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Spare Yourself The In-Person Awkwardness And Buy These 35 Somewhat Embarrassing Products Online
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We hope you love our recommendations! While every product is independently chosen by our editors, BuzzFeed and our publishing partners may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. You can read more about how our affiliate partnerships work in our Editorial Standards & Ethics Guide. Aren't you so glad you can enjoy these products *without* enduring an uncomfortable in-person encounter? Promising review: "I wish I had found these sooner!! These cold sores were probably the worst I've had and wouldn't clear up or stop itching/hurting. I googled cold sore remedies, and these happened to pop up. After reading the reviews, I immediately ordered them. They came right on time, and I put them on before bed last night. It's been less than 36 hours, and these cold sores are already healing beautifully. I plan to order another pack or three, so I can keep one at home, one in my purse, and one in my locker at work so if I ever feel the warning tingle/itching of a new breakout, I can slap one of these bad boys on and get rid of it quickly! Highly recommend for my fellow cold sore sufferers." —Jessica Hill Get a pack of 15 from Amazon for $10.67. Promising review: "Godsend. Miracle. Life-changing product. After a rough pregnancy, followed by inadequate self-care (cuz ya know, mom life), these 'dogs were barking.' (The Office reference!) I’ve used all kinds of foot products the last few months (ones MUCH more expensive, too) and this — in just a few minutes — changed the way I walk, feel, and live my life. I’m a barefoot beauty now, more confident without cracked, crusty heels and ready for beach day any day. After using it, I literally sent pictures of my feet to other crusty-footed friends to make them buy this. I will spare you the graphics, but please, do your feet a favor. They do a lot for you." —Stephanie Promising review: "Do not hesitate to try this product if you have a hard skin problem on your feet. It takes a few days to see a difference, but now I can see a change. Just like that, the skin on my pinky toe is not rock solid anymore. Bye bye, pain — and I am not joking." —Majda Get it from Amazon for $9.99 (clip the coupon on the product page to get it for $8.99; also available as a two-pack). These masks are designed to moisturize dry, dehydrated skin and leave it feeling plump and refreshed! It may also help reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles. Promising review: "I love this! I put it on for about 10 to 15 minutes, and I can honestly say that I felt so much more hydrated, and I noticed some corrections in my skin tone. I’m going to buy more. I’m also very white, so you can see imperfections more easily if I’m not tan, and this helped a lot." —AM_Mama89 Be sure to check out the full line of Bawdy butt masks! Promising review: "This product works!! High-quality material, well made, easy to clean, corrosion resistant, at least in my experience. I can tell this will last a long time. And, it works!!!! Got rid of a coating on my tongue that other tongue scrapers and the tongue cleaners on toothbrushes did nothing for!! Noticed it got a lot off the first use!!! My tongue looks healthy, and my throat feels better. Once a thicker layer starts on the tongue due to postnasal drip there's nothing else that got rid of it. It's easy to hold and doesn't gag me at all. It comes with a travel case, which I love because I don't want anything that goes in my mouth loose in a bag." —Saffire Dragon Get it from Amazon for $5.49 (also available in other styles and multipacks). Read more about hemorrhoids and treatment at Cleveland Clinic. Promising review: "I was hurting horribly, so I ordered this cream; I’d never used a cream before and always used a suppository. This product was a little pricey, but at this point, I didn’t care. I wanted relief! I now work remotely from home, so this affected my job as I sat all day, and even using a donut wasn’t helping! This cream is great! It gave me fast relief and shrunk the external hemorrhoids! I will definitely purchase this again and keep it on hand always! I wish I would have found this product before this time!" —Pam Promising reviews: "Must-have. I use this a couple of times a week. I have terrible blackheads and this manages to scrub 90% of them away and the rest are barely noticeable. Will keep buying." —Princess Jasmin "After just two days of use, this adorable little octopus has done wonders for me, smells great too. Here's how I used it: I wore down the stick just a little to where the texture from the salt is visible, scrubbed around on my face so there was plenty of product, then I used my fingers to gently massage all the gunk away. Rinse, pat dry, and enjoy the softness. Highly recommended for people with sensitive skin like me." —LuckLocust Mouthwatchers is a small business established by Ronald Plotka, DDS, that specializes in antimicrobial toothbrushes designed to get deeper cleans that even patients with "great" dental hygiene might miss with