These 50 Clever Things Under $20 Make You Look Better With Almost No Effort

This satin-covered foam rod gives you polished curls while you sleep. The heat-free method helps to cut back on styling damage and breakage for healthier hair in the long run, and the satin rod and scrunchies minimize frizz for a shinier finish from day one. Because the rod was designed for you to wrap your hair at night, the heatless curling set is also great for anyone who likes to be out the door quickly in the morning, as once you remove it, you can brush your hair and go.

• Available colors: 14

These hydrogel eye masks have an immediate cooling effect on tired eyes, which can be amplified by storing the container in the refrigerator. Each patch is saturated in a serum-like formula that contains a blend of soothing and moisturizing ingredients like hydrolyzed collagen and chamomile flower extract to plump up and refresh the delicate skin underneath your eyes in just one 15-minute treatment.

• Available options: 5

Collect these makeup sticks in multiple shades to serve as travel-friendly formulas that can be used for highlighting, bronzing, and adding color to the cheeks, lips, and eyes. The cream-to-powder product can be blended in with your fingertips (or a brush if that’s your preference), using ultra-fine pigments to deliver color and soft-focus powders to blur imperfections. You can use the makeup sticks however you like, but there are four bronze shades for contouring, two highlighter shades, and six blush shades that also work as a pop of color for the lips and eyes.

• Available shades: 12

Swap your usual primer with this purple-colored option from e.l.f. to brighten your skin before you even apply a single drop of makeup. The drugstore primer uses the color-correcting technique followed by professional makeup artists, which notes that purple-tinted products can brighten unwanted yellow tones in the skin and counteract dullness. The matte finish formula also helps to keep your makeup in place longer, and it’s cruelty-free and vegan.

Ensure your lips stay soft regardless of the season by incorporating a lip scrub into your weekly routine. This sugar scrub gently buffs away dead skin cells as you massage it onto your lips, restoring moisture at the same time with Hawaiian kukui nut oil, shea butter, jojoba seed oil, and grapeseed oil. You only need to use the smallest amount of the lip scrub for it to work its magic, and it’s also great for prepping your lips ahead of lip liner and lipstick to create a smoother base that helps your lip color to last longer.

A fabric shaver is a game-changing tool for keeping clothes (and even the fabric on your furniture) looking like new. This handheld gadget was designed to gently shave lint from wool, cotton, cashmere, and polyester fabrics with a blade that spins 9,000 times per minute. The rechargeable fabric shaver comes with an additional cover meant to be paired with more delicate fabrics like wool, and it includes a removable tray to catch all of the lint and make it easier to clean.

• Available colors: 7

If you like to layer on coats of mascara to maximize length and volume, but you aren’t a fan of the clumping that comes along with it, this lash comb has the problem solved. Though it looks slightly intimidating, the tiny teeth were designed to brush through each lash and remove excess mascara and clumps in the process. Because the prongs are made from stainless steel, the lash comb is easy to clean with a cotton pad and rubbing alcohol, and it even comes with a small cover to keep it free from dust and dirt in between uses.

• Available colors: 6

Color-correcting isn’t just for primer. It can also take on a more targeted approach, as is the case with this under-eye concealer. The brightening product can be used on its own or before your concealer to neutralize the purple and blue tones found in dark circles with its light pink tint (there’s also a more peach-toned option for darker skin tones). As the pigments conceal dark circles, nourishing ingredients like sunflower seed wax, shea butter, and hyaluronic acid help to keep skin moisturized to prevent any caking or creases.

• Available shades: 2

Part makeup, part skin care, this silky serum has a shimmery bronze tint that immediately gives skin a sun-kissed glow. But the vegan and cruelty-free formula also includes vitamin C to brighten skin over time and boost your daily sunscreen thanks to its antioxidant-rich makeup that helps prevent damage from messing with your skin tone in the future.

This stainless steel lash curler has more than 25,000 five-star ratings on Amazon for getting the job done without any skin pinching or lash breakage. Designed with an angled arc to work across all eye shapes and lash lengths, the curler features an elongated silicone pad that keeps lashes protected. Every curler comes with two extra silicone pads, as well as a satin pouch to store everything in.

