I don’t know what happened to last year but good things happened and good things are coming for 2020. These Amazon posts are more work than a typical story, but I get to think about all the stuff that may potentially improve my life and I enjoy that. Here are some random products I’ve been considering, some of which are in the “resolutions” category and some of which are just things that look interesting or useful.
A foam exercise mat to remind you to stay active at home
I’m moving to a nicer house next month, which I’m excited for! One of my goals is to work out more at home as part of my daily activities. I have yoga mats but I would love to set up a permanent space dedicated to fitness. This foam exercise mat by BalanceFrom is the number one bestseller in protective flooring. It has an interlocking puzzle shape and can be cut to fit your space. It’s under $20 for 24 square feet of 1/2″ foam and comes in black, blue and gray to fit your decor. It has almost 4,600 ratings, 4.5 stars and an A from Fakespot. People call it high quality that’s durable, love that you can add or remove pieces to rearrange the space, and also say it works great in home recording studios to absorb sound! Now I want it for my future podcast room/office.
A 100% silk pillowcase feels so soft and luxurious
My mom got me a silk pillowcase for Christmas and I love it! It feels amazing on your skin and I swear I get a better night’s sleep. This silk pillowcase from Zimasilk is under $23 for a queen size and you can get 6% off by checking a box. It comes in 28 pretty colors so you can find the one that matches your bedding. This has the best Fakespot rating among the top selling silk pillowcases with 4.6 stars, over 3,600 ratings and a B from Fakespot. Reviews say that it’s so soft and nice-feeling against your skin, that it helps prevent wrinkles and protects hair from breakage and that “the fabric is incredibly soft, smooth and cool.”
A cute and cozy turtleneck sweater that comes in so many colors
I’m a sucker for a nice turtleneck sweater, especially when it’s a cable knit as those are harder to find. This turtleneck sweater from V28 is affordable at under $40 for the most expensive option. It comes in 21 colors and in sizes that fit 0 to 22. It has over 2,600 ratings, 4.4 stars and a B from Fakespot, which is excellent for clothing. Reviewers call it flattering and cute and say you can wear it with jeans or leggings. Here’s a plus-sized option for a turtleneck sweater that also looks good.
Biotin will help your hair and nails be healthy
I think taking hormones has thrown off my thyroid as I’ve been having issues with my hair shedding. I’ve stopped all hormone treatments and have been taking this Amazon brand Biotin. My hair is softer and less hair is coming out when I style it, thank goodness. You get a 4 months supply for under $8! Reviewers say that their hair and nails are thicker and stronger and that they definitely notice less breakage. Biotin can cause breakouts for some people so you may want to start slow and work it in gradually.
Velour leggings for feeling fancy while you’re lounging, sleeping or working out
One of my favorite purchases is a velour pink sweatpant set. I get so many compliments when I dare to go out in public in it, usually to the gym. People Magazine featured a similar pair of velvet leggings but they had a bad Fakespot rating so I found these looser ones, they’re called “joggers,” which people love. They come in both fitted and slightly loose styles with a drawstring, they’re in 25 different colors and in sizes small to 3X. They have 4.4 stars, 288 ratings and a B from Fakespot. People call them comfortable, soft and flattering and that they never want to take them off. (Note that the title calls them “velvet” but that people say they’re velour.)
An adjustable pillow for that perfect night’s sleep
I’m still searching for the holy grail of pillows. I really like my Bucky and my memory foam pillow but I still sometimes have neck problems depending on the exercises I’ve been doing and the position I end up sleeping in. This memory foam twist pillow is under $25 and can be moved to provide the perfect cushion for your needs. It has over 1,800 ratings, 4.3 stars and a C from Fakespot, which is still quite good based on the high number of ratings. Reviewers say it holds its shape, that it’s great for supporting your neck while reading or watching television, and that it helps reduce and prevent neck pain.
An electric can opener because you know you need a new one
One of my goals this year is to notice and improve the little things that inconvenience me. That includes cleaning messy hidden areas (I still marvel at how clean it is under my kitchen sink after buying this special rack!) and replacing little utility items like knives and can openers which don’t work well. My can opener is dull but I use it, get mildly frustrated and then go on with my day. I looked through so many can openers before finding this Proctor Select electric can opener. It comes in black or white and does double duty as it’s equipped with a knife sharpener. It is just $20 and has 4 stars, over 1,300 ratings and an A from Fakespot! Reviewers say it’s practical, efficient and works well and like how compact it is.