traditional brush and floss routines. Here's what one of our editors, Emma Lord, has to say: "I love it just after the first few days of use! I use an electric toothbrush usually, but I feel like I'm getting a much more satisfying clean from these?? Especially because I tend to get yellow stains between my teeth no matter *how* much I floss, and these bristles seem to actually target that a lot more effectively." Promising review: "I'm amazed at how well this toothbrush cleans my teeth — it definitely gets between the teeth and also more importantly for me, gets in the small, deep crevices in my molars where I always have food stuck and regular toothbrushes couldn't get stuff out. I brush more often (after meals/snacks) because of how effective it is. As stated, definitely go easy around the gums. The bristles feel soft, but will cause your gums to bleed if you use regular pressure. Nice and easy does the trick, SO WELL!" —Jason A. Get a pair from Amazon for $9.99 (also available as a four-pack). Promising review: "I have extremely sensitive teeth from over-whitening in high school but this product has been such a lifesaver! I am a daily black coffee and red wine [drinker] so my teeth have taken a toll as far as staining goes. Seriously, I was very hesitant on getting this because of how sensitive my teeth are but I wish I got it sooner! This is such a great product!" —Mimi Doherty Get a two-pack from Amazon for $15.25 (also available in packs of four or individually). Note: The hairs in your nose play an important role in filtering out harmful debris. But of course, it's your body and if you want to wax your nose hairs you're more than welcome to — just be careful as removing nose hairs can lead to infection and ingrown hairs. Read more about it at the Cleveland Clinic. You'll get 100 grams of nose wax beads, 30 wax applicators, 10 mustache protectors, a measuring cup, and 10 paper cups at your disposal. Promising review: "I highly recommend this product. The instructions were super easy to follow, and it worked perfectly! I was a little nervous to pull the sticks out once the two minutes were up; however, it didn't even hurt. I expected it to hurt momentarily and my eyes to water, but neither was true! If you wanna get rid of them pesky nose hairs...snag this product!!!" —Julie J. Promising review: "For some context, I am a college student. My dorm room is small and would quickly smell with a bad odor due to my shoes being taken off and left there. I use this product by spraying the inside of my shoes every time I take them off. This product does a good job at not only removing the bad smell from my shoes, but replacing it with a pleasing mint! At times, I also spray this directly onto my feet before putting my socks on. I will continue to buy this product for my shoe-smell needs." —Chicago, IL Get it from Amazon for $14.95+ (available in two sizes, three scents, and as a two-pack). Promising review: "I’ve been dealing with a bad fungus nail for about three years. I’ve been trying to use products off the shelf and bought one here, you know the ones with the brush. It never worked ’til I bought this one. Let me tell you, it only took just under a week to see GREAT results. It’s pretty much gone and it’s been less than two months. Buy it and don’t think about it! You won’t regret it!" —itslilac Check out a TikTok of the acne-banishing body spray in action. Promising review: "This body spray has helped clear up stubborn back and shoulder breakouts better than anything I’ve tried. The 360-degree spray makes it super easy to apply, even to hard-to-reach spots. It dries quickly, doesn’t stain clothes, and has a clean finish. After a couple of weeks of consistent use, I saw smoother skin and fewer breakouts. It’s also lightweight and doesn’t feel sticky. Definitely recommend for anyone dealing with body acne." —Rosiemelisa Get it from Amazon for $14.87 (also available as a two-pack). Promising review: "Saw someone review this on TikTok and bought it. The satisfaction of all the dead skin that comes off is unmatched. Makes my skin so soft and shiny." —Kallie Get it from Amazon for $11.39+ (available in six colors and as a two-pack). Promising review: "Amazing!! So easy to use. My skin is soooooo smooth after. I love the cap you can place on it when doing your eyebrows so you protect your eyelashes. I mainly use it for eyebrows and upper lip. I wish I would have bought these sooner!!!" —Colleen Get a three-pack from Amazon for $5.94 (also available in packs of nine). The kit includes the washer bottle and three disposable tips. Using it is simple: Fill the bottle with your preferred ear cleaning solution, attach the disposable tip, and then spray the cleaner into your ear. This will loosen up wax and cause it to basically just fall right out of your ear! Doctor Easy started 20 years ago with the invention of the Elephant Ear Washer by a doctor who saw the need for a better method of treating patients’ earwax impactions. Promising review: "Gross photos. My husband has had a lot of earwax impaction problems in his life and up until this point we have paid to have a professional take care of it. But recently, he suddenly lost about 