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Jun 06, 2023

44 Cheap Things For Anyone Who's Been Accused Of Being Fancy

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

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

Cocktail glitter, a sleek bun-hack hair pin, fizzing shower steamers, and more little glam dashes for your daily life.

BuzzFeed Staff

Promising review: "I first saw this book on TikTok and decided to look more into it. I purchased four total because I know some people holding onto things that are difficult to let go of. It’s a great way to look at things from a different perspective and truly hold yourself accountable to different things in your life. I love what it stands for and I look forward to when I burn mine after I’m done. Self love, self care, and meditation for a better state of mind tomorrow is always the goal. I definitely recommend it to those susceptible to change and the willingness to try things different. You’re so much more than what’s been done to you and someone’s inability to see your worth does not decrease your value. Choose you for a change." —Brent Helm

Get it from Amazon for $7.32.

Ether + Opal is a Chicago-based Etsy shop specializing in pop culture-centric goods.

Promising review: "I am Baby Gorgeous and I am obsessed with how freakin' gorgeous this is!" —Alyse Stolz

Get it from Ether + Opal on Etsy for $14.99.

I own not one but TWO sets of these and ordered a size up to make for comfier tossing and turning at night. (I sleep in some very weird positions.)

Promising review: "These pajamas were perfect for our girls night out! We all ordered up a size and that worked out great! I would definitely order these pajamas again. I would recommend them to friends and family." —Natasha S. Joiner

Get them from Amazon for $24.99 (available in 15 designs and sizes XS–3XL).

You can use each pen ~20 times and should expect your teeth to lighten four to eight shades.

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

Get a two-pack from Amazon for $18.95 (clip the coupon on the product page to get $3 off this price).

My colleague Emma Lord is all about this mascara. Here's what she has to say: "Hello, that is my face above, because I bought into the hype of all the 5-star reviews and now I will never look back!! Putting it on is like giving my eyelashes butterfly wings. It doesn't get clumpy, it stays put no matter how much you sweat, and you can apply it on very lightly if you don't want it to look so dramatic, or continue applying for longer lashes each time."

Promising review: "Saw this product on TikTok and thought it would be expensive looking at the results they got. I am beyond amazed with how my lashes look after about two coats. For around $5 you couldn’t ask for a better mascara! I will be buying this same one when I run out. I was not expecting to like it as much as I do! No complaints." —Kd

Get it from Amazon for $4.99.

Promising review: "I have a weird skinny window in my house where no normal window covering works. People walking on our community trail can see up into our upstairs bathroom when the light is on and it's dark outside. Not a good plan at all. So I used this window film and cut different-sized circles and placed them on this window to interrupt the view into the house. Worked perfectly! Very easy to use." —Marsgard

Get it from Amazon for $7.98+ (available in 11 sizes).

Promising review: "Very pretty, high and good quality, can fit A LOT, bought for my Miami trip to use during the day while I walk around. I'll be able to hold a lot. Great bag!" —Amazon Customer

Get it from Amazon for $28.99 (available in nine colors).

Promising review: "I kept seeing this product pop up on TikTok so I decided to buy a pack and I'm SO GLAD I DID! These smell so good and are a perfect way to relax while in the shower. I now recommend them to everyone I know!" —Merry

Get a pack of 12 from Amazon for $26.97+ (available in a variety of scents).

Promising review: "I'm a nursing student and have to wear my hair in a bun every day. I've tried all the bun makers, watched YouTube videos, and spend way too much time on getting my hair into a bun. I was able to make a pretty bun that was secure in under 30 seconds. I thought it was a fluke so I did it again, and then again. I just ordered two more packs because I know if I lose one of these, I'd have to tear the house down looking for it. I have hair to my mid back, and three of these worked perfectly for me. If I can get my hair in bun in under 30 seconds, trust me...anyone can." —Tina

Get it from Amazon for $7.99 (also available in a three pack).

Promising review: "Very nice bottles. The glass is pretty thick and the nozzle is a good quality, they look really good in person, and there's also several labels you could use including some empty ones. Overall a great find" —Parvarti

Get them from Amazon for $13.99.

