Women Are Revealing The Life-Changing Products They Wish They'd Discovered Sooner, And I'm Taking Soooooo Many Notes
Reddit user u/socuebak asked the r/AskWomen community: "What are some life-changing products you wish you found earlier?" Women quickly chimed in to share the purchases they just can't get enough of. Here's what they revealed:
1."A wake-up light/sunrise alarm. I have the hardest time waking up. I always have, and always will. About five years ago, a friend gave me one because they had recommended it to me a million times, though I never bought one. Fed up, my friend was like, 'Here, take this. If you feel it is of value, pay me back. If not, pass it along to someone else, and don't worry about the money.' Life-changing. I paid them back for it and more."
2."When I lived in a van, I used a small rice cooker for everything: mac, rice, green beans, soup, and I even baked cookies! It used minimal electricity and was super easy to clean."
3."For my fellow anxiety-folks: TTY. TTY is a system used primarily for people who are Deaf or mute, but it can also be a great tool for people who have severe anxiety and struggle to make phone calls. You get connected to an operator who relays your message to whoever you need to call. It works like texting. You just type your responses, and the operator reads the responses out loud to the person you're calling. The person you're calling says their response to the operator, and the operator relays it back to you by typing it out. It has helped me make a lot of phone calls with ease."
4."Clinical strength deodorant. And, learn to put that stuff on AT NIGHT BEFORE BED. I spent so many years sweating my butt off and getting pit stains as a teen because I would apply antiperspirant in the morning. At night, it sinks in and that's how it works! Also Glysomed hand cream. It smells like a granny but you only need to use it once at bedtime. It makes your hands soft, even if you're an overwasher like myself!"
5."My Kindle. I love it so much and I use it every day, especially since where I live, there are no libraries. I still have access to more books than I could possibly ever read!! I have the Kindle Voyager. They don't make it anymore, but it's still going strong!"
6."A bidet."
"That's what I was going to say! It totally saves on toilet paper, plus it's way cleaner. So, it's kind of a gross comparison, but I always ask skeptical people: 'Well, when you're cleaning mashed potatoes off your dinner plate, do you just take a dry towel, wipe it off, and call it clean?' I've convinced at least four other people to get bidets."
"I have been using a $35 one from Amazon for several years, and it's the best thing ever. I'm always nicely clean. Also, it was a huge bonus when we had that pandemic-related toilet paper shortage!"
7."La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Balm. This stuff heals pretty much anything within 24 to 48 hours. I use it on ingrown hairs or breakouts I (stupidly) messed with. I wish I would've found it sooner!"
8."Hiking poles. I'm short and have weird ear/balance issues. After taking a rough fall in Yosemite a few years back, I got some. Game changer, even for easy walks/hikes. They help me keep pace with my tall husband and remain steady on uneven terrain. Plus steep descents are so much easier and more stable. My husband doesn't have to stop, turn around, or assist me on higher steps or rocks. I just stabilize myself with the poles, and down I go."
9."Leatherman Wave+ multitool. I have used it to revive electronics, fix a dress zipper before a wedding ceremony, fix uncountable things at home, in my office, and at Burning Man, used it as an eating tool while camping when I forgot to bring a fork a few times, assembled and disassembled furniture, and a thousand other emergent tasks over the past 14 years since I bought it. It goes in my checked luggage on every flight and my backpack for every camping trip!"
10."An electric kettle. It's a game-changer in my kitchen. I had not realized how often super-fast boiling water comes in handy (in addition to tea). I use it several times a day and could not be without it!"
11."Nutritional yeast and chia seeds. I put these two foods on almost everything (salad, popcorn, oatmeal) to make my meals heartier and healthier. I take little bags of this stuff when I travel/stay at someone's house and my diet changes so that I continue to eat well, even when my meals aren't the same quality."
12."Nipple covers! They make clothing so much more comfortable for me. I hate wearing bras and don't really need to."
13."A heated vest and heated thermal underwear if you live where it snows or travel to cold places. I have very little body fat and poor circulation, so I'm often cold. I splurged on these things before my last winter trip to Scandinavia, and it was a GAME CHANGER. You can also use the power bank from #3 as an extra battery when you run low on your clothes' battery."
14."Waterpik. I like to put some mouthwash mixed with water in the chamber. Also, a tongue scraper. Wild I went so long without one, and no one said anything about my breath?"
15."Snug Rug (blanket with sleeves). I bought one in November 2022 and it's been a game-changer on cold winter days when I'm sitting here by my computer."