80% of his hearing and just couldn't wait for an appointment so we bought this item. From the reviews I have read it was a particularly easy solution for my husband. Nasty huge chunks start falling out after just a couple of squirts. Cleared everything out, no problem. Highly recommend." —Tea Promising review: "Folks. Buy it. This is like head lice treatment. If you are looking at it and thinking about it, YOU NEED IT. And this stuff. Is. Awesome. Literally chunks of earwax came out of my ear holes the SIZE OF CORN KERNELS. Where was this coming from? Why is my body making so much wax? Where was it being stored, because I did NOT think ear canals were that spacious, but apparently there are some storage closets in there or something because HOLY MARY MOTHER OF GOD the ear nuggets are real. My ears feel so squeaky clean! And get this, my hair makes sounds. Like I put it up in a hair tie afterward, and I could HEAR MY HAIR MOVING ON MY HEAD. What is that?! Seriously?! If you also did not know that moving hair creates a sound, you need to buy this product ASAP." —Samantha Rubbing alcohol-based products (like Tend Skin) can help prevent an infection of an ingrown, but can’t prevent an ingrown itself, according to Cleveland Clinic. This can be applied after shaving and waxing to prevent bumps and burns. It can also be applied at night independent of shaving to help clear any existing ingrown hairs and bumps. Promising review: "I’m not one to leave a review about many products but I saw a review on this product that made me buy it and I thought it was only fair to pay it forward! I’ve dealt with horrendous ingrown hairs for years! I’ve tried everything to minimize them, expensive wax packages and expensive serums and creams, plucking, not shaving — you name it I tried it. This product has literally put everything I’ve tried to shame! For the price, it was so worth it! I’ve been using it for about a month every day after I get out of the shower (I saw someone say they put it in a spray bottle to get full use of the product rather than it seeping into a cotton ball, 10/10 would recommend) I haven’t gotten an ingrown since and the ones I had healed! The smell is kind of strong but so are the results. I also have pretty sensitive skin and I was worried about using it after I shave/wax, burns a lil' bit but it didn’t cause a flare-up. Can’t wait to not be insecure at the beach this summer!" —Jess Get it from Amazon for $19.97+ (available in three sizes). Bambody has obtained the Oeko Tex Standard 100, Class 1 Certification, which means their garments do not contain any harmful chemicals, including PFAS. Also, unlike your regular undies, you don't have to scrub the blood out of these. They're designed so it rinses right out in the sink with soap and warm water, and can get tossed in the washer and dryer from there. Be sure to check out our full Bambody period underwear review for more deets! Psst — reviewers love these undies, but suggest sizing up! Promising review: "Perfect in every way. No pad needed. Absorbs heavy flow. 14-18 hours between showers to change them. Supreme overnight protection. No leaks! I just put them in a separate wash load at [the] end of my period and they are ready for the next month. Time saving. Money saving. Environmentally friendly." —LJ Shan Get a three-pack from Amazon for $33.24 (available in sizes XS–6XL, five colors, and also in packs of six or individually). It's suggested that after you use the peel, you soak your feet in warm water for 10 minutes once a day for optimal results! Promising review: "This product is amazing! My second time around purchasing it. I’m a male in my 30s and my feet are taking constant abuse from my line of work. My feet were just beat up. Constantly itching. The product didn’t quite fit my large foot but I improvised. By next day, it started working its magic. Next few days, it was like day and night. It’s an amazing product. I’m usually a skeptic but I recommend this to everyone." —John Van Nguyen Promising reviews: "I got this in hopes of lightening my dark inner thighs. It’s been a month of using the bar every time I shower and I see drastic results already. I was a bit suspicious if this would actually work, but if you are on the fence please take this as a sign to get it and try it out. I’m so excited to see how I look in a few months from now because this thing works and it works fast!" —puppbear "I started using this product one month ago. I use it all over my body [and] it lightened my underarms just in time for spring. I wish I knew about this sooner." —Michaella Leyein Get a two-pack from Amazon for $14.99 (also available in larger multipacks). Intimate Rose is a small biz creating wellness products, like dilators, weights, supplements, and more that help treat issues and pain related to the pelvic floor. Promising review: "Since starting, my bladder control has significantly improved. I am now able to sneeze or cough without peeing myself. Yes, that's right. I am able to hold my pee longer, which means I can actually make it to the bathroom without dribbling on myself. The best part is that just a few short weeks into the program you will have results you