Promising review: "Bought this not expecting that it would work. I've been using products in and on my hair for years, both expensive and inexpensive. This is the best I've used, bar none! It smooths and takes away the tightness of the curls. Will buy it again and again!" —Judith Cohen

Get it from Amazon for $9.87.

I've never tried a Hempz lotion I didn't like but I LOVE this stuff. It just smells so expensive. But it's the right level of scent to where it doesn't feel like it's overwhelming my day. Plus when I used this lotion, the moisture seems to stick with me all day without feeling, well, sticky.

Get it from Ulta for $28.

Promising review: "Vibrant colors and looks and feels high quality. The print looks great on both sides. In this photo I have it wrapped around twice." —renee99

Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (available in a range of patterns).

Tattoorary is a Kollum, The Netherlands-based small biz specializing in temporary tattoos and nail decals.

Promising review: "These are amazing. I have short nails and have been searching for something to level up my nail art. So easy to use and worth every penny. ✨" —Stephanie Duncan

Get them from Tattoorary on Etsy for $3.99.

Out of all the nail art products I've tried (and I've tried LOTS), these reign supreme. They do require a little more work than simply gluing on some press-ons. But if you feel comfortable shaping your own nails, you can use these pretty easily. You can easily size them to a nail, peel them off a plastic backing, press firmly, then trim with clippers or nail scissors (nail scissors are a bit easier) to fit the strip flush with the shape of your nail, pop your finger under the LED lamp for 45 seconds, and then run a nail file over the edge of the nail to seal on the look. I like to also put on a top coat, though that's not required or recommended by the company. When you're done with the look, you can easily pop them off like press-on nails. I always wear these for vacation now and easily pack backup strips and the UV light (about the size of an Apple mouse) in my carry-on for touchups.

Get them from Dashing Diva for $14 (available in many more designs).

Promising review: "I love the nails! I needed something for a weekend trip away and these were perfect! Was hesitant about them at first but they look like the pictures. And they had sizes to fit my little nails." —Amina Bounhar

Get them from Amazon for $14.99 (available in a variety of designs).

Promising review: "I have never been so excited about a slipcover. Total transformation of our couch and loveseat. I was worried about it not working on our leather couch, but it stays on really well due to the straps and the separate cushion covers. LOVE." —Brian/Liz

Get it from Amazon for $42.49+ (available in five sizes and 21 colors).

Promising review: "I adore this beautifully designed spoon holder. It's now a part of my daily routine and it has a permanent presence on my counter. I love using it every day as my coffee spoon holder, and for cooking throughout the day." —TheDiva

Get it from Amazon for $11.99 (available in a variety of colors).

Promising review: "Perfect for someone who has many rings. Nice way to store and display." —Anna

Get it from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in seven colors).

Reviewers note that using this may darken the leather, so keep that in mind!

Promising review: "I'm a clean freak! I have used a couple of other leather conditioners/cleaners for my leather couch and this by far is the best. The consistency is similar to honey (hence the name).... a little elbow grease is necessary to work it into the leather. I use this approximately every 6-8 weeks (3x) I have 1/2 the bottle left. After using this product any scuffs or scratches were immediately less noticeable, it's very clean and conditioned (not dull). I plan on using this product so long the quality stays the same." —Rachell B.

Get it from Amazon for $34.99+ (clip the coupon on the product page to get additional savings off this price; available in two sizes).

Promising review: "I’ve been wanting to upgrade our garage door for a long time and now I have no idea why I waited! The magnets are super strong. Purchased two sets but only used one set of 'handles,' I wasn’t a fan of how close I had to place each set next to each other with the narrow spacing on the door itself. Paired with the magnetic 'windows,' it looks like a brand-new door!" —MrsPirate

Get them from Amazon: handles for $15.17+ and faux windows for $18.60+ (available in several sets and variations).

Promising review: "I love this cute water bottle! It was packaged well and easy to drink from. Comes with two different lids and a straw to go through one lid so that’s nice to have two options. It is a small water bottle about the size of a large mug so I hope that is helpful. Other than that it’s great! 🌻💛😆" —KitCat

Get it from Amazon for $10.99+ (available in six styles).

Promising review: "Wow. This pillow is so beautiful. I seriously can't stop looking at it, the color is so vibrant." —Jackie

Get it from Amazon for $17.99+ (available in two sizes and nine colors).

