Some people are hard to shop for, but gift-giving should be simple: get something that shows the recipient you thought of them and bought something, because they deserve to live more adventurously, to have their lives improved, to have a tool they use all the time upgraded, to have their new hobby invested in, or to spend more time doing less. There are countless reasons we give gifts, but it always feels good, no matter how much we spend. The gifts below are sourced directly from our editors — they’re what they’re buying or what they recommend when someone asks them for a recommendation.
Right now, you can save big on trendy gifts like the popular Ninja Creami, a countertop ice cream maker that whips up sweet treats — Blizzard-like ice cream blends, milkshakes, and more — in minutes. There are viral recipes all over social media, and, when you do the math, it’s cheaper than buying a pint of ice cream, especially if it’s Jeni’s. (Chocolate fixings might change that, if prices stay the way they are now.) And there are other of-the-moment gifts that, while costing you, end up saving their recipients money in the long run.
A set of Apple AirTags seems somewhat lame, but each one is essentially built-in insurance for your favorite stuff. Potentially another gift you’re getting them — like a new suitcase or an expensive wallet. They’ll thank you every time they think they’ve lost it. A new set of sheets is a smart way to spoil a homebody, saving on nights out. But it could potentially trigger an uptick in ordering in. Better sheets last longer, though, and Cozy Earth’s popular Bamboo Set is impressively soft, machine-washable, and backed by a warranty that protects against annoying defects like pilling.
Apple AirTag (4 Pack)
If you’re giving someone a really good gift, you don’t want them to lose it. I know it comes across as rude, but a pack of AirTags to ensure the recipient’s gift remains on them (or at least within an AirTag’s reach) is like bundling built-in gift insurance. Sure, if it gets stolen, you’re probably best off filing a police report instead of hunting down whoever has your stuff, but an AirTag can help you locate smaller items lost in a messy room or on the floor of your car. Managing Editor Evan Malachosky says he’ll definitely be getting a few of these for his wife ahead of planning their honeymoon next year.
According to staffer Megan Rogers, these patches are a “non-negotiable” part of her morning routine. “I start my day with Grace & Stella’s energizing under-eye patches… I pop them on while the coffee’s brewing, and they get right to work, de-puffing and boosting hydration, thanks to skin-friendly hyaluronic and amino acids.”
Though your local ice cream shop may have closed for the season, nothing is stopping you from having your favorite frozen dessert at home. The Ninja Creami, which is on sale now, makes making ice cream, sorbets, milkshakes, and more easy: prep your base, freeze it, and process it using one of the Creami’s seven settings. Mix in your favorite candy, blend up vegan or non-dairy ice cream, or quickly mix a milkshake in your favorite flavor.
Life is easier with a label maker. Luckily, you probably know quite a few people who wish their lives were, well, easier, too. Wireless, half the weight and size of the traditional label maker, and equipped with a German thermal print head for better print clarity, Phomemo’s D30 Label Maker lets you add instructions onto supplements, directions onto leftovers, and labels (duh) onto drawers and bins. A label maker may feel like something you stole from the office, but it’s a practical, time-saving (and life-organizing) gift that will pay dividends long after the holiday season is over.
Waking up is never easy, especially when it’s early. A good alarm clock can indeed sway a sworn-against morning person or someone striving to limit their phone use in the bedroom. According to Managing Editor Evan Malachosky, his wife hates this habit and wants to switch to a traditional alarm to curb their reliance on smartphones to wake up on time. This Loftie Alarm Clock combines a smart alarm with a night-light and sound machine, making for a straightforward device to help reduce phone use at night. (And it looks great on a nightstand, he adds.)
Senior Writer Bennett Kleinman loves his Roam checked suitcase in a custom colorway he picked out online. The brand offers a slew of customization options, ensuring, in Bennett’s case, no one else walked away with his luggage. “The moment my Roam luggage arrived, I knew I had found my future travel buddy. The suitcase is lightweight, secure, and has way more room inside than I know what to do with. But it’s also fun to own a colorful piece of luggage I designed myself, and I’m more than happy to brag whenever someone asks me where I got it. The question isn’t ‘will I buy more Roam luggage?’ — it’s, ‘what unique design will I choose next?’”