Whether you want to fake a fuller part line or add some coverage to thinning hair, these hair fibers will create a thicker appearance that stays in place until you shampoo. Finely milled cotton fibers bind to hair without creating clumps or causing scalp irritation, and they’re water- and wind-resistant, too. Because the fibers come in 14 different tints, they also work to cover up unwanted roots in between salon visits.

• Available shades: 14

Whiten your teeth and prevent stains from ever popping up with this convenient pen. The twistable applicator dispenses a carbamide peroxide-infused gel onto the brush tip, making it easy to brush the solution directly onto your teeth so that you can avoid sensitive gums. The gel uses a 35% concentration of the active ingredient to whiten teeth in 10 minutes, and the brand reports that you can achieve a smile that’s up to 10 shades brighter after using the whitening pen five days in a row. Each pen holds enough gel for 30 treatments, and you’ll get two pens in this boxed set for just under $20.

A belt is an underrated accessory in terms of creating a more polished outfit with minimal effort. This set gives you two belt options to choose from, both of which feature gold hardware for an elevated feel. Best of all, the belts use a stretchy elastic waist that gives you more flexibility on sizing and is comfortable to wear all day long.

• Available styles: 10
• Available sizes: 24” – 40”

The easiest way to add a long-lasting finish to any makeup look is a quick mist of makeup setting spray. This matte-finish mist was formulated with hydrogenated castor oil and plant extracts to prevent oiliness that can mess with makeup longevity without leaving your skin feeling dried out. The makeup setting spray delivers a fine mist that feels weightless on the skin, and it’s Leaping Bunny-certified cruelty-free.

This versatile hair wax stick can be used to perfect slicked-back updos, lay edges flat, or even create texture. Ingredients like beeswax and jojoba seed oil add nourishing hold to hairstyles without leaving behind any residue or a greasy finish. Because of the stick applicator, you can swipe the product directly where you want it, making the wax stick especially convenient for smoothing down flyaways.

If you’re not a fan of gritty body scrubs or chemical exfoliants, but you’re prone to ingrown hairs or rough patches of skin, consider this exfoliating brush. Designed to be used on wet or dry skin, the silicone bristles are firm enough to lift trapped hairs that cause ingrowns and razor bumps, but the brush is also great for buffing away dead skin cells. Anyone who considers self-tanner an essential product in their routine can also benefit from the exfoliating brush, as it helps to remove the buildup of dead skin that shows up in the form of a patchy tan.

• Available colors: 2

For your most fitted dresses and pants, this stick-on thong ensures you aren’t left with any visible lines because it doesn’t have any fabric along the sides to create lines in the first place. The seamless thong includes an adhesive strip on the front and one on the heart-shaped back, which can be handwashed and worn again. It’s made from a stretchy nylon and spandex combo with a 100% cotton crotch, and the thong is made in a neutral beige color to prevent it from showing through lighter-colored fabrics.

• Available sizes: XS – L

These beauty award-winning pillowcases have more than 200,000 five-star ratings from Amazon reviewers. Made from polyester, the pillowcases feel as soft and smooth as their silk counterparts, but come at a fraction of the cost. They also deliver the same hair benefits by reducing friction as you sleep for hair that’s less tangled and frizzy in the morning. The set of two pillowcases is available in dozens of colors to match your sheets, and they come in several sizes, including king.

• Available colors: 35

Gradually transform dry, cracked feet without any fuss (or messy peeling masks) by applying this foot cream before bed each night. The sensitive skin-friendly formula is hypoallergenic and fragrance-free, using ingredients like glycerin, allantoin, and mineral oil to amp up the moisture content of your skin and create a protective barrier. For really stubborn cracked heels, put on a pair of cotton socks right after you apply the cream.

Each of these brightly colored capsules holds a vitamin-rich hair serum that immediately seals split ends and gives hair a glossy shine. Ingredients like argan oil, avocado oil, and macadamia oil are behind the serum’s conditioning benefits, and it can be applied to hair while it’s damp or dry. The serum is suitable for all hair types and lengths, though those with shorter or finer hair may not want to use the entire capsule in one treatment.