can feel. I think every woman who has ever had kids should try this, out. The overall quality of my life has improved. Ditch your panty liners, stop the embarrassing dribbles, no more dashes to the restroom because of a weak bladder. Even my sex life has improved; I have control of those pelvic muscles now. Just remember to wash the weights before and after each use with an antibacterial spray, and allow time to air dry before putting them away. I say air dry because if you wipe them dry with a cloth you run the risk of giving yourself a bladder infection or urinary tract infection, and those are no laughing matter. Easy to use, easy to clean, stores away quickly." —Julie Tauber Get a set of Julie weights from Amazon for $49.45. Promising review: "I fought buying this, but after several friends swore by this I caved. I have sensitive acne-prone skin but also have some fine lines. Let me tell you after applying this I immediately felt my skin calm down. And the next day my skin was glowing and my acne had diminished. This will forever be a part of my regimen." —arand5292 Talk to your doctor before using this product if you're experiencing hair loss. Read more about how biotin shampoo could help with the fullness of hair at Cleveland Clinic. Maple Holistics is a small business that specializes in beauty products with all-natural ingredients. Promising review: "I love this shampoo! I had gastric sleeve surgery and my hair was very, very thin. I started taking biotin and switched to biotin shampoo as recommended by my doctor. It doesn’t make your hair grow by washing it but it makes your hair and roots stronger. And it worked. After using the whole bottle, my hair was stronger. I had a lot of new growth that was sticking around (the previous new growth fell out early on) and my hair was getting thicker. Eight months later, my hair is back to normal. It's longer and thicker than ever. I still use it twice a week and love it! I’m not in love with the way it smells but others love it when they smell my hair." —Diane J. Huff Get it from Amazon for $14.95+ (available in four sizes, five scents, and as a two-pack). According to the Cleveland Clinic, some researchers have found rosemary oil to be as effective at encouraging hair growth as Rogaine! And read more about how biotin could help with the fullness of hair at Cleveland Clinic. Promising reviews: "Legit magic in a bottle. Wish I could order this stuff by the gallon. Took a chance on this because I was desperate, having already spent so much money on luxury and drugstore products with little results. I use this as a pre-treatment on scalp and ends before I wash hair. Scalp has improved dramatically. I feel like there’s not as much breakage/fallout, and my ends are fuller. (This is after like six months, but my scalp was better immediately.)" —Claire Blanchard I hardly write reviews but this one deserves to be written about!! My hair was falling out a LOT, and somehow just with the FIRST application onwards, I started seeing less fall. And now, after four months, I can see hair growth as well, and my hair is already looking thicker!! And I’ve been using it only once a week, just a few drops and massaging in. Omg, how can anything be so simple and yet so effective!!! Amazing! Amazing!!! Whoever invented this...hats off!!" —Dee Promising review: "For anyone who might be a skeptic, please allow me to put you at ease. If you have hyperhidrosis, meaning it can be 9 degrees outside and you're still sweating under your arms, this product has the potential to change your life. I would sweat THROUGH a sport coat before noon. Enter the Sweat Block product. I've had it for three weeks, and it is life-changing. I DO NOT sweat under my arms anymore. I'm still on the original box that I bought three weeks ago. I had to write a review after I was cleaning the garage today in 85-degree heat...I was sweating through my shirt on my back...BUT NOT MY UNDERARMS. It is amazing!" —Frosty McGee Get a 10-count box from Amazon for $19.97 (also available in 20-count and 30-count boxes). Promising review: "I have keratosis pilaris or goose-like bumps on my bum and have been always super self-conscious about it. I’ve used this product five to eight times and they are seriously like GONE. It’s soooo smooth now and I’m super happy. It does say to use once a week but I’ve just been using it every time I shower (which is almost every day lol). I only use a dime size amount and it’s able to cover my bum and some of my legs. