrolyzed collagen which can plump skin, niacinamide to protect their skin’s natural moisture barrier, hyaluronic acid to lock in hydration, and plant–derived squalane that can prevent moisture loss. One reviewer wrote, “I [saw] results within one week of use — my skin looks and feels better. [Plus] it works well under my makeup, that's a huge bonus.”

Colorful Flower Air Vent Clips To Decorate & Freshen Up Their Car

Joynaamn Diffuser Car Air Vent Clips (6-Pack)

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These air vent clips are a great way to decorate a vehicle so it feels personalized. They’re designed to look like flowers, and this pack includes six different colors for an aesthetic pastel rainbow effect. Though they do not include fragrance, there is space to add fragrance discs or essential oils so they can make a car or small space smell great.

A Quirky Standing Ladle That Looks Like The Loch Ness Monster

OTOTO Jumbo Nessie Soup Ladle - Big Ladles for Cooking, Serving Soup, Stew, Gravy - BPA-free, Dishwasher Safe & Heat Resistant Silicone Ladle

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Designed with four legs, this ladle can stand on its own so it won’t sink into pots, which means the handle won’t get dirty and doubles as quirky decor. It’s designed to look like the legendary Loch Ness monster, a.k.a Nessie., which adds whimsy to your cookware. By the way, its one-piece design is BPA-free and dishwasher safe.

A Luxurious Satin Pillowcase That’s Gentle On Skin & Hair

Kitsch Satin Pillowcase

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Due to its smooth texture, this satin pillowcase is super soft and gentle on skin and hair. It can prevent creases and moisture loss for smoother, more hydrated skin. It can also prevent hair breakage and frizz since it reduces friction. Oh, it also stays cool at night to prevent overheating. Plus, it looks and feels luxurious, making it so giftable.

A Neck Reading Light With An Outrageous Amount Of 5-Star Ratings

Glocusent LED Neck Reading Light

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Designed to be worn around the neck, this light allows users to go hands-free. It features three light color options that are gentle on eyes, six brightness levels, and a battery that lasts up to 80 hours on a single charge. Each beam can be adjusted independently, and its flexible arms allow it to be positioned in various ways. Not only is it great for reading in the dark, it can also be used for knitting, making repairs, and camping. Need more convincing? It has more than 110,000 five-star ratings.

A Sleek Space-Saving Toaster With 6 Shade Settings

bella 2 Slice Slim Toaster

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Featuring an extra-wide slot, this toaster is designed to hold two slices of bread side-by-side. Its slim design takes up less space than a traditional toaster so it can fit in small or tight spaces. Despite its compact size, it has six shade settings to toast bread from lightly golden to dark and crispy with a turn of a dial. It also has a removable crumb tray for easy cleanup.

A Carbonated Bubble Mask That Clears Pores & Smooths Skin

Elizabeth Mott Carbonated Bubble Clay Mask

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This face mask starts off creamy, so it’s easy to apply. Then, it expands and transforms into a bubbly foam that tingles. According to the brand, it detoxes pores, gently exfoliates, and stimulates circulation for smoother, softer, and more radiant skin. It’s made with white kaolin clay, charcoal, and CO2. Not only do shoppers confirm that it’s effective at cleaning and improving the look and texture of skin, it’s also fun to use.

Real Wax Flameless Candles In Glass Jars

Eywamage Flameless Candles (3-Piece Set)

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Because these battery-operated candles are made with real wax and come in glass jars, they look so realistic — no one will be able to tell they’re fake. They also feature a flicking flame effect that looks like the real thing. They can be controlled with the included remote to adjust the brightness, set a four or eight hour timer, and to turn them on or off.

Adorable Highly Rated Figurines To Decorate A Car Dashboard

Generic Car Rearview Mirror Ornaments (2 Pieces)

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These figurines offer an easy way to decorate a car so it feels personalized and vibrant. This set includes a bunny figurine and a vase filled with flowers. They’re crafted from resin and glass so they’re durable and won’t fade. Plus, the vase can be filled with a few drops of essential oil or fragrance oil to disperse a refreshing scent. They come with adhesives so they’re easy to install and will stick to various areas whether on a dashboard or on a rearview mirror.

A Dainty Initial & Heart Pendant Necklace That Won’t Tarnish

Turandoss Gold Heart Initial Necklace for Women - 18K Gold Plated Letter A Pendant Necklace Dainty Heart Necklaces Tiny Initial Necklaces Birthday Gifts for Women Jewelry

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This necklace is 18-karat gold plated so it doesn’t just look luxurious, it’s resistant to tarnishing, hypoallergenic, and lead- and nickel-free. It features a small heart pendant and your choice of any initial for a personalized feel. “I’m in love with this necklace, I rarely take it off and it hasn’t tarnished. I’ve worn this for over 4 months,” wrote one reviewer. Bonus: it already comes in a cute box ready for gifting.

A Double-Walled Glass Mug Filled With Dried Flowers That Shift With Movement

Arefen Dried Flower Double Wall Glass Mug

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This glass mug is a beautiful and unique gift anyone can appreciate. Its double-walled design doesn’t just keep drinks warm for longer and protects hands from heat — it’s also filled with real dried flowers that shift when the mug is moved for a stunning effect. Plus, it includes a gold spoon with a floral design for an added luxe touch.

A Memory Foam Travel Pillow With An Extra-Large Hood For Privacy

SKYTRAX COMF Hooded Travel Pillow

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Whether they’re on a plane or enjoying a long road trip, this travel pillow will allow them to take a nap comfortably. It’s crafted from high-density memory foam that will conform to their body, reduce pressure, and improve posture. It’s designed with a hood to block out light and add privacy. It includes a breathable, soft cover that’s lined with a magnetic stone fabric that can provide warmth and reduce fatigue, according to the brand. As a bonus: it also comes with a drawstring bag for storage and ear plugs.

An Amazing Smelling 24-Hour Moisturizing Body Lotion With 44,000 5-Star Ratings

eos Shea Better Body Lotion

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Made with seven nourishing oils and butters, this body lotion is formulated to absorb quickly and to hydrate skin for up to 24 hours. It’s lightweight, non-greasy, and non-sticky for an immediate good feeling that leaves skin feeling softer and smoother. Plus, shoppers are thrilled that it smells amazing with notes of vanilla, caramel, and soft musk.

Easy-To-Use Heel Socks That Soothe Dry, Cracked Feet

NatraCure Vented Moisturizing Gel Heel Sleeves

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These heel socks are infused with lavender, jojoba oil, and vitamin E to soothe, smooth, and hydrate dry, cracked skin to make feet feel softer and more moisturized with very little effort. In fact, they’re designed to be worn to bed so they can work their magic while sleeping. Their open-toe design keeps things breathable and comfy, and these socks are washable and reusable.