Few pillows are customizable unless you’re willing to A.) sew your own or B.) get one custom-made. Coop’s Original Crescent Pillow, however, lets you adjust the amount of fill inside for a softer or firmer feel, and comes in a proprietary, croissant-like shape that accommodates back- and side-sleepers. No more kinked neck or bunched up, uneven pillows preventing you from getting a good night’s rest.
If you’re unsure what to buy, it’s great to lean into luxury. Luxury, of course, conjures up the idea of expensive and extravagant, but there are those quiet luxury brands that tote craftsmanship, quality, and style over wallet-compromising price tags. With Quince, you can get the best of both worlds with affordable luxury goods, from leather accessories, silk statement pieces, and, our personal favorite, cashmere clothing. With sustainable, ethically sourced cashmere that won’t rough out or start piling away, this light but incredibly warm sweater remains a statement-maker in our winter wear collection.
You’ve probably seen this bottle everywhere, because aside from the behemoth Stanley Tumbler, it’s probably the most popular one. Available in countless color combos, the real benefit of the Owala over the Stanley is its two-in-one lid, which locks, but lets you quickly sip from a straw or tilt back the bottle to drink, well, like you’re chugging from a bottle. It’s a cute, largely spill-proof gift to get a friend or your perpetually dehydrated family member.
The fan-favorite Our Place Always Pan 2.0 is now under $100 — a rare find. This 10-in-one kitchen essential replaces multiple pans with its nonstick, toxin-free design while looking chic enough to double as decor. From searing to steaming, it’s the versatile cookware upgrade home cooks rave about.
Sure, a host loves to entertain, but what happens when all the guests leave? Well, everyone needs time to unwind. One way to decompress after a long night is to indulge in a relaxing self-care routine, complete with comfy clothes and slipping your feet into a pair of soothing slippers, like these sherpa ones from Bombas. Fluffy yet sturdy, they feature a memory foam footbed and a raised back heel to keep their feet comfortable and fastened with every step.
Bamboo sheets help regulate your temperature while you sleep, but they’re also luxuriously soft. This set from Cozy Earth won’t pull at the corners or pill, and it comes in a variety of colors and sizes.
(Click here to jump to the gifts.) How does that saying go? The early bird gets the worm? Well, when it comes to holiday shopping, an early shopper is an experienced shopper, even if they’re not waiting for the doorbuster deals on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. They’ve been scorned by that “Sold Out” sign. You see, right now, things are still in stock. All of the colorways are there. The accessories aren’t on backorder. Retailers are slowly starting to put the best stuff on sale. And if you order just about anything, it’s pretty much guaranteed to be delivered to you long before you see its recipient, no matter which holiday you’re gathering for. There have been fees tacked onto items like toys and chocolate, but overall prices are mostly flat from five months ago.
So, now’s a good time to get a good deal on stocking stuffers and small things, as well as those bigger gifts the people on your list have been hinting at all year long, long before stores raise prices again. There are countless reasons we give gifts, but it always feels good, no matter how much we spend — but especially when we save money. The gifts below, which range from pricier countertop appliances to affordable eye creams, are what our editors are shopping early and stowing away until it’s finally time to gift them for real.
The Gifts Our Editors Are Giving
Apple AirTag (4 Pack)
If you’re giving someone a really good gift, you don’t want them to lose it. I know it comes across as rude, but a pack of AirTags to ensure the recipient’s gift remains on them (or at least within an AirTag’s reach) is like bundling built-in gift insurance. Sure, if it gets stolen, you’re probably best off filing a police report instead of hunting down whoever has your stuff, but an AirTag can help you locate smaller items lost in a messy room or on the floor of your car. Managing Editor Evan Malachosky says he’ll definitely be getting a few of these for his wife ahead of planning their honeymoon next year.