Professional hairstylists have long turned to a spoolie and a bit of hairspray to tame flyaways and unwanted frizz. Now, Garnier is simplifying the trick by pairing a hair serum with a spoolie that works like a magic wand to smooth down stubborn baby hairs for a polished finish no matter how you style your hair. Infused with nourishing argan oil and hydrolyzed wheat protein, the frizz-taming serum promises not to make hair stiff or sticky, and it won’t leave behind any flakes or residue, either.

Amazon reviewers especially love to pair this shirt extender with too-short sweaters and leggings for adding more coverage without adding any extra bulk. Available in a range of solid neutral colors and patterns, the half shirt sits at the hips like a skirt, but creates the illusion of a layered shirt.

• Available colors: 12
• Available sizes: S – 3XL

This rich hair mask uses a combination of plant oils and hydrolyzed proteins to improve the look and feel of damaged hair in just one use. Free from drying alcohols and sulfates, the mask contains ingredients like hydrolyzed keratin, argan oil, and jojoba seed oil to strengthen brittle strands and add shine without weighing the hair down or leaving it greasy. The formula is safe for color-treated hair, and it’s suitable for all textures and lengths.

If you’re not as diligent about cleaning your jewelry as you should be, consider these disposable jewelry wipes. Compact and ready to use, the wipes quickly restore shine to all of your gold and silver jewelry pieces, removing tarnish as they apply a protective layer to slow down dullness in the future. Each set comes with 30 wipes, but several Amazon reviewers note that a single pad can clean several pieces of jewelry.

The next time a pus-filled pimple pops up, apply one of these clear adhesives on top. In six to eight hours, the hydrocolloid patches draw out fluid while keeping bacteria out, helping to shrink the size of the offending spot without drying your skin or causing irritation. Though these pimple patches were designed to be worn overnight, because they’re clear, they’re also inconspicuous enough for daytime use.

Healthy hair starts at the scalp, and this easy-grip brush was created with that in mind. Soft and flexible silicone bristles give you a relaxing scalp massage while also potentially promoting hair growth by stimulating blood circulation and removing product buildup. While you can use the scalp massager on its own when hair is wet or dry, you can also pair it with your shampoo or even a scalp treatment serum for even more benefits.

• Available colors: 2

When you want to give an oversized top a more fitted look, this elastic waistband can be used to temporarily tuck shirts and sweaters into a cropped style. You’ll get two elasticized belts in this set, each one featuring an adjustable band that can be customized to better fit your waist no matter how thick or thin the fabric of your top is. While it’s only available in dark black and blue colors, the band stays completely hidden by your shirt, so you don’t have to worry about color coordinating.

• Available sizes: 24” – 58”

Vitamin C is a dermatologist-recommended ingredient for its ability to promote a more even complexion while adding antioxidant protection that shields skin from future signs of sun damage (when paired with your sunscreen, of course). This souped-up serum pairs a 20% concentration of the active ingredient with vitamin E and ferulic acid for additional antioxidant benefits that also help to stabilize vitamin C, which can quickly degrade when exposed to factors like oxygen and light. Seoul Ceutical’s vitamin C serum also helps to calm redness and inflammation with centella asiatica, niacinamide, and green tea extract, while hyaluronic acid adds a hydrating boost.

If you’re looking for a way to fake fuller hair that’s convenient for traveling or on-the-go touch-ups, keep this root touch-up powder in your bag. The tinted powder is ideal for filling in sparse spots around the hairline and part line, and promises to stay in place until you shampoo it out. Each compact comes with a built-in mirror and applicator puff to make using the powder more convenient no matter where the day takes you.

• Available shades: 14

These disposable booties are an Amazon favorite for getting baby-soft feet. Meant to be worn for an hour, the booties contain a salicylic acid-infused serum that was designed to be rinsed off and works over the span of two weeks to quite literally peel away the dead skin that contributes to cracks and rough, dry skin. Each box comes with two sets of masks, but all it takes is one treatment to get smooth feet.