18-Karat Gold Plated Studs With Real Pearls

Barzel Pearl Stud Earrings

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Although these earrings are under $20, they’re impressive and look expensive. They’re crafted from 18-karat gold-plated brass and feature real pearls in a caged design that adds flair. They’re comfy enough for everyday wear yet dressy enough for special occasions. According to reviewers, they’re well-made and don’t tarnish.

A Long-Lasting Eye Shadow Stick That Transforms From A Cream To A Powder

Julep Eyeshadow 101 Crème to Powder Waterproof Eyeshadow Stick

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This best-selling eyeshadow stick allows you to apply makeup directly onto lids, making it perfect for quick application, on-the-go touch-ups, and travel. It glides on cream and transforms into a powder, and it’s highly-pigmented, so one swipe delivers bold color. It’s also waterproof, crease-proof, and long-lasting. Plus, it’s infused with vitamins C and E, which can protect skin from free radicals and improve tone and texture. Oh, it also has a built-in smudger on the other end to make blending easier.

A Paint-By-Numbers Kit That Will Leave You With A Literal Masterpiece

mjcakrn Paint By Numbers Kit

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You’ll have just as much working on this paint-by-numbers kit as you will displaying the end result. It’s made for adults but sure to have you channeling the carefree joy of childhood as you fill in the details of this cat enjoying some reading material in a bathroom filled with a dreamy amount of greenery. Each kit includes an unframed canvas, three paint brushes, acrylic paint, hanging hardware, and a handy guide to get you started.

Relaxing Essential Oil-Infused Shower Steamers That Are Long-Lasting

Body Restore Aromatherapy Shower Steamers (6-Pack)

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These shower steamers are perfect for anyone who prefers to shower instead of taking baths. They’ll be able to turn a regular, everyday shower into a spa-like experience because they're infused with essential oils for an aromatherapy experience that can improve one’s mood and promote relaxation. They don’t dissolve as quickly as others, and some reviewers mentioned one can even be used for multiple showers.

Flowery String Lights That Add A Fairytale Touch

FULLBELL Fairy Flower String Lights

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Any space will feel instantly warmer, cozier, and a little more magical with the addition of these flowery string lights. The LED lights are 33 feet in length for plenty of coverage, whether you’re draping them over a media stand, across bed posts, or over a window. And you can link multiple sets together to achieve your dream aesthetic.

A Comfy Arm Pillow That’s Perfect For Gaming, Reading, & More

vamorry Gaming Arm Pillow

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Gamers, readers, and crafters alike are bound to appreciate this plush arm pillow, which has a curved design to offer extra support for all sorts of pursuits. The U-shaped construction contours to your body while supporting your arms and hands, so you don’t have to hunch over in a position that will leave you feeling achy and full of remorse the next day. Plus, the soft exterior comes in several fun colors.

Confidence-Boosting Sticker Quotes For Your Car

CIKTCOKO You Look Good Rear View Mirror Stickers (4-Pack)

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Get a confidence boost whenever you check your rearview mirror with these inspirational stickers. Each order comes with four “damn, you look good” stickers, although you can opt for other phrases, too, like “good vibes only,” “passenger princess,” and “you’re doing great.”

A 100% Castor Oil Growth Serum For Brows & Lashes

Live Fraiche USDA Organic Castor Oil Lash Serum

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Made with 100% organic cold pressed castor oil, this serum can promote growth for longer, thicker brows and lashes. It features dual ends — a thin brush for precision application and a spoolie brush for lashes. According to the brand, it can last for up to six months with daily use. Some reviewers mentioned noticeable results in just a few weeks.

Gold-Plated Triple Huggie Earrings For An Easy Stacked Look

Obidos 14K Gold Plated Triple Huggie Earrings

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Designed to mimic the look of multiple piercings, these triple huggie earrings help to achieve a stacked look even if they only have a single piercing. They are crafted from 14-karat gold-plated brass and feature sparkly cubic zirconia stones — making them look way more expensive than they actually are. They’re tarnish-resistant and hypoallergenic.

Collagen & Caffeine-Infused Eye Masks That Brighten & Smooth Skin

Maskiss Caffeine Eye Masks (25 Pairs)

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“After just one use, my eyes looked brighter and more refreshed,” one shopper wrote about these eye masks. They’re infused with hydrolyzed collagen which can boost elasticity, hyaluronic acid to lock in moisture, and caffeine to brighten skin. They just need to be worn for 20 minutes, and they stay put so they can move around while wearing them without worrying about them slipping off. Oh, they’re individually sealed too, which makes them easy to take on-the-go.

Best-Selling Aesthetic Highlighters In Muted Pastel Colors

Mr. Pen Aesthetic Highlighters (8 Pieces)

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Instead of typical neon-colored ones, consider these highlighters that feature muted pastel colors for a unique way to highlight notes and quotes or to decorate planners and scrapbooks. They feature quick-drying ink to reduce smudging and a chisel tip so they can be used to make narrow or wide lines. By the way, the barrels are squared so they won’t roll off of desks.

A Reviewer-Loved Nail Cream That Strengthens Nails & Conditions Cuticles

Onyx Professional Hard As Hoof Nail Strengthening Cream

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Backed by over 52,000 five-star ratings, we think it’s safe to say that reviewers are impressed with this nail cream. It’s made with shea butter, jojoba seed oil, calcium, coconut oil, and vitamins A, C, B, B5, and E. It can strengthen nails to prevent splitting and breakage, and it also conditions cuticles. Its creamy formula is easy to apply, fast absorbing, and less messy than oils.

A Super Popular Monocular That Can Fit In A Pocket

Pankoo 16X52 Monocular Telescope

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Perfect for camping, bird watching, concerts and more, this monocular can help them see things from far away clearly. It features a 16X magnification and a 52mm object lens, and they can adjust their view with an easy-to-use dial. It has a hand strap so it’s easy to hold, and it’s small enough to fit in a pocket or small bag. By the way, it’s waterproof and anti-fogging.

A Durable & Well-Made Hardcover Journal With An Inner Expandable Pocket

PAPERAGE Lined Journal Notebook

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Featuring a water-resistant, vegan leather hardcover, this journal is durable and great quality. It’s designed with 252 lined pages, two built-in ribbon bookmarks, an expandable pocket on the inside of the back cover, and an elastic closure band. Plus, it comes with sticker tabs. It’s worth mentioning that it has accumulated over 50,000 five-star ratings.

A Calming Aromatherapy Oil In A Convenient Pump Bottle

Origins Peace of Mind On-the-Spot Relief | Relaxing Aromatherapy Experience With Eucalyptus, Peppermint & Basil Essential Oils | Wellness Gift, 0.5 Fl Oz

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Infused with peppermint, basil, and eucalyptus essential oils, this aromatherapy gel can help one unwind. It comes in a bottle with a pump, so it’s easy to dispense just the right amount. It can be applied to fingers or on palms for scent relief or massaged on earlobes, temples, and the back of their neck for a cooling sensation that can help relieve tension.

