1.A Nodpod, an innovative, holy grail sleep mask that’s basically a weighted blanket for their eyes. This is cleverly designed to stay put on back *and* side sleepers, and has a gentle pressure to encourage stress relief that may be helpful for deep sleep. Psst — they can also put it in the freezer, and the microbeads in the mask will stay cool for hours!
Nodpod is a small business specializing in sleep products.
(Note: While weighted eye masks have even less evidence than blankets do and may very well be placebo, they’re a similar concept to weighted blankets. You can read more about what weighted blankets help with and how from Cleveland Clinic.)
Promising review: “I just purchased a NodPod after seeing a review on TikTok. I do not know how I slept without this before. It’s so comforting, and I’m asleep within minutes of putting it on. I like having something that can cover my ears when I sleep, and the long sides of the NodPod are perfect for that. You can also sleep on a plane with this, with the cutout in the strap. I do not get too hot when I sleep, but there are two sides of it, one of which is warmer and the other cooler. I want to purchase another just for travel; I love it that much. If you’re on the fence, I highly recommend.” —Miriam
Get it from Amazon for $38 (available in six colors).
2.A ridiculously cute microwaveable stuffed animal that doubles as a heating pad to get them through the chilliest months of the year (or the crampiest times of the month)! These bubs are also lavender-scented, which may help with anxiety or insomnia if they need a soothing way to calm down. Many people also gifted these to loved ones who have had surgery and have used them to ease the grief after the loss of a pet. (Speaking of, many reviewers mentioned their cats and dogs loved these so much they claimed them as their own!)
These “Warmies” are each filled with all-natural grain and dried lavender, so you can microwave them to use them as heating pads or pop in a sealed bag in the freezer for two to three hours to use them as a cold pack.
Promising review: “Chronic pain approved. Calling all cow lovers, because this microwavable stuffed Highland cow is so it! Not only is it super cute, but it’s a very slightly above-average size and super easy to use. I will also say, as an ethical vegan, I also love that it is made with all-natural products, and the price of it is honestly a steal compared to other similar products. While I got it for myself for chronic pain, it is definitely able to be used for any adult or child as a gift.” —Becca
Get it from Amazon for $24.29 (available in 11 animal styles).
3.Medicube’s Ribbon Cherry Hairbrush, a “glass hair” detangler designed with four different levels of soft, rounded pin lengths to gently loosen knots and smooth their hair without any heat or damage. It even comes with a cap to “lock” it when they’re done, making it easy to keep clean and super portable for travel.
Promising review: “This brush is great! It’s very lightweight and easy to handle. I have fine and wavy hair, and this got all my tangles out with any real effort!!” —Beck
Get it from Amazon for $21.90.
4.A 3-in-1 wireless charging station that will blow their minds — it folds out from a small square into a rectangular charging pad with a spot for their iPhone, AirPods, *and* Apple Watch to charge all at the same time. A lot of travelers swear by it because it saves soooo much space in their luggage.
Promising review: “I was at a training, and someone had something like this, and it was just a must-have. I have a work phone, my personal phone, and an Apple Watch. Also, it was just nice because the person that I was in training with let others use one of the pads. It’s rare that all of your devices go dead at one time. Ever since that and since I’ve gotten this, I take it to every training I have and offer it to people around me. It’s a nice icebreaker and a way to make friends in training sessions where you don’t know a whole lot of people. It’s also very handy because it always seems like my watch goes dead when I least expect it, so I highly recommend putting it in your daily bag.” —The_Adulting_Lab
5.A set of The Met x Band-Aids featuring iconic works by the famed Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai — these Band-Aids are part of a collaboration with the iconic museum, so now whenever they get an “ouchie,” they can be a walking work of art for everyone around them.
Promising review: “So totally awesome. 😬 I needed new Band-Aids — I’m always doing something ridiculous, and with these, so pretty. I have one cat who likes to let me know when she’s done with pets, and I have claw marks from her — not to mention my general clumsiness with gardening and cooking. Love them!!” —Mom the Handyman
6.An Airplane Pocket tray cover that will slide seamlessly over an airplane tray to create an instant, deeply convenient hub — this comes with a number of pockets so they can keep track of all your devices, snacks, and other odds and ends without rooting around for them in the gross back pocket or their carry-on the whole flight. Bonus: This bb is an excellent way to prevent touching a germ-y tray, and it’s fully machine washable.