Though your local ice cream shop may have closed for the season, nothing is stopping you from having your favorite frozen dessert at home. The Ninja Creami, which is on sale now, makes making ice cream, sorbets, milkshakes, and more easy: prep your base, freeze it, and process it using one of the Creami’s seven settings. Mix in your favorite candy, blend up vegan or non-dairy ice cream, or quickly mix a milkshake in your favorite flavor.
According to staffer Megan Rogers, these patches are a “non-negotiable” part of her morning routine. “I start my day with Grace & Stella’s energizing under-eye patches… I pop them on while the coffee’s brewing, and they get right to work, de-puffing and boosting hydration, thanks to skin-friendly hyaluronic and amino acids.”
Senior Writer Bennett Kleinman loves his Roam checked suitcase in a custom colorway he picked out online. The brand offers a slew of customization options, ensuring, in Bennett’s case, no one else walked away with his luggage. “The moment my Roam luggage arrived, I knew I had found my future travel buddy. The suitcase is lightweight, secure, and has way more room inside than I know what to do with. But it’s also fun to own a colorful piece of luggage I designed myself, and I’m more than happy to brag whenever someone asks me where I got it. The question isn’t ‘will I buy more Roam luggage?’ — it’s, ‘what unique design will I choose next?'”
Based in Los Angeles, Megan blends over five years of publisher experience with a data-first approach to commerce content. She’s collaborated with leading commerce teams at Real Simple, Better Homes & Gardens, Reader’s Digest, and Taste of Home to name a few. When she’s not diving into product trends, you’ll find her exploring new adventures as a newlywed or spoiling her rescue dog, Ram Ram.
Better Report
Stress is the body’s natural response to pressure or change, whether it’s a significant life event like losing a job, a new baby, a divorce, or sudden financial hardship. That said, even positive changes can trigger it, and while it affects us both emotionally and physically, it often goes unnoticed because it’s such a standard part of everyday life. That doesn’t mean we should ignore it, though. And women, in particular, do.
The Weight of Stress for Women
For most women, stress is a constant backdrop. From juggling work tasks and home responsibilities to carrying the mental load of caregiving and daily decision-making for a family unit, stress can build up without women even realizing how deeply it’s affecting them, leading to burnout or worse.
Women ages 35 to 54, especially those balancing roles like parenting, caring for aging parents, and working, experience significantly higher levels of stress than men. According to one study, women carry more stress than men and are more likely to say they feel misunderstood in their stress. Unfortunately, the data shows women are suffering more and receiving less help.
Courtesy of Needed
Needed Stress Support Supplements
Naturally, as with most supplements nowadays, you save more by subscribing, but you still get a discount even if you order a single bottle. Better Report readers receive 20% off their first purchase with code THISISNEEDED.
The good news? Stress can often be managed and reduced with the right tools and support. Some of the most effective strategies include spending time with people who lift you, prioritizing physical activity, centering self-care, setting boundaries to protect your time, and asking for help or professional support when needed. Still, even with lifestyle changes, stress can sneak in and make itself at home, impacting your sleep, mood, and energy.
That’s where thoughtful, supplemental support can make a real difference: Products like Needed Stress Support are designed to work with the body’s natural stress response, helping women feel more in control, grounded, and resilient. The formula includes two well-studied adaptogens — Ashwagandha and Saffron — that, through clinical research, have shown their ability to support stress response and emotional balance.
Courtesy of Needed
It also features Shatavari, an herb traditionally used in Ayurvedic medicine for stress resilience and hormonal support. With Needed’s science-backed supplement stack, you can nurture your calm, support a healthy mood, and feel more centered every day by stabilizing your cortisol levels —a studyable stress marker that rises when we’re feeling overwhelmed and becomes more regular when our bodies grow resilient to triggers, which all of Needed’s Stress Support’s active ingredients help regulate.
