There’s not many positive things to say about COVID-19, aside from the fact that self-quarantining’s given me some extra time to experiment with my beauty, self-care, and personal hygiene routines. Luckily, I’ve found so many amazing beauty buys since my last Amazon Beauty round-up, so if you’re looking for some affordable products to add to your at-home spa/beauty arsenal, keep reading! I’m sharing 14 of the best beauty products on Amazon in today’s post. FYI- All of these products have over a 4-star rating and are under $50!

1. Nizoral Anti-Dandruff Shampoo

There’s nothing worse than dandruff when you’ve got dark brown hair (or any hair, I guess). Nizoral got rid of mine in one use– not an exaggeration. It’s made with Ketoconazole 1%, which is 10 times more effective at treating dandruff than the leading dandruff shampoos, and you only have to use it twice per week for up to 8 weeks. It’s a little pricey for such a small bottle, but I promise it’s worth it. 

2. Pastel Alligator Hair Clips

I’ve tried a lot of hair clips over the years, and these alligator hair clips are the absolute best. They’re pretty stinkin’ cute, too– and they come in a pack of 10! I use them for styling, blow drying, coloring, and sometimes even to keep my hair out of my face when I’m working out, and they never slip. Reviewers have said they work for all hair types, too, regardless of thickness. Big fan!

3. Pure Biology Total Eye Cream

I’m in my 30s, so anti-aging is my #1 skin priority right now. I’ve always used an eye cream, but I decided to switch to an anti-aging eye serum/eye cream combo a few months back. My skin’s ultra sensitive, though, so I needed something gentle to go along with Dermalogica’s Biolumin-C Vitamin C eye serum, and I’m so glad I took a chance on Pure Biology’s Total Eye Cream. Not only is it affordable ($32 for a bottle that’s lasted me over 6 months), it’s been helpful in hydrating my under-eye region and reducing puffiness and dark circles– all without any irritation whatsoever!

4. TruSkin Vitamin C Serum

I’m a huge fan of Sunday Riley’s C.E.O. Brightening Serum, but we’re in savings mode, so it’s a little too pricey for my budget right now. I decided to try TruSkin’s Vitamin C Serum instead, and so far, it’s worked just as well for like.. 1/5th of the cost. I also love that it’s vegan and cruelty-free, too!

5. Maxsoft Hair Scalp Massager

I bought this scalp massager to use with Nizoral in an attempt to cure my itchy dry scalp once and for all. Seriously, y’all– I don’t know what I ever did without it. It’s essentially a shampoo brush and scalp massager in one, and it helps deep clean and exfoliate your scalp without any irritation. It feels pretty amazing, too!

6. Swisspers Leopard Cotton Swabs

I’ll be honest– I initially bought these for the leopard pattern. I mean, who doesn’t want leopard-printed cotton swabs?! After using them a few times, though, I’ve gotta say… they’re legitimately better than Q-tips. Swisspers Leopard Cotton Swabs are 100% cotton with fluffy, ultra absorbent tips and sticks that don’t bend, peel, or crack. I use them for makeup touch-ups, nail touch-ups, and DIY projects, and they’re perfect. Highly recommend! 

7. Large Cosmetic Carrying Case

This $20 cosmetic train case has been a Godsend for both travel and makeup organization! It comes in a handful of adorable colors and prints and has adjustable/removable sponge dividers for customizing storage space. Oh, and it holds a ton of stuff, too. I can easily fit everything I need in this case, including (but not limited to) all my brushes, primer, foundations, concealers, powders, bronzers, palettes, pencils, mascaras, curlers, lipsticks, and setting spray! 

8. Sports Research Collagen Peptides

I assumed that all collagen peptides were created equal, but I was wrong. Sports Research Collagen Peptides are hands down my favorite (and I’ve tried some absolute duds in the past). Their collagen peptides dissolve easily (ie. they don’t leave any weird floating clumps, which is my #1 pet peeve), are genuinely tasteless, and are certified Paleo, Keto, and non-GMO. I love that they’re available in single-serve travel packs, too!