A Popular Outlet Extender That Just Makes Life So Much Easier

QINLIANF 5-Outlet Extender & Surge Protector

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With over 85,000 five-star ratings, we had to give this outlet extender a try for myself. We can confirm that it’s life-changing. It features five AC outlets, three USB ports, and one USB-C port so multiple devices and appliances can be plugged in at once, and the three-sided design keeps plugs from bumping into each other. Plus, it has built in smart technology that detects devices to deliver optimal charging speed automatically, and it has surge protection.

Single-Use Gloves With Prebiotic Oat & Shea Butter To Soothe Dry Skin

Aveeno Repairing CICA Hand Mask

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Designed to hydrate and soothe very dry skin, these single-use gloves are a must-have for anyone dealing with rough, dry hands. They’re infused with prebiotic oat and shea butter, fragrance-free, and only need to be worn for about 10 minutes. Plus, they come in a convenient pouch, so they’re great for on-the-go. By the way, they’ll still be able to use touch-screens with these so they can scroll on their phone.

A Viral Tinted Lip Butter Balm With A Glossy Finish & Fun Flavors

Summer Fridays Tinted Lip Butter Balm

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Infused with ingredients like shea butter and murumuru seed butters, this butter lip balm is hydrating and soothing. It glides on like a balm, shines like a gloss, and leaves behind a subtle tint like a sheer lipstick. It’s available in various shades and fun flavors like birthday cake, brown sugar, and cherry.

A Soothing 12-Sided Fidget Toy With A Carrying Case

PILPOC theFube Fidget Cube

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Perfect for both kids and adults, this fidget toy can help relieve stress, reduce anxiety, and come in handy when one feels bored or restless. It’s designed like a dice featuring 12 sides with different fidgets, four of which are silent. It’s crafted from plastic and silicone, so it’s sturdy and durable. It also includes a carrying case to keep it safe while on-the-go.

An Easy-To-Use Meat Shredder Tool That Saves Time

SURETIVIAN Meat Shredder Tool

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This meat shredder tool will make their life easier because it saves time and energy. It features an anti-slip base and a cover with built-in sharp teeth. All they’ll have to do is place meat on the base, place the cover on top, and use the handles to twist the cover back and forth. It’ll shred meat within seconds while keeping hands safe, and it’s dishwasher safe for easy cleanup.

Teeny-Tiny Vases That Look Like Little Rice Balls

MOUGIGI Mini Flower Vase (Set of 5)

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How cute are these little vases? Perfect for a single stem or small bunch of flowers, they’re designed to look like smiling little rice balls — making the set a perfect gift for your friend who’s obsessed with sushi and all things Japanese.

A Clump-Removing Eyelash Comb With A Long Handle

MSQ Eyelash Comb

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Designed with 30 tines, this lash comb will separate lashes and remove clumps to make any mascara work better. Lashes will look more defined and natural. It features a curved head and a long handle so it’s easy to use. It also comes with a cover to protect the fine-tooth comb while traveling with it or storing it.

A Ceiling Organizer For Your Car

Kaskawise Car Ceiling Cargo Net

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Here’s a clever way to increase the organization in your car. This ceiling cargo net takes up zero floor (or seat) space but offers several mesh compartments to store anything and everything. That said, you can attach it to the back of a car seat, too.

An Oversized Mouse Pad That Dresses Up Your Desk

iCasso Green Large Mouse Pad, Desk Matt for Desktop, XXL Desk Mat for Keyboard and Mouse, Anti-Slip Big Mousepad Computer Mat with Stitched Edges

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This oversized mouse pad takes your work setup from basic to beautiful. Large enough to handle your keyboard, mouse, and other essentials, it features an ultra-smooth Lyra surface and nonslip backing. Besides this pretty sage option with a garden theme, it comes in dozens of other styles, like marble, ocean waves, and modern geometric prints.

Highly Pigmented Dual Tip Paint Markers For Fabric, Rocks & More

ARTISTRO 24 Dual Tip Acrylic Paint Markers, Acrylic Paint Pens, Fabric Markers for Textile, Rock, Glass, Wood, Paper, Ceramic, Canvas DIY Art Supplies Kit for Kids and Adults (Dual Tip Dot + Fine, 24)

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These versatile paint markers can be used on various surfaces like wood, glass, paper, ceramic, fabric, and more. They feature bright colors and are highly pigmented, which makes them so great for everyday crafting. They feature pre-activated cotton nibs so there’s no shaking or pressing necessary like with others. They’re designed with dual ends — one fine tip and one dotting tip.

An Endoscope Camera That Lets You See Into Pipes & Other Tight Places

MugEasy Endoscope Camera with Light

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A truly unique gift, this endoscope camera lets you be your own repair person. Featuring an ultra-bright light at the end, it winds its way through pipes, behind walls, into air-conditioning vents, and more, transmitting a clear picture and video to your phone. One reviewer wrote, “We used it to look into our ceiling to check the structure and also used it to see what was blocking our dryer vent. We've used it in our car to look into the little nooks that are impossible to get to. So useful and handy for dozens of things.”

A Personalized, Hand Embroidered Corner Bookmark

MOTEERLLU Initial Hand Embroidered Corner Bookmark

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Pick from four colors options and choose their initial to make this bookmark a personalized gift the reader in your life will love. It’s designed to fit on the corner of a page, and it’s crafted from felt, so it’s soft and won’t cause damage. It features hand-embroidered floral designs and any letter of the alphabet. One shopper wrote, “Great quality and craftsmanship. Kudos to the designer of this bookmark.”

Crystal Suncatchers That Create A Magical Show With Sunlight

ilclviz Crystals Suncatcher (6 Pieces)

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Bring a little magic to someone’s space with these crystal suncatchers. The six chains feature crystals and gold charms that catch the sun and cast a rainbow of light around the room. They can be hung together or separately depending on how dramatic of an effect you’re after.

A Highly Rated Baking Cookbook With 101 Recipes From Easy To Advanced

Sally's Baking 101: Foolproof Recipes from Easy to Advanced

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This cookbook is filled with baking recipes from the famous baking blogger Sally McKenney. The recipes vary from easy to advanced, so it’s great for anyone no matter their experience in the kitchen. They’ll learn to make everything from pizza dough to cookies to smoked salmon tarts. There are step-by-step photos, so it’s easy to follow along and includes basic principles and tips so they can become a successful home baker in no time.

A Stylish & Useful Insulated Cup Sleeve They’ll Use All The Time

Sok It JavaSok Insulated Neoprene Cup Sleeve

Amazon -

Crafted from insulated neoprene, this cup sleeve can keep beverages, like iced coffee and soda, cool for longer. It’s also absorbent and prevents surfaces and hands from getting wet from condensation. Not only is it practical, it’s also a cute and stylish accessory because it’s available in more designs than we can count. By the way, it’s available in various sizes to accommodate cups from popular chains like Starbucks and Dunkin’.