Featured Image Credit: Oleg Breslavtsev / Getty
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Based in Los Angeles, Megan blends over five years of publisher experience with a data-first approach to commerce content. She’s collaborated with leading commerce teams at Real Simple, Better Homes & Gardens, Reader’s Digest, and Taste of Home to name a few. When she’s not diving into product trends, you’ll find her exploring new adventures as a newlywed or spoiling her rescue dog, Ram Ram.
Living in a wooded area comes with its perks: pastoral views, privacy, and the privilege to do what you want, when you want. But those pastoral views become a royal pain in the you-know-what when fall arrives. The lush scenery surrounding your property slowly becomes stick-like, shedding its leaves across your yard. At first, it’s endearing — a sign the seasons are changing. But it can quickly become too much: leaves start falling, and they never stop, coating your lawn orange and red. The sensible homeowner grabs their rake and gets to work consolidating the leaves into a handful of manageable piles. Others will power up the leaf blower and make it their neighbor’s problem. No matter which type you are, your leaves should never end up in a trash bag. Here’s why.
Leave Your Leaves
There’s a growing movement among environmentalists called “leaving leaves.” It encourages homeowners to, as the name suggests, leave their leaves, letting them feed their lawn or garden rather than rot in a landfill. You see, you don’t really need to rake your leaves. In fact, if the leaves that have fallen on your lawn are sparse, you can probably leave them, and, by spring, you won’t even know they were there. For lawns suffocated by fallen leaves, it is smart to rake — your homeowners’ association could require it, or you’d rather not see your lawn die because of your resistance to yard work. It is true, after all, that leaving too thick a layer of leaves on your lawn will smother it. And that’s no good.
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But there are better ways to use your leaves. If you have a garden or raised garden beds, adding leaf layers will fertilize your soil through winter, prepping your soil for the plants and produce to come next spring. Simply rake your leaves into manageable piles and spread them over your beds to a depth of three to five inches. Treat them like mulch: don’t sprinkle them onto your plants; spread them around the plants, covering any open soil. You can compost leaves, too, if your municipality collects them, or you have the tools to contain them yourself. If you’d just rather get rid of them, simply run your lawnmower over them on a higher setting, if yours is adjustable. Doing this will mulch the leaves, giving your grass the same nutrients without harming it.
When You Treat Them Like Waste, They Go to Waste
The worst thing you can do with leaves, however, is stuff them into bags for trash pickup. According to the National Wildlife Federation, 30 million tons of yard waste —largely fallen leaves and grass clippings —are sent to landfills each year. When buried, as most trash is, they produce methane, a potent greenhouse gas that scientists point to as an accelerator of climate change. The good news? Leaves don’t produce methane when they disintegrate in your garden bed or compost pile.
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Anne James is a freelance writer, freelance health editor, research lab technician, and mom.
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Is your dishwasher running smoothly, or does it seem a little bit off? Do dishes still come out dirty? Maybe it’s become smelly or makes a weird, unfamiliar noise. You might need a repair technician, but it’s also totally possible that your dishwasher just needs a thorough cleaning. If it’s visibly leaking or emits an air of burning rubber or plastic, you should probably call a professional. If not, remove the filter and check if anything is stuck inside. (Warning: wear gloves.) If there are large food particles, you probably left one of these common foods on a plate, bowl, or utensil when you last loaded your dishwasher.
Wait. Aren’t You Supposed to Pre-Rinse Your Dishes?
The commercials are correct – pre-rinsing is not recommended, as modern detergents and dishwashers are made to break down the grime and efficiently clean dishes right off the dinner table. Pre-rinsing wastes water, and some food safety experts note that it can cause cross-contamination of other kitchen surfaces (sink, countertop, or sponge). Today’s dishwashers are actually more efficient when there is some dirt and grime; otherwise, they might detect clean dishes and run a shorter cycle. Additionally, the detergent enzymes are less effective without food particles to cling to and digest.
Starchy Foods
Starch itself isn’t necessarily bad, as modern detergents contain enzymes that break down starch. However, starchy foods like pasta or potatoes are sticky and can create clogs in the filter, drain hose, or pump, which can cause expensive damage or make your dishwasher less efficient.