9. Cucchio Revitalize Cuticle Oil

When I’m anxious, I pick at my nails. Thanks to COVID-19, I’ve been anxious a lot lately– and I’ve got short/broken nails to show for it. After deciding to test out some different cuticle oils, I fell in love with Cucchio’s Revitalize Cuticle Oil. Not only does it have incredible reviews, it’s lightweight yet hydrating, and it absorbs quickly without leaving any oily residue or film behind. It smells pretty amazing, too! The only thing I don’t love about it is the applicator. I’d much prefer a brush over a dropper, but that’s by no means a deal breaker. 

10. Retainer Brite Tablets

Germs are top-of-mind right now, and I’ll be honest– I don’t think my retainer’s ever been properly cleaned prior to trying Retainer Brite. Their tablets are super easy to use and keep my retainer looking clean and smelling minty fresh. If you’re looking for a way to disinfect removable orthodontic appliances, I can’t recommend these effervescent tablets highly enough!

PS- In case you’re a staunch review reader like me, I want to mention that these tablets have been completely trashed in the past. All the 1-star reviews were posted within the same few weeks (February-March of 2018), so I’m pretty sure some reviews were purchased by a competitor. It didn’t really work, though– this product still has over a 4.5-star rating with 5,500+ reviews.

11. Brilliant Beauty Eyelash Curler

After using the same old Revlon eyelash curler for years, I decided it was time to upgrade. I chose the the Brilliant Beauty Eyelash Curler because it’s got over a 4.5-star rating with 10,000+ reviews (and it comes in a gorgeous rose gold color), and I love it! It works absolute wonders on my lashes and never pinches or pulls, which I can’t say about my previous curler. It comes with a satin travel pouch and 2 refill pads, too!

12. Indian Healing Clay

Aztec Secrets’ Indian Healing Clay is one of those holy grail beauty products that I’ll pass down to my future daughters one day. It’s a deep cleansing facial, hair, and body mask that’s made from 100% natural calcium bentonite clay, which I know nothing about– other than that it’s great for facials, body wraps, clay baths, foot soaks, knee packs, hair masks, underarm preparation (for natural deodorant), insect bites, and about a dozen other things, too. This clay has helped fade dark spots on my face, heal dry skin on my body/feet, strengthen the ends of my hair… I’m seriously not sure if there’s anything this clay can’t do. 

13. O’Keeffe for Healthy Feet Foot Cream

With all the nail salons temporarily shut down due to COVID-19, my feet have seen better days. I ordered O’Keeffe’s for Healthy Feet Foot Cream based solely on its stellar reviews (it has over a 4.5-star rating with more than 16,000 reviews), and y’all… it’s the real deal. It’s a concentrated foot cream that heals, relieves, and repairs extremely dry and cracked feet, and after ONE treatment, my feet went from sore and cracked to soft and healthy. I’ve been using it consistently for about two weeks now and am one happy camper!

14. Bio-Oil Skincare Oil

If you’ve followed me for a while now, you know I suffered from a string of eating disorders a while back. Since my body’s ballooned back and forth in weight so many times, I’ve developed some pretty unsightly stretch marks. I ordered this skincare oil to try and make them (along a few acne and biopsy scars) less noticeable, and y’all– I started to see results in just about one week. In addition to its efficacy, I love that it absorbs quickly and that it leaves my skin feeling ultra soft. Seriously, even if I didn’t have stretch marks, I’d still use this as an anti-aging body oil! 

15. Curved Eyebrow Scissors

COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on my eyebrows, so these curved scissors have been an absolute lifesaver. I personally use them for trimming long eyebrow hairs, but they’re also great for manicuring eyelash extensions, cutting stray nose hairs, and everything in between, including crafts. They’re also uber compact, so they fit nicely in my aforementioned cosmetic train case. 

If you liked this post, check out 13 of the Best Amazon Beauty Products (Part One) and 12 of the Best Beauty Products by Amazon (Part Two), too! You can also follow along with my Best Amazon Beauty Finds ideas list on Amazon. I update it every time I’ve checked out/vetted a product, so it’ll always be a little more up-to-date than this blog post! Also, please let me know if you have questions about any of the products I’ve featured in today’s round-up. I own them all and am happy to give details about my experience with each product!