An Overnight Peel-Off Mask For Glowy Skin By Morning

medicube Collagen Overnight Wrapping Mask

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This mask goes on easily and peels off in one smooth layer that’s so satisfying to remove. It’s made with collagen extract, niacinimide, ceramide NP, and hyaluronic acid to improve skin tone, smooth, and hydrate. It’s designed to be worn overnight so they’ll wake up to radiant skin. It only takes about 15 minutes to dry, so it can also be used quickly if they don’t have a lot of time.

A Space-Saving Hanger With 20 Hooks To Prevent Clutter

Resovo Bra Hanger

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Designed with 20 hooks, this hanger can be used to store bras, tank tops, scarves, belts, ties, and more, so you can give the gift of organization. It saves closet space and also makes it easier to hang items that are difficult to store and usually slide off of traditional hangers. That means, it’ll prevent clutter and keep their closet tidy and organized.

Rainbow Colored Pencils Crafted From High-Quality Black Wood

Yangmei Rainbow Colored Pencils (12-Pack)

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Unlike others on the market, these colored pencils are crafted from premium black wood, so they look unique and are super durable. Each pencil is designed with multicolored lead that has at least three different colors for a fun, unique effect when they write, draw, or shade with them.

A 3D Puzzle That Serves As A Planter Once It’s Finished

PieceRelax 3D Puzzle Planter

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Puzzles are fun, but it’s hard to know what to do with them once they’re finished — but that’s not the case with this 3D planter. After it’s assembled, it serves as a succulent planter with a gorgeous tile-like finish. Boasting an impressive 4.8-star overall rating from reviewers, it’s available in multiple styles and comes with an interior cup with drain holes.

A Satellite Necklace With A Dainty Bow Pendant

Thaivor Dainty Bow Necklace

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This necklace is the perfect balance between maximalism and minimalism — making it the perfect finishing touch for a casual or dressy fit. It features a satellite chain and a dainty bow charm. It’s made from 14-karat gold plated brass to ensure a long-lasting finish that’s tarnish-resistant. By the way, in comes in a gift box so it’s ready to be given to that special person in your life.

A Dimmable Candle Warmer Lamp With Vintage Charm

GODONLIF Candle Warmer Lamp With Timer

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Give them the gift that’ll give them peace of mind — this lamp is designed to heat wax so they can still enjoy candles without worrying about an open flame or smoke. The height can be adjusted so it can accommodate candles in various sizes. It has a dimmer to adjust the brightness and a timer function so it can be set to automatically turn off after two, four, eight, or 10 hours.

Aesthetic Silicone Cooking Utensils With Wooden Handles & A Stainless Steel Core

Umite Chef Kitchen Cooking Utensils Set (33 Pieces)

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These cooking utensils are stylish and practical. They feature wooden handles for a chic look and silicone tips that are gentle on pots and pans yet heat-resistant up to 446 degrees. They’re crafted with a stainless steel core so they won’t bend. They also include hooks to hang them and and a holder with drainage holes so they can dry efficiently when stored.

Flower Spoons That Add Whimsy To Coffee, Ice Cream, & More

Chengu Flower Coffee Teaspoons (Set of 8)

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Whether you’re mixing cream into your coffee or diving into a bowl of mint chip ice cream, these flower spoons make the experience a little more delightful. The set of eight includes different varieties, like a sunflower and an orchid, and you can choose from gold, silver, and rainbow styles. Stick them in the dishwasher for easy cleaning.

Ribbed Silicone Pot Holders That Are Bestsellers

KitchenAid Ribbed Soft Silicone Pot Holder (2-Pack)

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Designed with a cotton side with a pocket for a comfortable hold and a silicone side to protect hands, these pot holders are a practical gift they’ll use again and again. They’re heat-resistant up to 500 degrees and cover more surface area than oven mitts to prevent burns. Plus, the silicone side is ribbed to ensure a better grip. They’re available in a bunch of aesthetic colors that’ll complement any kitchen.

A Wireless Karaoke Mic That Connects To Various Music Apps

BONAOK Wireless Bluetooth Karaoke Microphone

They’ll be able to have a fun karaoke party with out a bulky machine with this Bluetooth wireless microphone. It can connect to various music apps like Spotify and YouTube so they can sing along to their favorite songs. It has different modes and built-in music. Since it’s rechargeable, they won’t have to worry about a cord getting in their way. By the way, it can last up to 10 hours on a single charge.

Sleek & Stylish Glass Tumblers With Bamboo Lids & Glass Straws

NETANY Tumbler Set (4-Pack)

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Shoppers are impressed with the quality of these tumblers. They’re crafted from thick glass that can withstand sudden temperature changes from -68 to 212 degrees, so of course they can be used for hot or cold beverages. They also include glass straws and bamboo lids that add an aesthetic touch. By the way, they also include two cleaning brushes.

A Memory Foam Car Cushion To Make Driving More Comfortable

kingphenix Car Seat Cushion

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Daily commutes are so much comfier with this seat cushion. Made from memory foam wrapped in breathable fabric, the cushion has a nonslip gel backing to stay securely in place. It’s designed to help reduce pressure on your tailbone while you’re sitting, and it works just as well in an office chair as it does in the car.

An Adorable Mushroom Planter For Indoor & Outdoor Use

Fungi Fun Mushroom Hanging Planter Pot

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This teeny ceramic pot makes for the cutest hanging planter. It’s designed to look like a mushroom character playing on a swing, and it can be used indoors or outdoors to hold your favorite succulents or small trailing plants. It even comes with a hook for easy installation.

Reusable Tumbler Straws Shaped Like Hearts

The best MOON Reusable Plastic Heart Straws (4-Pack)

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These reusable, heart-shaped straws are a fun swap if you have an everyday water bottle. They’re designed to work with most 30-to-40-ounce tumblers, and you get four in the set to share with friends or use for multiple bottles at once. The straws are made from food-grade, BPA-free plastic and come with a handy cleaning brush.

A Cube-Shaped Mood Light With Endless Possibilities

LOFTEK LED Cube Mood Lamp

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This cordless light is aptly called a “mood lamp” and it’s easy to see why — you can adjust it endlessly to suit your vibe. Switch between 16 colors, dim the brightness, or set it to one of four dynamic modes, including flash and fade. Measuring 4 inches, it fits nearly anywhere — though you can opt for bigger versions, too.

A Doorway Curtain With Oversized, Iridescent Sequins

treknature Sequin Beaded Door Curtain

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Bring some Y2K-coded style to any doorway with this door curtain. The curtain is actually 20 separate strands, each measuring about 40 inches and decorated with oversized, iridescent sequins. Hang it over your bedroom or home office doorway, or mount it in front of the window for some shimmery light.