Pieces of Hard Food
Eggshells, bones, and seeds won’t break down – they might clog or damage the filter, drain hose, or pump. If your filter has holes in it, replace it immediately, as these holes can allow food items, like these, to enter the pump impeller or motor seals, leading to a more extensive repair.
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While you might wonder why someone would be sticking eggshells, bones, or seeds in their dishwasher, think of what foods might contain these. A tiny bone from fish or an eggshell stuck to the mixing bowl could easily make it into the dishwasher. Personally, I have to clean out my overnight oats jars before washing because the chia seeds get stuck everywhere (including my toothbrush!).
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Grease
Just as grease can be problematic to pour down the sink, too much in the dishwasher could solidify and create clogs. Scrape off solidified grease into the trash or pour it into a container that can be tossed (or saved for another use).
Coffee Grounds
Coffee grounds or tea leaves can build up over time, creating the potential for odors or clogs. Make sure your reusable coffee pods or tea strainers are thoroughly emptied before tossing them in the dishwasher. These might be better hand-washed with a toothbrush, or at least soaked before being put in the dishwasher.
Sourdough Starter
Sourdough starter can solidify like cement, both in the dishwasher and down the sink. Scrape as much as possible off of your container before loading it into the dishwasher. I also frequently wipe mine out with a paper towel before washing. Overkill, maybe, but it keeps the sink and dishwasher lines clear. In this case, it may be necessary to pretreat the container before loading it into the dishwasher.
Have you already made one of these mistakes? Check out your dishwasher manual for cleaning instructions. Emptying the filter, unclogging the sprayer arms, wiping down the seal, and running a vinegar cycle (or using dishwasher cleaning tablets) with an empty machine should all be part of your cleaning routine. This helps catch stray pieces of food that can commonly cause dishwasher problems before they cause damage.
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Few things truly are one-size-fits-all — whether it’s hats, socks, gloves, or swimwear. It’s even more of a stretch to suggest any dietary supplement could be, but new research points to creatine as a contender. The powder (or, in my case, gummy) is popular with athletes, bodybuilders, and fraternity brothers, who all say it helps provide the energy needed for high-intensity, short-burst workouts (i.e., lifting weights or playing sports), and build muscle over long periods of time, often through “cycles,” where you rotate the months spent taking the supplement and the months spent off it.
But those benefits have almost always been known. Creatine is one of the simplest, most well-studied, and indisputably legal ways to enhance your physical performance: It’s an amino acid that occurs naturally in the human body, but is also abundant in sources of protein like meat and fish. For an adult, your recommended daily intake is one gram, but athletes have historically taken anywhere between five and 10 grams per day.
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Regular, everyday people like you and me — especially vegetarians and seniors over 65 — could benefit from a similar dose, according to the study published by researchers at Texas A&M University. And it’s not just because we need to be in top condition for tip-off or kickoff. Their research suggests creatine does more than give athletes an edge: It powers cells, sharpens the mind, and helps you stay healthy (and ideally live) longer. (It could also protect your brain against traumatic injuries, like concussions.)
Creatine powder, which is what most people buy, always tasted horrible to me. No matter what I added it to, my tongue still picked up its potent, briny blandness. Or, if it weren’t mixed in well, I’d get a mouthful of sandy, chalky paste. So, I gave these gummies a try. And I’m happy I did. Orange is my favorite flavor so far, and it tastes like an orange Starburst, faintly like orange soda. (They’re made with real orange flavor, though.) Texturally, it’s a dense but surprisingly light gummy. It doesn’t get stuck in your teeth, though they can be of varying sizes, which made me wonder about dosing. (A little extra, or a little less, won’t make that much of a difference.) All of this said, they’re not much of a sweet treat, though they pack nominal calories each (11 and 33 per serving, because you’re supposed to eat three).