• Available options: 4

For strapless gowns and backless tops, this stick-on bra gives you coverage without any straps or clasps getting in the way. The reusable bra uses a silicone adhesive and features a V-shaped design with a clear clasp at the front to create a push-up effect that even works with plunging necklines.

• Available sizes: A – D

Pair these face towelettes with micellar water to remove stubborn waterproof makeup formulas or use them after cleansing to dry your skin (this is much more hygienic than using your bath towel, which tends to harbor bacteria). Either way, the disposable towelettes are gentle on skin with a bio-based fiber that feels soft but is also sturdy enough for you to wring out the towels and use them again. Plus, because they’re bio-based, the towelettes are compostable.

The whipped texture of this body butter certainly feels decadent, but it’s also packed with ingredients to immediately leave skin feeling smoother without making it feel greasy. Sunflower seed oil, cocoa seed butter, and shea butter deliver moisturizing benefits that melt into skin, while ingredients like chamomile flower extract and calendula flower extract work to soothe the inflammation and redness that often accompany dry skin.

When your makeup bag is tight on space, swap your usual lash curler for this miniature design. The compact curler doesn’t contain any clunky handles, but instead uses a foldable lever that allows the tool to stay pocket-size. The arch of the curler was designed to suit all eye shapes, and it comes fitted with a silicone pad to keep your lashes protected against breakage (as well as a spare that’s stored along the bottom of the curler).

• Available colors: 2

When it comes to preventing dry, chapped lips, a lip mask is key. This rich formula doubles down on the soothing benefits with nourishing botanical ingredients and a calming lavender and vanilla scent. Squalane, sweet almond oil, castor seed oil, and meadowfoam seed oil help to moisturize lips for up to 12 hours, while bakuchiol and hyaluronic acid offer smoothing and plumping benefits. It even comes with a tiny bamboo applicator stick for an easier, more hygienic application.

• Available scents: 2

If you have a necklace or bracelet that’s too short, these extender chains make your jewelry immediately wearable until you get around to replacing the chain. Each set comes with three 14-karat gold-plated chains in different sizes that can be used to add some length to necklaces, bracelets, and anklets. The brand notes that each extension piece is hypoallergenic, and each one uses a lobster clasp to make the chains easy to attach and remove.

• Available styles: 6

There’s skin that’s rough because it’s dry, and then there’s skin that’s rough because of keratosis pilaris. Known as KP for short, the skin condition results in patches of dry and bumpy skin caused by a buildup of keratin. This body lotion can be used wherever KP pops up (typically, the upper arms, thighs, and buttocks), and is formulated with a 10% concentration of exfoliating alpha hydroxy acids. As glycolic, lactic, and mandelic acids gently dissolve the bonds between dead skin cells, ingredients like squalane, shea butter, and coconut oil restore moisture for your smoothest skin yet.

Whether you’re constantly misplacing your claw clips or you just like to have ample options on hand, this set has you covered. For less than $10, you’ll get eight claw clips that come in several neutral colors and two different designs (a classic claw and a square clip). The soft claw teeth don’t tug at your hair or dig into your scalp, and the larger size means that even those with long or thick hair can use the clips.

• Available options: 3

Forget those alcohol-laden toners from your teenage years. This post-cleansing essence actually works to soothe skin with ingredients like allantoin, azulene, and panthenol. But the star ingredient is undoubtedly snail mucin – a slimy substance that has been included in an 81% concentration for its ability to moisturize, improve elasticity, reduce inflammation, and more.

If you love the casual-chic styling of draping a sweater over your shoulders, but can never quite get it to look right, this sweater shawl is just what you need. The clever design features a one-size-fits-all faux sweater that’s more lightweight than an actual sweater so as not to add any bulk to your shoulders. The thinner material can still be loosely tied around your shoulders or your waist, and it comes in a variety of colors and striped designs.