A Cherry Tree Lamp With Blossoms That Glow

Nakolulu Cherry Blossom Tree Lamp

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This cherry blossom tree lamp brings a little springtime charm to any space. The blooms feature tiny, glowing LEDs while the branches are made from bendable wire for an organic look. It’s USB powered, but if you want to ditch the cord, you can pop in three AA batteries.

Magnetic Fidget Balls With A Soft & Quiet Silicone Exterior

Silicone Magnetic Balls, Fidget Toys, 6-Pack Stress Relief Toys for Adults, Teens, Sensory Toy for Fingers Hands, Quiet Office Desk Toys with Textures, Magnet Fidget Fun Gift (Purple)

Amazon -

Give your hands something satisfying to do without disturbing everyone around you with these fun fidget balls. With six pieces in a set, each ball features a magnetic core that pulls them together, and the colorful silicone exterior adds a satisfying tactile feel while keeping them quiet and discreet, so you can use them practically any time.

A Slim Pocket That Adds Storage To Your Car

Moly Magnolia Car Seat Side Pocket

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If your car lacks a convenient spot for small essentials this storage pocket is a clever upgrade (and much cheaper than upgrading your whole ride). Available in several colors, it’s made with a faux leather material that blends in with most car interiors, and it’s simple to install with the included 3M adhesive and Velcro strip. It’s the perfect size for small items like a phone or wallet.

A Cozy Lamp That’s Designed Specifically For Your Bath

Funlenry Shower Lamp

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If you’ve never thought about upgrading the lighting scheme in your shower, this water-resistant lamp will have you thinking again. Designed to stand up to mild splashes and moisture, it has a mushroom-style shade and adds a warm glow to the area. Plus, it features 16 colors and several brightness levels so you can get the mood just right. Just be sure not to fully submerge it.

A Colorful Planner That’ll Help You Manage Your Daily To-Do List

GOLDPEI Daily Planner Notepad

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End the mess of sticky notes, phone reminders, and other scattered methods of remembering everything on your to do list. This attractive planner makes it easy to put everything in one streamlined place. It has designated spots to put your highest priorities, tasks for tomorrow, and things you just don’t want to forget. And the date-agnostic design means you can continue to use it until you run through its 52 pages.

I love Easter and I love putting my kids’ Easter baskets together. Something about this season always makes it so easy to fill up their baskets with outdoor accessories, new swimsuits, water toys, and tons of practical gifts that they’ll use all year long. But I also love popping in something like a craft or a little hobby or toy — think stocking stuffers, but for an Easter basket.

So the editors at Scary Mommy pulled together our shopping lists and came up with some of our favorite things we’re popping into our kids’ Easter baskets this year. From practical jammies and bath goodies to interest-specific toys and gifts, there is a lot of inspiration here if you’re blanking on what to put in your kid’s basket beyond jelly beans and sidewalk chalk. (Honestly, perfect Easter basket fillers.)

Easter baskets don’t have to be over-the-top — just think about some small things your kids would get a kick out of and mix them in with the things they need for warm months ahead.

This Special Little Bunny Friend

GUND Philbin Bunny Plush

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My girls love a stuffed animal, and I’m obsessed with this GUND Philbin Bunny. He just looks like the sweetest little guy and you can even remove his little bunny hood.

The Perfect Craft For Bookworms

Baublebar Kids' DIY Bookmark Craft Kit

Baublebar -

My girls love reading and they love a craft — you just can’t go wrong with the Baublebar DIY bookmark craft kit. It comes with everything you need to make four absolutely adorable, customized bookmarks, and is the kind of basket-stuffer that lasts beyond Easter Sunday.

A Sweet Jewelry-Makeup Combo Piece

Super Smalls Lipgloss Locket

Super Smalls -

Super Smalls has tons of cute gift ideas, and I love this lipgloss locket for my almost-4-year-old. It’s built to last while still looking like adorable costume jewelry, and it comes in a bunch of different colors and designs.

The Cutest Spring Graphic Tee

Carter's Girls Frog Graphic Tee

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My oldest is 11 and still loves a cute tee above all else. I’m obsessed with all of Carter’s graphic tees, but this frog one is just so adorable. Get a big enough egg and this super soft t-shirt will fit right inside.

The Perfect Spiral Notebook

KPop Demon Hunters Spiral Notebook

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Any kind of stationery stuff, whether it’s a spiral notebook or a pack of cute gel pens, is always a win. This new KPop Demon Hunters spiral notebook is perfect for Derpy fans.

The Sweetest Hobby Kit

Galison Blooming Wildflowers Punch Needle Kit

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I’m always looking for screen-free activities for my kids, so I love kits like this punch needle one from Galison. Super easy for them to do on their own, pretty to hang up afterwards, and really opens everyone up to a new hobby.

A Cozy Hoodie For Anxious Kids

Cloud Kids Calming Hoodie

Cloud Nine -

Anyone else have a nervous kid? Cloud Nine Clothing offers wearable comfort designed to help calm anxious minds. Forget stress balls and awkward fidgeting; relief is built right into the sleeves, invisible to others. Made from plush, breathable fabrics that feel like a weighted hug, this sensory-friendly apparel helps ground you.

This Buildable STEM-Friendly Creative Kit

Crunchlabs Creative Kit

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I have a feeling this one is going to be the gift that keeps on giving all year long! Each monthly Crunchlab box comes with a brand new buildable toy and exclusive videos from former NASA engineer and YouTube creator Mark Rober (your kid knows who he is, trust me), so kids get to build, customize, and play with something totally new every month.

The Ultimate Outdoor Toy

Oh So Fun! Premium Metal Wheelbarrow for Kids

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Yes, I am keenly aware that this won't FIT in my kid's basket. HOWEVER, my first grader has been dying to help me with the backyard work since it's warmed up a bit. She wants to help plan flowers, pick up sticks, etc. and who am I to stop that?! It's a sturdy, durable metal wheelbarrow with solid rubber wheels that she can use to haul dirt, rocks, and plants around the yard, making it the perfect springtime gift for a little one who loves being outside.

The Cutest Building Toy

Clixo Tiny & Mighty Magnetic Building Set

Target -

This is going in my daughter's Easter basket and I love that it's something she can actually play with on the way home from brunch! The Clixo Magnetic Building Set has nine flexible, magnetic pieces that snap and bend together to make over 100 different creations — crowns, balls, snakes, you name it. It's the perfect basket stuffer that's equal parts beautiful, creative, and genuinely fun for kids and adults alike.

The Softest Pajamas

Love to Dream Kids Pajama Set

Love to Dream -

Practical items are always a yay for the Easter basket. Crafted from DreamStretch™ Bamboo fabric, these Love to Dream pajamas are buttery soft, light, breathable, and help keep your little one cozy when it’s cool and fresh when it’s warm.