I’ll be the first to admit that this new research made me add creatine to my regimen. It’s not the first time I’ve tried it, though. In high school and then again in college, friends and teammates of mine would eventually come to the consensus that it was contributing to our gains in the weight room or our wins, in my adolescence, on the ice. So, we kept using it, long before it became trendy or was marketed to anyone besides professional lifters and world-class athletes (us among them, of course).
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I’m back on it now, though, because of new indicators that it could help me live longer — or at least live better for longer, by allowing me to preserve muscle mass, maintain my strength as I age, and keep my cognitive health in check. The taste almost deterred me, though, because ask anyone who’s taken creatine before and they’ll tell you it tastes bad — memorably bad. Hauntingly bad. Salty but not savory. A little sweet but not enough so to convince your brain it’s a sweet treat, not a supplement. So, the easiest way I’ve found to add it to my routine is in gummy form. I don’t have to bother with a smoothie if I don’t want one, and I won’t need to buy a Gatorade or some other coyingly sweet beverage to mask the flavor of the powder form. I pop three of these — three is a serving — and go about my day, no matter what time it is. And they’re made with real oranges.
This story was paid for by an advertiser. No members of Better Report’s editorial staff were involved in the creation of this content.
Retirement is supposed to be a reward, an opportunity to do whatever you want, whenever you want — within reason, of course. Sleeping in, booking trips, or finally trying the hobbies, no matter how esoteric or mundane, you’ve been meaning to try. Birding? Sounds great. Baking? Delicious. You can try these without worrying about interfering with your work schedule, meaning they can, if you so desire, become your entire personality.
Though work is finally a thing of the past for you, money questions don’t magically disappear once your commute does. Nearly half of retirees — 45% to be exact — risk running out of savings, and that’s counting those who invested carefully and diversified their portfolios. The good news? You don’t need a job to keep making money. With the right income streams, your nest egg can keep generating cash while you focus on living your life — and learning to bake county-fair-quality pies.
Like pie, those streams come in many flavors: Dividend-paying stocks deliver regular cash payments. Bonds hand you coupons you can actually spend. Combining a few approaches yields a mix of growth and stability, which means it’s wise to explore more than just stocks and bonds. There are real estate investment trusts (REITs), master limited partnerships (MLPs), annuities, and countless others — each with unique trade-offs in terms of yield, taxes, and liquidity.
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Unsure where to start? That’s totally fair. It’s a lot to learn, but when understood and used together, they can make your savings stretch so much further.
Fisher Investments’ free resource, The Definitive Guide to Retirement Income, explains how seven popular strategies work and how to choose the right ones for your goals. That said, planning requires more than simply weighing the pros and cons of income streams. Their helpful guide also shows you how to prevent inflation from eroding your purchasing power and adjust your portfolio as your priorities shift, ensuring you meet your goals.
Based in Los Angeles, Megan blends over five years of publisher experience with a data-first approach to commerce content. She’s collaborated with leading commerce teams at Real Simple, Better Homes & Gardens, Reader’s Digest, and Taste of Home to name a few. When she’s not diving into product trends, you’ll find her exploring new adventures as a newlywed or spoiling her rescue dog, Ram Ram.
Better Report
All featured products and deals are selected independently and objectively by the author. Better Report may receive a share of sales via affiliate links in content.
If you’ve got pets, you know that hair gets everywhere and the accidents never stop. Few tools actually help take care of, not spread, the messes or make it through a cleaning session without getting clogged, but this BISSELL PowerClean FurFinder Stick Vacuum truly does make cleanup easier (and right now, cheaper). It’s down to the lowest price we’ve ever seen on this particular model: $129.99 ($100 off) during Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days. And we’re sure countless shoppers are taking advantage, too, as it comes from the same brand behind the viral Little Green Machine (also on sale), which we reviewed earlier this year.
Explicitly designed for life with pets, the cordless PowerClean FurFinder features bright headlights that reveal hidden fur, a tangle-free brush roll to prevent clogs, and a powerful 200W motor that runs up to 40 minutes. The included FurFinder Upholstery Tool helps lift up to 95% of embedded hair from furniture, while its HEPA Sealed Allergen System traps pet dander for a fresher home.