A huge zipper repair kit to fix clothes, bags, tents and more
I’m not a crafty person and I often donate or otherwise give up on clothing with broken zippers. The worst is when you break a zipper on a backpack or jacket and have to replace the item. This zipper repair kit comes with 143 pieces in multiple sizes and metal finishes including zippers, sliders, stops and pulls. It also includes pliers with the whole set under $13! It has 4 stars, 135 ratings and a B from Fakespot. People say it works to repair zippers on luggage, jackets and more. Some say the instructions are not great and that you should watch YouTube videos to figure out how to repair your own zippers.
Thanks for reading and commenting on our affiliate post! If you buy anything from these links we get a small percentage. Please let me know if you have found anything you love on Amazon or if you have any requests for products. Thanks to TwentyTwoWords for some of the ideas for products.
I am glad you stopped taking the hormones, CB. I was worried about your health with those. As someone with breast cancer all over my family line, I view HRT as super risky. Also, did you hear in the news about that poor 23 y/o woman who has to have a liver transplant b/c of a supplement she was taking? I beg everyone to be super cautious when thinking about taking supplements. On the hair thing, when I went through menopause my hair thinned significantly and also became super dry (where it was oily before). I worked with my hairdresser on changing the products she uses to highlight my hair and added in Olaplex during the process. I deep condition my hair a few times a month with Olaplex 3 at home (you can get on Amazon and Sephora).
I bought the silk pajamas and the laptop camera cover stickers for Christmas and they are GREAT. Thank you for those recommendations. I am looking at that silk pillow case!
100% behind you on the supplement stuff. EVERYONE needs to be so careful – between drug interactions, and the potential of throwing off blood tests and stuff like that – it’s definitely something you should work in tandem with a true healthcare professional to determine what works for you – and to keep an eye out for if something goes wonky.
That olaplex stuff is a godsend. I bought a Verb hydrating mask recently that I use a couple of times a week. It’s really reasonably priced – and my hair has been looking great. I think it was $20 CAD so probably 15ish USD. And I’ve been using it for a month or two now, and I still have a decent amount left. Absolutely worth the price. I like everything I’ve tried by Verb so far, though.
What Olaplex stuff? On Amazon there are products numbering from 3 to 6. Please share!
I brought all the random olly gummies and herbal supplements and vitamins to my doc for her okay once it was clear I was going to stick to taking them. I hadn’t heard about the 23-year-old liver transplant, but I did happen to randomly hear that taking melatonin for long periods can be bad, which prompted me to speak to me doctor about all of it. (Some of those olly gummies are tasty)
Thank you for the Olaplex suggestion.
Olaplex has been a game changer for me, in regards to frizziness and fineness. I use the styling cream after every wash, and the pre shower treatment when I have the time.
I hear you. I’d stop the thyroid hormones, but I’ve had issues since I was very young. My doctor just prescribed Biotin for my disintegrating nails. I believe is treating health problems with food, and I finally found a way to eat that too away pain and reduced cholesterol (allergic to statins), but I gave up on hair products and only use coconut oil to condition my hair since nothing else worked. I may try the Olaplex if it doesn’t have dimethicone.
My doctor told me that my hair would thicken up, but that isn’t an issue for me, thankfully. My nails have deteriorated the past two months so badly that they are painful, so I was forced to go to her to find answers. If the Biotin doesn’t work, she will investigate further. It doesn’t appear to be fungus. I’ve never had thick nails, but this is ridiculous.
My dry hair has taught me that only natural products seem to work on me. Having to take synthroid upsets me, but the side effects of not taking it aren’t so great in my case. It may be heriditary in my family (sister has Graves’ disease).
I hate the feeling of those foam mats, but that’s just a neurotic thing on my part. I hate the feeling of that sort of foam kind of material – hated using those cut out shapes in crafts as a kid too. But my 4 year old niece was playing with them the other day and tricked me into building her a house out of them. They make a pretty decent child sized block house haha.
I’ve been holding out on the whole silk pillow case thing, and I know I’m not doing any favors to my skin or hair. My hair is almost down to my butt at this point, so I really should buy one to help prevent breakage or damage in general. But I don’t really like the feeling of silky pajamas – I don’t like slipping around haha. Is that how it feels using the pillowcase?