The Absolute Best Bubble Bath

Splash Kids Bubble Bath

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This is the best bubble bath ever — the gummy bear scent smells so good, even to adult noses. It gets super sudsy with just a little product, and we love blowing bubbles in the tub with the included bubble wand (a genius inclusion).

The Cutest Pokemon Coin Bank

Pokemon Snorlax Coin Bank

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Easter baskets are when a lot of us stock our kids up on fun but practical things: new chalk, bubbles, coloring books, that kind of stuff. My kid loves collecting coins so a piggy bank is a natural inclusion this year. I nabbed this one for $14 to match his Pokémon themed bedroom, and I think Snorlax here will fill out the Easter basket quite nicely.

Spring has sprung and it’s finally at least somewhat pleasant to be outside — hooray! It feels so good to get outdoors, have a little sit on the porch, ride bikes to the park, and just generally not need to bundle up so much. But after all the outside time during the day, your family will come home ready to chill hard in the evenings. That’s where some new TV options will come in really handy. And fear not: there will be plenty of new family-friendly TV shows and movies coming to Netflix in April.

In the coming month, we’ll see the return of two beloved Netflix original series, a few Earth Day-inspired documentaries with iconic hosts, and a fresh selection of movies to screen while you all catch your breath after a big day out.

What’s New On Netflix In April? The Highlight Reel

Love on the Spectrum: Season 4 — April 1

If Love is Blind is drama and mess, Love on the Spectrum is Netflix’s wholesome, life-affirming answer. New and familiar faces fill out the Season 4 cast in this heartfelt documentary series that follows singles on the autism spectrum on their search for true love. We get to catch up with Tyler and Madison, Connor and Georgie, and our boy James, while also getting to know some brand new people who are bound to steal our hearts.

A Gorilla Story: Told by David Attenborough — April 17

No one narrates a nature documentary like Sir David Attenborough. In this one, he tells the story of a remarkable group of mountain gorillas, from his first encounter with them in the ‘70s to today. He shares the events of the life of one gorilla, Pablo, who Attenborough met as a baby, through his adulthood and building of his own family.

This Is a Gardening Show — April 22

Zach Galifianakis could host a conference call that should’ve been an email and make it entertaining, so I can’t wait to watch this show. Netflix calls it “a refreshing and whimsical take on gardening” in which we learn about gardening alongside our host, who is as new to the practice as we are. The goal is to leave viewers with the information and tools they need to grow their own gardens — and a newfound appreciation the planet.

Stranger Things: Tales From ‘85 — April 23

If you thought we were never going back to Hawkins, think again. Netflix is taking us back during the winter of 1985, meaning this series takes place between the events of Season 2 and Season 3. The Hawkins gang will face a gaggle of creatures that have descended on their hometown. Did they come from the Upside Down or...somewhere else entirely? (In case you’re curious, the voice cast is all new — there’s no Millie Bobby Brown or Gaten Matarazzo in this rendition.)

More Family Movies & Shows Coming To Netflix In April

• Hotel Transylvania 2 — April 1
• Madagascar — April 1
• Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa — April 1
• Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted — April 1
• Penguins of Madagascar: The Movie — April 1
• XO, Kitty: S3 — April 2
• The Bad Guys: The Series: S2 — April 2
• LEGO® Ninjago Dragons Rising: S4 — April 2
• IF — April 9
• One Piece: Elbaph Arc — April 11
• LEGO® Friends The Next Chapter: S4 — April 17
• CoComelon Lane: S7 — April 20
• My Sesame Street Friends: My Abby: S1 — April 27

What’s first up in your family’s queue?

It has been a monumental week in Big Tech as the world’s largest social media companies find themselves on the losing end of two landmark lawsuits.

On Tuesday, a New Mexico jury found that Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, violated the state’s Unfair Practices Act by hiding what it knew about how their platforms negatively impacted children’s mental health, as well as the child exploitation their apps enabled. On Wednesday, Meta took another hit in court when a Los Angeles jury found them liable for designing purposefully addictive apps, worsening young users’ mental health. YouTube was also held accountable in the suit.

The lawsuit filed by New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez alleged Meta operated with “unconscionable” trade practices, failing to protect young users from sexual predators. The suit was based on an undercover operation in which officials created a fake social media profile posing as a 13-year-old girl, who was then “inundated with images and targeted solicitations,” Torrez told CNBC. The suit also asserted Meta was aware of, but did not fully disclose, the dangers of social media addiction. A jury agreed, sticking Meta with a $375 million civil damages bill. Meta has been vocal in their disagreement with the decision and says they will appeal.

The Los Angeles case wasn’t civil — it was a personal injury lawsuit. A now 20-year-old woman, identified only as K.G.M., accused Meta and Google (which owns YouTube) of creating platforms “as addictive as cigarettes or digital casinos,” The New York Times reports. The addictive design centers on features like infinite scroll and algorithmic recommendations, the suit claimed. The result of that addiction was severe anxiety, depression, and body dysmorphia, the plaintiff said. TikTok and Snap, which owns Snapchat, were also named in the suit but settled out of court.

Again, the jury sided with the plaintiff. Meta must pay $4.2 million in damages; YouTube must pay $1.8 million. Spokespeople for both companies said they plan to appeal this ruling too.

While neither of these rulings have an impact on children’s social media use in the U.S., experts are calling both of these verdicts bellwether decisions — indicative of more accountability and change to come. The verdict in K.G.M.’s case sets a precedent that social media platforms can be held liable for personal injury.

This is how accountability began for Big Tobacco over the dangers of smoking. As the NYT reports, in 1998 the nation’s four largest cigarette companies were accused of hiding information about the health hazards of smoking. They reached a $206 billion settlement with more than 40 states and agreed to stop marketing directly to minors. Sweeping federal regulations soon followed, and rates of smoking declined sharply.

Experts say the same tide-turning moment is brewing for Big Tech. Attorneys general in more than 40 states have filed suit against Meta for contributing to a nationwide mental health crisis among children. Two hundred school districts from around the country are suing as well, saying that national mental health crisis caused by social media is affecting kids’ education and draining school resources. In L.A. alone, there are eight more personal injury cases brought by individual plaintiffs awaiting trial, the NYT reports. There are thousands of active lawsuits brought by families against Meta, Snap, Tik Tok, and ChatGPT, according to the Social Media Victims Law Center. The suits address everything from addictive app design to fostering drug dealers’ and predators’ access to children, resulting in real harm and even wrongful deaths.

While these two verdicts don’t change anything about the average American kid’s access to social media — nor do they force changes to these companies’ platforms — as more cases get their day in court, that could very well change.