But the same features that make it perfect for pet owners also make it a pro at handling everyday messes. Crumbs in the kitchen, dust along the baseboards, stray debris from outside — it all disappears with the same ease. Its lightweight, cordless design makes it simple to maneuver across carpet, hardwood, and upholstery without breaking a sweat — or your back. The dustbin empties with a single click (no need to touch the mess), and the quick-charging base ensures it’s always ready for the next cleanup, whether it’s a big accident or a small spill.
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We’ve seen plenty of so-called “pet vacuums” that can’t handle the real thing — tangled brush rolls, weak suction, endless hair clumps — but the PowerClean holds its own. It’s a rare blend of power, convenience, and thoughtful design that makes everyday cleanups feel less like a chore and more like a quick reset, reviewers say.
If you’re looking for a model that handles pet hair — and everything else life throws at your floors — and is nearly half-off, this one’s worth a look.
Based in Los Angeles, Megan blends over five years of publisher experience with a data-first approach to commerce content. She’s collaborated with leading commerce teams at Real Simple, Better Homes & Gardens, Reader’s Digest, and Taste of Home to name a few. When she’s not diving into product trends, you’ll find her exploring new adventures as a newlywed or spoiling her rescue dog, Ram Ram.
All featured products and deals are selected independently and objectively by the author. Better Report may receive a share of sales via affiliate links in content.
Finding the proper skincare routine requires effort, especially if you’re aiming to address the effects of aging, including fine lines, wrinkles, dark spots, and other concerns. You want a regimen that makes a noticeable difference in the near term but also contributes to better, younger-looking skin in the long term. Minor tweaks, like properly removing your makeup before bed, can help your skin repair itself overnight. During the day, incorporating powerhouse ingredients like vitamin C can help keep your complexion bright, youthful, and protected.
The Power of Vitamin C
Every day, your skin is exposed to the sun, pollution, smoke (from a nearby cigarette or an afar wildfire), and even blue light from screens. All of these can create free radicals that break down collagen, the main structural protein in your skin, weakening skin elasticity and potentially causing discoloration, wrinkles, and sagging. While your body naturally fights free radicals with antioxidants, topical vitamin C provides extra support where your skin needs it most. Which is why, simply put, it’s the best vitamin for brighter, younger-looking skin. Bar none. Found in serums, moisturizers, and masks, this hero ingredient is one of the most trusted ways to achieve healthy, glowing skin.
Vitamin C, which is listed as ascorbic acid, is a powerful antioxidant that helps neutralize free radicals, stimulates collagen production, and brightens your complexion. Regular use can reduce visible signs of aging, even out skin tone, and leave you looking radiant, not rung out or wrinkly.
Each pack contains a week’s worth of masks (7). As noted below, though, you shouldn’t use one every day at first. So, a single pack should last you more than a week, and, with their current deal, you can get (more than) a month’s supply for the price of three packs. If you do two a week, a pack will last you three and a half months, which means that four of them will last you a year, and right now, when you buy four sets, you receive one free. A commitment to brighter skin, on sale for a limited time only. (To take advantage of the deal, add four sets to your cart and use the coupon code GIFTMASK2510 at checkout.)
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The Easiest Way to Add Vitamin C to Your Routine
For a quick and effective way to reap the benefits of vitamin C, try incorporating a face mask into your routine. (There are plenty of serums and salves, too, if masks are hard to manage or, understandably, make you feel claustrophobic.) Masks are ideal for revitalizing dull or tired skin, minimizing fine lines, and delivering hydration in just a few minutes. The Perfect One Focus VC Charge Smooth Mask sheet mask infuses your skin with a blend of 10 vitamins, including Vitamin C derivatives, niacinamide, and panthenol. In just five minutes, it helps leave skin looking smoother, visibly brighter, and more hydrated.