Promising review: "Absolutely obsessed with these! They’re sturdy and truly lovely in person! So happy with this purchase! 10/10!" —Cassidy

Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (clip the coupon on the product page to get 20% off this price; available in two colors).

Promising review: "Just another thing TikTok made me buy! The quality of the plastic is really great and I love that you can move the shelves as you see fit." —Reagan

Get it from Amazon for $27.99.

Promising review: "I needed a small card holder for my small purse and this works. I love the different colors to choose from. It is really nice for the price!" —Jessica

Get it from Amazon for $8.99 (available in 13 colors and prints).

Bakel is a small business established in 2016 that specializes in edible glitters for food and drink.

Promising review: "Don’t think any further and just buy it. This was so cool and everyone loved it! I got the clear one because it will go with any drink. I will be the one to put this in all my friends drinks. Also had no taste so it was just the look. Sooooooo cool!" —gigi

Get it from Amazon for $11.99 (available in 17 colors).

Promising review: "I saw these wineglasses on TikTok and had to order them. They are perfect! Will be purchasing again as gifts for my friends!" —diana

Get a set of two from Amazon for $19.95.

Promising review: "Work is better when you drink your liquid gold coffee from these beautiful mugs!" —austinweathers

Get them from Amazon for $21.99.

My colleague Emma Lord (pictured above) is ready to divulge why this stuff is so great:

"Okay, I bought this on a whim because there's a sushi place down the street from me that makes truffle avocado sushi rolls and I was like, 'I need these in my life, but I also need money to live.' I decided to DIY it with a regular $4 avocado roll, and this seasoning and the umami bliss of it all basically exploded my brain. Since then, I've tried it on eggs, on burritos, on potatoes, on chocolate mug cakes — pretty much every sweet and savory thing I can think of. The best part is you really get an excellent bang for your buck; it's so flavorful that I've been using this for months now and have barely made a dent in the container!"

Promising review: "Yes, I'm a truffle lover to begin with. And, of course, only a truffle is a truffle. But I gotta tell ya this delectable heaven-sent powder is one heck of a more versatile option. Utterly AMAZING on popcorn, in eggs, added to soups and sauces to layer flavors, veggies, PASTA... The list is endless (I think the only thing I haven't tried was sprinkling it on ice cream...although LOL). It is a bit salty so I advise testing the waters first. But I just ordered my 9th and 10th bottle of the Truffle Zest." —Greengirl

Get it from Amazon for $13.99.

Promising review: "I absolutely love it, it’s small but beautiful and looks expensive. Good material" —tal gonen

Get it from Amazon for $11.99 (available in three sizes and seven colors).

My colleague Chelsea Stuart is a big fan of this stuff. Here's what she has to say: "Not gonna lie, I (Chelsea) went on a serious reconnaissance mission at my local joint just to figure out what kind of chai they were using and low and behold it was this bad boy! All your giftee has to do is add water or milk (and ice if they want it cold) and BAM, they've got a chai that could go for $5+."

Get it from Amazon for $8.99+ (available in two sizes).

Promising review: "So I’ll admit I got this on a whim after a TikTok video, however I’m in love with this thing! It’s so much fun to use and you make your at home drinks feel so much more special. It’s easy to use and froths pretty quickly if you’re on the fence I’d say what are you waiting for buy it already!" —Denise

Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in 45 styles).

Promising review: "I’ve worn these earrings a few times during the day or for a night out and each time I received numerous compliments. They aren’t heavy and they are easy to insert and remove. I highly recommend these earrings." —K,M.

Get them from Amazon for $11.98.

Each set comes with a curling rod, two hair scrunchies, a claw hair clip, and two duckbill hair clips to set it in place. These work best if you roll them with damp hair.

Promising review: "Before purchasing, I’d seen a lot of reviews and tutorials on TikTok showing the results. My hair is thick, coarse, and naturally wavy, so I figured this might be a good alternative to rollers that are time-consuming to put in, difficult to sleep in, and ultimately not worth it. And MAN was I right to be hopeful. Wrap pieces of damp hair around it before bed, the tighter the wrap, the tighter the curl. Easy to sleep in since there’s nothing on the back of your head, and my curls are BOUNCY the next morning. My only complaint is that it doesn’t help give any top-volume, but nothing some teasing can’t fix. 10/10. I’ll never go back to a curling iron." —Mariah

Get it from Amazon for $6.99+ (available in six colors).