16."Period underwear. I work in a pharmacy and have limited breaks. It makes my day a lot easier without worrying about changing out pads or tampons. I use Thinx. I prefer the softer cotton in their Thinx for All line, but their originals work similarly; they are just a more silky material. They're kind of pricey, but they're worth it for me! I put on a clean pair in the morning before I go to work. I'm good all day and change them out when I get home. I usually work nine-hour days, and I've never had any leaks or odors. If you end up getting them, I recommend sizing up. I'm a size 14/16 and generally wear an XL or 1x depending on the brand. But, I got a 2x in the Thinx. They seem to be a tighter fit. I didn't like how they kept rolling down, so I sized up and it fixed the issue."
17."Darn Tough socks. They cost about $25 but have a lifetime warranty. Get a hole in them, mail them to Darn Tough, and they will replace them!"
18."A back scratcher and interdental brushes. Both are really cheap. Interdental brushes are better at cleaning between your teeth than floss, which means fewer cavities and less plaque, which means less money at the dentist's. They're also easier to use than floss, in my experience. Get a multipack in a couple of different sizes and replace the brush when the bristles start to fray. NEVER use a bigger size than can comfortably fit. You shouldn't need to use any pressure to get it between your teeth. It will make a massive difference, trust me. Get a back scratcher because they're great. We have four of them conveniently placed around the flat. But, now it's torture whenever I leave the house and have an itch on my back that I can't reach, so weigh the pros and cons. I hardly ever leave the house, so it's not an issue for me."
19."Benetint by Benefit. I swipe it across my lips for some color and my cheeks for a quick blush. I dab it with my fingers. It takes me 10 seconds and I use it every day!"
20."An air fryer. I've had one for a few years now. It's perfect for frozen fries/tater tots/hash browns. It only takes 10 minutes to get them perfectly crispy and soft in the middle. They're also great for melting cheese on sandwiches, making late-night snacks, little personal pizzas, and fish fingers. It's a modern miracle!"
21."Denture cleaning tablets. They're great for cleaning drink bottles."
"Not OP, but I use denture cleaning tablets for all my glass/steel emotional support water bottles and all my partner's coffee/tea mugs. I pop one in the bottom, fill it with some warm water (leave a little room at the top since it will bubble), replace the top, and let it sit for about 30 minutes to an hour. After time elapses, I give the glasses a couple of good shakes, empty them out, rinse them, and dry them upside down. I thrifted a bottle mat that works great for making sure moisture doesn't get trapped at the bottom. I rinse my straws after every use, but weekly, I'll throw them all in a glass canister along with a tablet or two and do the same process as the bottles I also use a couple of tablets in my sink/toilet bowls if they look a bit rough. I let them sit for about 20 minutes before rinsing/using a brush to remove any stains. There are no harsh smells like a lot of other bathroom cleaning products."
22."Washable pads. They pay for themselves after maybe two periods and they are so comfortable!"
23."A high-frequency wand for my stubborn acne nodules that still pop up now and then. I always figured it'd be just like any other product that claims to help deep, below-the-skin acne, while in reality, it does nothing, but it's a miracle product. I would have had to cancel so many plans and would have had scars and hyperpigmentation without it. Best $30 spent in my life."
24."Menstrual cup. I've been using mine for almost 10 years. This would have made my life way easier in my early 20s."
25."Febreze Small Spaces. It might be a weird one, but I live in a small apartment and I've bought so many products trying to make my apartment smell nice all the time (without using candles or plug-ins). I recently tried some flower-scented Small Spaces, and they give a nice, strong but subtle smell, and they really last! They're PERFECT, especially for small bathrooms."
26."Those Hero pimple patches. I haven’t popped a pimple in years."
27."A silk hair bonnet to sleep in at night! I BARELY have to brush my hair in the morning now. My hair stays so soft and silky for days. The bonnet keeps it cleaner (of course, wash your bonnets!) and is less damaging than scrubbing around on a pillowcase. I even have a satin pillowcase, which did not do nearly as well as my bonnet. Wish I got one 10 years ago!"
28."WRINKLE RELEASE SPRAY. I'll say this on every thread I see like this because it greatly changed my life. It's less than $5 a bottle. It got rid of my two-hour ironing session for all my work clothes. Now, if I want to wear something, all I have to do is give it a spray and a tug. It's best to do it the night before, but you can also take care of it in the morning. Plus, it makes your clothes smell good."
29.And: "A Squatty Potty. My butt has never been so happy."
What are some other life-changing products you wish you'd discovered for yourself sooner? Tell us in the comments!
Note: Submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.