• Available colors: 23

Blackheads may not be as painful as inflammatory whiteheads, but they can still be a nuisance to deal with. Rather than try to remove them with a pore strip, which contains an adhesive that can actually make your pores look larger after removal, switch to this charcoal mask. As the mask dries on your skin, activated charcoal helps to draw out bacteria and impurities from the pores when you gently peel it off, while ingredients like grapeseed extract and oat extract moisturize and soothe.

This dry shampoo has the added benefit of creating the illusion of thicker hair with its tinted formula that can be used to color-match your hair. The oil-absorbing dry shampoo is also formulated with ingredients like biotin and black ginseng to moisturize the scalp and support hair growth. Plus, because it’s a non-aerosol dry shampoo, it’s TSA-friendly when traveling.

• Available shades: 6

Keep this dual-sided needle in your sewing kit for camouflaging snags in every fabric, from your knitted sweaters to upholstered chairs. Once you poke the sharp side of the needle through the snag, the textured part on the opposite side latches onto the snag and keeps it hidden on the inside of the fabric once you pull it through. You don’t need any scissors or sewing skills to use it, and the needle comes in a storage cover, making it easy to travel with.

Change up your hairstyle without needing to master any new skills, thanks to these claw clip bun extensions. Not only do the clips give you perfect space buns in seconds, but they can also be used to fake fuller hair if you wear them in a half up, half down style. The bun extensions come in more than two dozen shades, and you can choose from a straight or wavy finish depending on how you prefer to style your hair.

• Available styles: 2
• Available colors: 26

Whether your nails have always had a tendency to break or you’re giving them a reset following back-to-back gel manicures, this sheer polish works like a filter to immediately brighten and perfect nails. As the tint creates the illusion of healthier nails right away, the nourishing formula uses ingredients like porcelain flower extract, evening primrose oil, chamomile extract, and vitamin E to brighten and moisturize nails over time, too. You really only need one coat of the polish to achieve better-looking nails, but you can add an extra coat or two if you want a little more color.

• Available shades: 5

This lip oil works like magic with the pH level of your skin to transform into a sheer pink shade that’s totally unique to you. The non-sticky formula coats lips in a high-shine finish, and it’s packed with moisturizers like avocado oil, apricot oil, and shea butter to keep your lips feeling smooth throughout the day. Those who are picky about the ingredients in their beauty products will also be happy to know that the lip oil is cruelty-free, vegan, gluten-free, and alcohol-free.

Double-sided tape is a stylist staple for red carpet events and more informal settings. When you don’t have time for alterations, the clear strips can be used to keep bra straps hidden, add more coverage to a revealing neckline, or temporarily hem pants or dresses. This comprehensive set comes with 100 strips and 25 dot-shaped adhesives that are sweat-proof, non-irritating, and non-damaging to clothing.

No matter what your level of makeup expertise, this genius eyeliner allows you to create precise and even cat eyes every time. The dual-sided tool features a wing-shaped stamp on one side that deposits a classic black liquid eyeliner formula that’s waterproof and smudge-proof once it dries. Then, on the opposite end, you’ll find a liquid eyeliner pen for completing the look. Each set comes with two pens – one with a left wing stamp and one with a right wing stamp – and they’re even available in several different sizes depending on how subtle or statement-making you want your cat eyeliner to be.

• Available options: 4

For salon-quality nails at a fraction of the cost, this press-on set uses real gel nail polish. Each set comes with 30 fake nails in 15 sizes for a more accurate fit, as well as all of the tools you need to apply them (including a cuticle stick, prep pad, and mini nail file). These press-on nails also allow you to determine how long you want to wear them, as you can apply the nails with the included glue if you want to switch up the color after a week or pair the glue with the included adhesive tabs when you want to make your manicure last multiple weeks.

• Available styles: 29

These round-shaped clasps don’t look like much, but they can quickly be clipped onto bra straps to convert a traditional bra into a racerback style. Not only is this helpful for keeping bra straps hidden with a variety of tank tops, but the clip also provides more lift and support. The single-size clips work with any bra size, and though they’re reusable, this $7 set comes with four clasps so that you always have a spare on hand.