There are few things I love more than meeting up with my friends — specifically my friends who are also moms — and the way we all just know exactly how the other is feeling. We don’t have to get into specifics, but a heavy sigh when we see each other at the restaurant or one of those “Well, I’m here” as an answer to “how are you doing” at workout class truly says it all.

Because every mom — every single one of us — is juggling a million things in her head. From the moment we wake up, to the minute we fall asleep (and all those middle-of-the-night wake-ups), we are thinking about something. Sometimes it’s a task, like grabbing a poster board for our kid’s science project.

And sometimes we’re thinking about the amazing sex we’re having with our new partner.

No matter what, it’s good to let it all out.

Scary Mommy Confessions are a tried-and-true part of what makes our site so fun. If you want to anonymously confess, look for our weekly callouts on Instagram. And to browse past Confessions, head here.

Every parent wants their kid to find their thing. The thing that makes them tick, that gives them passion and purpose. The thing that makes them excited to get up in the morning, the thing they can hold onto no matter what’s swirling around them. It doesn’t always have to make up their full identity, but just be an anchor for them — a hobby, an interest, a dream — that they can foster as they grow. But when your kid seems to lack that spark, it can feel a little like you’ve done something wrong.

One parent took to the /parenting subreddit to share these exact sentiments. The original poster (OP) wrote that their 12-year-old son — their only child — “lacks a spark.” Apparently they’ve encouraged him to try all sorts of clubs, tech things, athletics, and nothing has ever really been his thing. In school, he does the bare minimum, and he doesn’t invite friends over or hang out with friends unless something’s been planned by the parents. “If we left him to do his own thing, he’d likely just lay in his room and listen to audiobooks. He never wants to go outside or asks to have friends over, even though we consistently encourage him to,” OP wrote.

OP said at their son’s age, they felt like they were constantly outside, running around with friends, and it bothers them that their son’s childhood feels so different. They asked for tips and strategies, and shared that really what they want is for their kiddo to find their spark in something — anything — and to engage with their friends and community.

Phew.

I think we’ve all been there at some point. Whether we’re worried our kids don’t care enough about school or friends or we worry they spend too much time on screens, it’s normal to want your kid to have a full, well-balanced life. You want them to find things that matter to them, and then have them want to do those things and succeed at them, work to get better — all of it. And of course everyone hopes their kid has a healthy social life, especially with all the studies around teens and how isolation and loneliness can affect them.

But it’s important to remember that some kids are just built different than we expect — as the replies pointed out to OP.

“It sounds like he could use an extracurricular activity. But other than that, you have an introvert on your hands, which is perfectly fine,” one commenter shared.

Another wrote, “I would definitely talk to him about how he’s feeling emotionally. If he’s feeling well, however, not everyone finds their spark at a young age! I am passionate about what I do, but only found out what that was just last year (as a full-grown adult with a husband and child). I got a whole degree and don’t use it because I finally found my passion!”

I personally loved this advice: “It’s not easy to start doing this if your kid isn’t used to it, but if the weather is decent I just don’t let my kids inside until dinner time. In the summer they have to go right back out after dinner until it’s dark. I mean when you start doing this, they spend a decent amount of time standing outside staring at you through the window. But eventually they take a bike down to the neighbor’s house and knock on the door. The only way to get kids to do anything is to make sure they are completely bored first and then their mind turns on. If he’s a bookworm, feel free to throw some print books outside. Maybe he’ll make a fort to read inside.”

But there were lots of incredible ideas for an introverted kid who loves audiobooks, and the comments did not hold back.

“What sort of audiobooks is he into? Can you see if he has more interest in book events? Clubs, author signings, even comic cons?” one suggested.

“Look into kids tabletop gaming (e.g. Dungeons and Dragons) or LARP in your area. This has been the magic ticket for several similar kids I know,” another said.

“I wonder if you couldn’t lean into his enjoyment of video games by getting him connected with a coding kids type place? We have a ton of them here, they do a lot of group stuff like coding robots and having competitions/collaborations. It allows for the love of the video game stuff but doesn’t allow for them to lose themselves inside of it, but instead uses it to foster connections,” reads another suggestion.

One commenter noted that they have a kid with similar interests, and shared what worked for them:

“Things that work well for my more reserved, introverted son who lacks the competitive streak for sports and also needs his social battery recharged:

• gaming/coding camps and classes
• Boy Scouts
• golf lessons (non-team sport that doesn’t require the quickest of thinking)
• chess
• LEGOs
• for social opportunities, we allow them to FaceTime friends while playing video games, like Minecraft, for about half an hour per night
• ‘go outside and play for an hour’… this can even include him taking a book outside and reading up in a tree or a fort”

Several also made sure to share that there’s nothing wrong with your kid being into video games our audiobooks. There’s such a stigma on “screen time,” but honestly, it really depends on what your kid is doing on the screens, and video games (not social media or endless video watching) really isn’t as bad as it seems.

Above all, commenters wanted OP to keep an eye on their kid. Some mentioned depression often looking this way, while others suggested just talking to their child and making sure they weren’t feeling any certain kind of way that keeps them from engaging or joining new things. But at the end of the day, 12 is still so young — and it seems like OP’s kid is at least into books (they also mentioned Percy Jackson and mythology being a big love for their child) and video games, so they can expound on those if they want their interests to grow.

But sometimes kids are just quiet and more reserved than we thought they would be. The world is different than it was when we were younger, and our options for entertainment have changed, too. It’s easy for us to say “When we were 12, we ran around outside,” but that’s not always easy for 12-year-olds in 2026 to do.

The entire Reddit post was a great reminder that it’s always worth trying. Several commenters just said, “take them to an event that aligns with their interests and see what happens,” and honestly, that feels like the least overwhelming advice. Love your kid, talk to your kid, and listen to your kid — they’re going to be just fine.

Dearest gentle readers... or viewers? Regardless, I come today bearing good news — not only do we now have Bridgerton Season 4 to enjoy, but we also received news that the series will return for yet another season. Two, in fact! Last March, Netflix announced that Seasons 5 and 6 of Bridgerton are forthcoming. And while patience is a virtue, well, we’re not always the most patient. Or virtuous. We’re gluttons for Regency-era romance, and we want more as soon as possible. So, the latest update to come out of the Bridgerton camp is especially exciting: Showrunner Jess Brownell would very much like to give the people (read: us) what they want.

In a recent exclusive interview with Bustle, Brownell teased a promising development regarding the Season 5 release date. Here’s what she had to say, along with all of the other details we have so far about the upcoming installments.

When will Bridgerton Season 5 release?

While we don’t yet have an official release date for Season 5, Netflix did post a brief announcement that production is underway — giving us a glimpse of who our new leads will be.

Last year, it seemed very likely that we wouldn’t see Bridgerton Season 5 this year or the next. Brownell had already explained to The Hollywood Reporter that the series has settled into a two-year pace between seasons. With Season 4 out in 2026, that places us firmly in 2028 territory.