If you already have curls/coils and want a heat-free styler, check out these foam curling rods ($11.99 on Amazon) that reviewers with everything from 3a–4c hair love.

^ That's me pumping my signature perfume into one of these travel atomizers I've been using for about a year. As the reviewer below mentions, it's great to just throw in your purse on the reg for a fragrance re-up throughout the day. As you can see, it's about the size of my thumb and therefore takes up very little room. Plus, it's smaller than most roller-ball travel fragrances you can pick up. This first one is working so well that I just have the other three in storage. But if this one bites the dust this summer during travels, I'll be OK with digging into my stores to use one of the remaining three...especially at this price point.

Promising review: "These work so great. Love it!!! I put my favorite perfumes in each one. When I wear a perfume, I put the matching one to the perfume I’m wearing for the day in my purse so I can freshen up my scent later! I like to smell pretty all day!!! They are small and compact but hold enough before you have to refill as well." —Nikki

Get a four-pack from Amazon for $8.65.

You can see it used near the end of this TikTok!

Promising review: "This snuffer does the job. I bought it to snuff out my tea candles so that I'm not blowing wax everywhere. It works perfectly. I like the weight and it looks very pretty sitting on the mantle. The price is perfect also." —Mary Lesane

"This is a candle must-have! I used to blow my candles out but sometimes I get nervous I’ll blow ember all over the place, no good. But this helps snuffing out the candles." —Jennifer Frances Castro

Get it from Amazon for $13.99.

MEINESQUIS is a small business specializing in jewelry.

Promising review: "These are very lightweight and easy to wear. They are a bit tricky to put on the first time or two, but they wear well all day and the shade of gold is nicely neutral. Not too rose, orangish, brassy, etc." —Amazon Customer

Get them from MEINESQUIS on Amazon for $7.99 (available in three colors).

Promising review: "I’ve been looking forever for some thing to help with my pinky that rubs with every single Shoe because my pinky doesn’t sit straight, I did not wear these like a Band-Aid I actually put them inside of my Valentinos a very high-end Italian designer, shoes I have been wearing with so much discomfort and sacrificed my pinky a lot that is now something of the past… lol I wore my Valentinos last night for a period of several hours with no discomfort at all and the little pad did not move and stayed in place, I just placed another order for the style I need." —miss morning

Get a 12-pack of bandages for $13.99.

Gate of Design Studio is a European-based Etsy shop specializing in downloadable art.

Promising review: "This photo set was exactly what I was looking for — great color palette to match some existing art that we had and turn it into a photo wall. Overall, I was very impressed with the quality of prints and ease of download instructions." —Laura Deacon

Get it from Gate of Design Studio on Etsy for $9.56.

FYI, if you have Amazon Prime Wardrobe you can give this a spin before you buy it!

Promising review: "Obsessed. This is exactly what I have been looking for, and now I want one in every color. It is so soft, fit perfectly, and is made from great material (as in it's not too thin). It washes well too! You will NOT regret buying this. Buy this now." —Chelsea S.

Get it from Amazon for $49.90+ (available in sizes XXS–5X and 24 colors/ patterns).

Promising review: "I love these clips. I have thick curly hair and they actually hold really well AND they’re super cute!" —Lydia

Get them from Amazon for $14.99.

Promising review: "The rice ball shaker thing alone makes this worth it. I finally don’t have rice constantly sticking to my fingers. The rest is also super cute and easy to use. I got it for baby-led weaning but my baby is still a little too young for the size of the rice balls. My 5-year-old loves them, though." —Ash

Get it from Amazon for $13.99+ (also available in a seven-piece set).

Promising review: "My daughter has worn this necklace every day since Christmas, and it still looks brand new. So cute!! Dainty, and you can wear it with literally EVERY outfit. It's a short length, which is very cute and in style right now." —Casey Kiley

Get it from Amazon for $14.99 (available in each letter and three colors).

Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.