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This mask delivers a quick vitamin boost to refresh and restore the skin, while azelaic acid, glycine, and fruit-derived AHAs work together to smooth texture, reduce dullness, and minimize the look of pores. Its breathable VitaVeil sheet technology hugs the skin closely, allowing the potent ingredients to fully sink in, all without clogging. Plus, with its naturally uplifting citrus scent derived from bergamot and mandarin essential oils, it transforms your routine into a moment of self-care.
Using a sheet mask is as easy as, well, applying the mask to your face, lining up your eyes, nose, and mouth, and letting the sheet’s ingredients soak into your skin. Super-hydrating masks often come… wet. And, when in packs of four or more, they occasionally arrive clumped together. Gently find the edge of one and slip it out from the centerfold, being careful not to rip it.
Unlike stronger actives such as retinol, vitamin C is generally gentle enough for most skin types. Start by using vitamin C-infused products a few times per week — like this face mask — then work up to daily use if your skin tolerates it well. Dermatologists recommend applying vitamin C in the morning to help protect your skin against free radical damage throughout the day. For best results, pair it with a broad-spectrum sunscreen. (Vitamin C and SPF are a great duo for preventing premature aging.) And while Vitamin C can also be applied at night, using it during the day maximizes its protective benefits and avoids potential interactions with nighttime ingredients (like the more abrasive retinol).
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For all the attention we give to outdoor air quality, the air inside our homes is rarely as clean as we assume — especially in our kitchens. According to the American Lung Association, indoor air can be two to five times more polluted than outdoor air, and, in some extreme cases, 100 times more polluted. The pollution isn’t just from the usual culprits, like cigarette smoke, an errant toaster, or lingering wildfire smoke that’s crept its way inside.
When you cook, if the air becomes fragrant without whatever it is you’re boiling, searing, braising, or frying, you’re breathing in particulate matter. And the type of appliance you cook with can make matters worse. Combustion stoves (gas) release far more harmful particles into the air than electric ones, and poorly ventilated gas stoves are among the largest sources of indoor particulate pollution. Even electric stoves aren’t impact-free, so proper ventilation is critical no matter what you use.
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In my case, though, my gas stove came without a hood, and my best bet for ventilating my kitchen while I cook is opening a window. That’s why I make sure to also run my air purifier near my stove whenever I cook. That said, it’s important to note that it does not replace proper ventilation and cannot capture all combustion gases, like NO₂, unless specifically designed to do so. According to the EPA, “Most [air purifier] filters are designed to filter either particles or gases. So in order to filter both particles and gases, many air cleaners contain two filters, one for particles and another for gases (in some cases, including gases that have odors). Other air cleaners only have one filter, usually for particles.”
Air purifiers with a single filter help reduce airborne particles (such as oil mist) and eliminate odors (like that stubborn bacon smell). This is the most basic type of air purifier. That said, air purifiers with two filters — one to catch particles and another for gases — aren’t as hard to find as you’d think. The EPA specifies that “to filter gases, choose a portable air cleaner with an activated carbon filter or other filter designed to remove gases.”
This option from Levoit, called the Core Mini-P, is quiet and compact (less than a foot tall and only 2.2 lbs) — perfect for even the smallest kitchen. (According to The Spruce, the average kitchen ranges from 161 to 169 square feet, and this machine manages up to 225 square feet.) But it also meets the EPA’s aforementioned requirements; its air filter features three layers of filtration: inner and outer prefilters to trap dust, hair, and pet fur, an efficient inner filter for smoke particles, pollen, and pet dander, and a custom activated carbon filter to neutralize smoke, odors, fumes, and VOCs (volatile organic compounds, aka gases).
It’s important to note, though, that because kitchens produce a lot of grease and smoke, filters typically have a shorter lifespan in this room. You can extend it by keeping the purifier six to 10 feet from cooking surfaces, though. When it does eventually get too clogged to keep doing its job, Levoit offers replacement filters for all its models, and the Core Mini-P filter is far cheaper than the others, despite meeting the EPA’s standard — and available on Amazon for quick shipping if you notice your machine struggling to keep up.