Suffice it to say, fans were not pleased at the idea of having to wait so long, as evidenced by comments left on the official Instagram renewal announcement:

“I’m gonna be 40 when this show ends 💀 I’m 29.”

“We cannot wait any longer! MAKE HASTE!!!”

“👀😑 at this point it’s whatever see you when I see you. I’ll still watch each old seasons because all were great.”

Happily, though, Season 4 arrived earlier than expected — and it would seem that Season 5 will, too.

“When I said the two-year time mark, I knew we were going to be a little bit quicker than that, but I was trying to under-promise and over-deliver. And instead, I think I just made everyone really upset. But we really have been endeavoring — from even before that point — to make everything quicker,” Brown told Bustle in late February. “I would say with Season 5, we’re on track ... to either meet or exceed the year-and-a-half timeline.”

Doing the math, that means it’s actually possible we could see the fifth season drop in 2027.

Who will Seasons 5 & 6 be about?

If you’re a fan of the Bridgerton series on Netflix, you probably know it’s based on author Julia Quinn’s romance series, which is obviously about the eight Bridgerton siblings — each book focusing on a different sibling. Netflix accordingly plans to give fans a full eight seasons of Bridgerton, meaning we’re halfway through.

So far, we’ve seen the love stories of eldest daughter Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor) in Season 1, Anthony (Jonathan Bailey) in Season 2, Colin (Luke Newton) in Season 3, and Season 4 focuses on bohemian brother Benedict (Luke Thompson).

That leaves Eloise (Claudia Jessie), Francesca (Hannah Dodd), Gregory (Will Tilston), and Hyacinth (Florence Hunt) to fill out the remaining seasons. Brownell previously confirmed that the next two seasons would tell the stories of Eloise and Francesca.

Well, Netflix just confirmed that Season 5’s leads will be Francesca and Michaela, and we got some details about the storyline too: we’ll see Francesca reenter the marriage mart two years after the passing of her husband, Lord John Stirling. John’s cousin Michaela simultaneously returns from London, and Francesca’s complicated feelings for her force her to choose between pragmatism and passion.

This summary closely follows the plotline of Francesca’s book, When He Was Wicked, which details her journey through grief after the sudden loss of her husband and then, after years of mourning, her subsequent connection with her husband’s cousin, Michael. Only, in the show, that character is a female cousin named Michaela. So yes, the rumors we true — we’re getting a queer love story!

“Obviously, there are a lot of great shows that have depicted queer love, but to make an entire Bridgerton season about a sapphic relationship feels huge,” said showrunner Jess Brownell.

There’s clearly lots to look forward to still in the Ton... but we’ll have to exercise plenty of patience. At least we have Season 4 to stream (and re-stream) to our heart’s content while we wait.

The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives popularized a lot of things when it debuted in 2024 — chief among them being #MomTok, dirty sodas, and soft swapping. Well, technically Taylor Frankie Paul, the SLOMW star, popularized the term in 2022, when she explained her divorce from then-husband Tate Paul was the result of soft swapping gone wrong. But what is soft swapping anyway?What are the rules? The reported benefits? And if you’re interested in trying soft swapping, how do you bring it up to your partner without things going completely sideways? We asked an expert for their take.

What is soft swapping?

Soft swapping sits in the gray area between monogamy and full partner exchange, according to an explainer from Monsta Toys, a fantasy-driven adult toy brand. The company says Google Trends data reveals searches for soft swapping peaked dramatically in May and June 2025, perhaps in part due to Taylor Frankie Paul & Co.’s cultural impact.

Unlike traditional swinging where couples completely swap partners for sex, soft swappers (also known as soft swinging) set rules around what acts they can engage in with others. Most commonly, everything but penetration is OK, leaving kissing, touching, oral sex, and other intimate acts on the table — but every couple decides their own unique boundaries.

Soft swapping is different from an open marriage; open marriages involve complete emotional and physical relationships with other partners. With soft swapping, it’s really just about the physical. While #MomTok’s soft swinging involved a group of the same couples trading partners, others might choose to soft swap with just one other couple, or to date around and mingle with new couples.

Why might soft swapping appeal to some couples? What are some common pitfalls?

No matter how much you love your partner, when you’ve been with them a long time, that initial euphoria of new love has probably long since dissipated. You’re completely at ease with each other, so that electric nervous energy just isn’t there anymore. Soft swapping adds it back into the mix.

“Soft swapping combines both novelty and an element of decadence all in one, so it’s easy to see why it would have a certain appeal, even to happily monogamous couples,” says Angie Rowntree, ABS, founder and director of Sssh.com, an online destination for sex-positive, ethical porn.

Of course, while it may sound exciting to fool around with someone new with your partner’s OK, soft swapping also opens the door for some cons too — jealousy, crossed boundaries, and “the unpredictability of sharing intimate space with other people,” Rowntree says. “While the word ‘soft’ may sound less consequential, it does not make the experience emotionally or physically neutral. Like anything else under the broader umbrella of relationships, it asks for a great deal of communication, trust, and self-awareness.”

One pitfall of soft swapping is that the commonplace rule — no penetration — ignores that other forms of intimacy are still, well, intimate. This trend might attract couples who are nervous about actually sleeping with other people (swinging), but simply adopting a no P-in-V boundary can lead some couples into trouble. Not getting clear about boundaries upfront — or what to do if something doesn’t feel right in the moment — can cause major relationship issues.

“Oral sex is still sex, intimacy is still intimacy. So even without penetration, it remains another variation of ‘the lifestyle.’ As such, this is one of those areas where fantasy and reality can separate rather quickly,” Rowntree says.

How can you bring up soft swapping with your partner if it interests you?

Telling your partner you want to be intimate with someone else sounds like a conversation that could head south and fast. You’ll want to approach it delicately.

“If your partner has never shown any interest in other people, this is likely something to approach with a great deal of care, and with a genuine willingness to listen to and respect whatever they may say,” Rowntree says. “A person who feels happy in their relationship may hear it and wonder whether you are bored, dissatisfied, or feeling that they are somehow not enough. This is the kind of conversation that requires not only honesty, but real empathy and consideration as well — and a readiness to handle whatever feelings may come up with grace.”

Swinging Reddit might be a great place to get some communication tips. One poster said they knew a couple who was into swinging, so they started by talking about them to their partner to open the conversation. Another Redditor said they brought up swapping partners and explained it was a fantasy of theirs — something about it turned them on rather than something about their partner not being enough in some way.

“If this is something you want to try, connecting with like-minded people on community apps and websites makes sense, since you can be completely transparent about your desires. The same principle applies more broadly as well: lifestyle-friendly spaces can offer an opportunity to learn more, meet others with similar interests, and get a clearer sense of whether this is something that feels right in real life. What matters most is that everyone involved is there knowingly, willingly, and with full transparency,” says Rowntree.