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who also has pesky bumps on their body. Also, this product has no scent, which is a plus for anyone who has sensitive skin!!" —Ang M Get it from Amazon for $12+ (available in five sizes). Promising review: "Thank goodness for these pills. These are super fast-acting and so effective. I get so sick whenever I eat basically anything and these have helped so much. I can take two in the morning and I'm not in pain all day or sick if I eat. I'm ordering more ASAP." —Nerdy Chic Get a pack of 30 soft gels from Amazon for $10.48. Promising review: "I can't survive without these things. I have quite a sensitive stomach and any greasy or spicy food works like Drain-O on my stomach. So if I know I'm going to have some food like that I'll use these to settle my stomach. Without these, I would be stuck on the toilet for an hour or two. These things are a lifesaver to keep on you, and are essential for any home." —Reviewer Get a pack of 12 caplets from Amazon for $8.28 (also available as packs of 18). This shampoo was designed to work for sensitive scalps, color-dyed, and chemically processed hair, as well as for all hair types and textures, with reviewers with 3b–4c curls mentioning it worked for them. Promising review: "I saw this product from a TikTok video. I was hesitant. I have been dealing with dandruff for almost 10 years, fortunately not that heavy but enough where it was embarrassing. I tried everything. Leave in conditioner, tea tree oil, Head and Shoulders, etc. One brand did work for a couple of days but that's it. But this product has worked EFFECTIVELY. Dandruff-free for two months so far. Can leave your hair feeling a little dry so just use conditioner and it will balance out. If other products aren't working for you with dandruff I can confidently recommend this one." —Martin C. Promising review: "This is one of those things that I wish I'd found years earlier. I've suffered from mortifying stress-induced under-boob sweat for most of my adult life. Also, I'm a lifelong Seattle girl who gets upset when it's warmer than 65 degrees outside. So when I stumbled upon this product, I was curious enough to buy a small pack. And yes, I've come back for MORE! For real, I won't put on a bra without one of these liners now. It absorbs all the moisture from heat and stress. And because it's a really soft bamboo/cotton mix, my skin is finally not feeling tortured under there! To the makers of this ingenious life-changing product: thank you, thank you, thank you! Sincerely, all the grateful ta-tas you've helped to care for" —Niko Get a three-pack from Amazon for $14.99+ (available in women's sizes M–XXL, in four color combos, and in larger multipacks). Megababe is a woman-owned small business! Promising review: “I hadn't used a product like this before, and I was pleasantly surprised! It's very easy to apply and smells great. I have very sensitive skin, but this did not irritate it at all and left me sweat-free. I would definitely recommend Bust Dust!” —Emily Get it from Amazon for $15.97 or Megababe for $16. And yes, it's clean, vegan, and cruelty-free! Live Tinted is a South-Asian woman-owned beauty brand founded by beauty blogger and entrepreneur Deepica Mutyala. Her brand is built around diversity and inclusion with phenomenal multitasking products that address skin concerns like hyperpigmentation. Promising review: "I HAVE NEVER HAD A HOLY GRAIL PRODUCT. UNTIL NOW!! Literally SO effective. Tons of people have been complimenting my skin from my boyfriend (who doesn't always notice subtle changes) to my coworkers ONLINE VIA VIDEO! My skin literally looks visibly brighter and smoother. The only thing you have to be careful of is if you freshly wax or thread any part of your face. Wait a day or two to use the product in case you have sensitive skin to be safe!" —Ulta Customer Get it from Ulta for $34, Live Tinted for $34, or Amazon for $33.50. It comes with a spatula for removing the cream! Promising review: "I have been looking for a good hair removal for my sensitive skin & this one is perfect. It has a great odor and leaves my skin feeling smooth and silky. It does not burn my skin at all even when I leave it on for 15 minutes or more. This is definitely my new hair removal cream. I will recommend this one to everyone." —Crystal BTW, this is cruelty-free! It's suitable for all hair types, too. Promising review: "I bought this in desperation after having elbow surgery, which left me unable to wash my own hair. I have tried countless dry shampoo sprays and have been disappointed every time. But this? Absolutely 100% game changer. It kept my hair feeling clean and oil-free for several days at a time. It's easy to use, absorbs in quickly, no white residue on my dark hair, and you don't need much. I will never buy another brand again. This is my holy grail of dry shampoo." —Bad Girl Get it from Amazon for $17.60+ (available in four shades, in multipacks, and in more shades here). Reviews in this post have been edited for length and/or clarity. BuzzFeed Shopping is service journalism first: our writers and editors spend all day shopping so you don’t have to, vetting products, fact-checking brand claims, and surfacing what actually helps in real life. We center readers over revenue, recommend products with authenticity (using real experiences, not ad-speak), and reflect our diverse audience, inclusive of a variety of price points, people, and needs. We cut through fake deals, favor useful info over glossy fluff, and recommend both budget and splurge options with context so you can decide what’s right for you — and still have a little fun along the way. Courtney Lynch has spent the last three years as a Shopping Writer at BuzzFeed covering a wide range of topics, including but not limited to must-have Amazon products, personal care, home and organization, and more.