I also hate silky sheets/pjs, but the pillowcase is completely different IMO. I’ve had one for about a year. I didn’t notice a huge different in my skin/hair, but it just feels better. Also, I feel like the pillow doesn’t get too hot, so you have the “chilly pillow” effect for the majority of the night.
Oh excellent! I’ll have to try it out – I do love a chilly feeling pillow.
My 19 year old daughter has been having thinning hair For a couple of years. It is really bad. The doctors aren’t paying attention to her complaints. She got a blood panel Including hormones and all is normal. Dermatologist says it’s not a skin problem. So they just shrug. But something must be causing this. She was on the thin side for a while but has gained 5lbs and that brought back her period regularly. She eats a healthy diet, lots of fresh fruit and veg, fish and eggs but no other meat. Anyone felt with this as a teen? Anyone have a suggestion as to what next? Maybe a more detailed hormone work up?
Is she stressed out? A friend of mine went through a period of thinning hair in college, she was about 20, and her doctors pretty much determined that she was really worried and stressed about her life.
I know there are lines of thickening shampoos, like aveda has one–has your daughter tried that?
Stinging Nettle can help hair grow.
I was/am a vegetarian since I was 4. My senior year, the culmination of not eating enough protein, running track, and stress caused me to lose a lot of my hair. I had to consciously work to eat so.much.protein, and it did help, once my body adjusted and absorbed and utilized the protein. I was eating veggies and fruits, and bread/pasta, but not enough protein. I ended up having a dermatologist look at my blood work, and he is the one who gave me that advice. She could journal her food, and see if any major nutrients or fats/carbs/proteins seem way off.
Maybe seeing a naturopathic doctor? They would look at more detailed blood test results. They tend to try to get to the root of problems and may be able to recommend herbs and supplements. This must be hard for your daughter, best wishes to her.
I was a vegetarian for a few years and I had massive hair loss. It was definitely a protein problem.
I need to eat more protein and have been not having as much since developing this beef and pork allergy. This is a really good thing to consider!
Is the silk pillowcase hot? It seems like it would be warm.
My thing with electric can openers is that they are a bit of a space waste (although great for kids and people with hand troubles). I now use an OXO regular can opener and because it is OXO, it is really easy to use and works great (if you are looking for a regular one that is great too. it’s crazy how many times I find myself recommending this can opener)
I sleep on a silk pillowcase, I never noticed it being warm. If anything, it feels cooler than cotton I think. I love it, I started using it to deter wrinkles .
As someone who has a ton of zippers and buttons sitting around to be fixed, thanks for looking this up. *off to buy it now*
I’m pretty sure I’ve bought something from everyoneof these Amazon posts. So, thank you, but also darn you!! Hahaha
I buy so much of this stuff too but I know it’s not the same!
Currently have the pillowcase and joggers in my cart 🙂
I have that exact blue mat and use it to protect the floor where my treadmill sits. It’s really sturdy, easy an to assemble in whatever configuration you need, and I feel like it’s been a good value. When we moved this past fall, the floor under the treadmill was in perfect shape, so I think the mat did the trick!
I have the floor mats too! We have a home gym above our garage and one corner of it is dedicated to weights and we have those mats over the flooring. My only complaint about that is that sometimes they can be slippery. Like if I’m doing weight lunges, I’ll stop off the mats until the regular hardwood because my lunging foot would sometimes slide while wearing trainers. But overall it’s a good workout surface and a yoga mat over top of it makes a nice place for yoga/stretching.
I would LOVE a rec for a cable knit sweater made of cotton or cotton/wool. I get overwhelmed whenever I try to buy clothes on amazon myself.
I get so overwhelmed with Amazon clothes shopping, too! I’m only just dipping my toes in now, and basically ordering multiple things with a plan to return the ones that don’t work. (Check return policies on every single item z though! Not all return policies are created equal).
I love the recs here from people who have actually ordered something and can vouch for it! Super helpful for me.
Anyone else see that Juicy Couture track suits are coming back (speaking of velour)?
My 17 yr old daughter and all her friends are wearing them now. I remember buying some about 16 years ago and thinking they were so expensive and now track suits are going to $200-400 a pop. Insanity.