Airplane Pockets is a small business that specializes in sanitary, portable travel organization products.
I used this on a round-trip from NYC to Tokyo, both with connecting flights in Canada, and cannot sing its praises enough. It fit all four of the different tray tables I used it on and was so ridiculously handy for keeping track of all my littler odds and ends like AirPods, the plane’s headphones, earplugs, a sleep mask, a book, gum, a scrunchie, and little snacks. The hanging end of it easily tucked into the built-in sleeve of the seat in front of me for takeoff, and when other passengers needed to scoot past me in my aisle seat. Usually, I feel like a hot mess and get frustrated rooting around in the grimy sleeve for my stuff, and this was such a refreshing solution! Several flight attendants even asked where I got it to buy one for themselves!
This is one of our 2026 Buzzy Award winners! Check out the full list to shop all 100 picks, hand-selected by the BuzzFeed Shopping team.
7.An innovative, mesmerizing moonrise alarm clock to serve both as a gentle wake-up in the mornings *and* a lovely piece of decor for their bedside table. Reviewers love this gentle alternative to noisy alarms — it’s designed to better fit with natural circadian rhythms by slowly waking you up with light instead of going full YEEHAWWWW in your ears!
Promising review: “This thing is the real deal. My daughters love it! They needed a way to wake up more naturally on school days — this alarm can be set to begin brightening 10 minutes before their alarm, and it’s helped a lot! Plus, they adore the beautiful moon nightlight with shooting stars — I do, too! This one seemed too good to be true when I ordered it, but it’s definitely lived up to the hype.” —Emlefty11
8.A chic little 12-ounce toile Owala that will make them feel like they’re this season’s diamond on Bridgerton — and of course, the diamond deserves nothing less than a well-insulated cup that keeps drinks hot for six hours and cold for an entire day.
Promising review: “Cute water bottle! I love the color and pictures! Perfect size!” —Scarlett
9.Laneige’s new limited edition (!!) Gingerbread Lip Sleeping Mask, with its first-ever 3D design on the inside. This will give them all the warm and fuzzy spiced cookie vibes while also hydrating their lips the way this beloved holy grail always does, thanks to its nourishing blend of shea butter, vitamin C, and murumuru.
I am in LOVE with this new gingerbread version!!! It smells SO cozy and has the perfect blend of sweet with a hint of warm spice. It’s such a treat to put it on at the end of the day and go to bed tasting like a whole holiday. My lips are always kind of raw and dry by the end of the night (the fact that I salt half my desserts probably doesn’t help), but I get instant relief from this the same way I do with all Laneige Lip Sleep Masks, and my lips feel nice and hydrated in the morning.
10.A handy adjustable neck reading light, because they shouldn’t let the sun and/or the humans living with them decide when their Designated Reading Time is over!! This flexible neck light comes with three brightnesses that all keep the focus on the page, so they can keep the strain off their eyeballs without disturbing anyone else’s darkness.
Reviewers also swear by these for crafts with fine detail work, like painting and embroidery.
Promising review: “I had seen this product from someone I follow on TikTok, and they have a great review on it. I absolutely love it!! It’s great because it hangs around your neck and it’s lightweight. It has three different light settings on it, so you can choose what is best for your eyes. And it also has a 30-minute timer you can set in case you fall asleep, so it will go off, and you don’t have to worry about it staying on the whole time. I highly recommend it!!” —Tabatha C.
11.A Yonanas fruit soft-serve maker that will magic any frozen fruit into an ice cream or sorbet texture, so they can have a yummy frozen treat made with their *precise* favorite fruit combos. A lot of folks with dietary restrictions swear by this to get their ice cream kicks!
Promising review: “Such an amazing product. My first recipe was bananas and cashew peanut butter. Super duper fab! I can’t wait for a party just to make the dessert. Already bought another as a gift. Great buy.” —desiree
12.A beautifully packaged, travel-friendly Touchland Power Mist hydrating hand sanitizer for anyone who’s like, “mindfully practicing health and safety, but make it fashion.” Unlike other sanitizer sprays, it’s infused with aloe vera to keep skin hydrated, dries super quickly, and has the most luxurious scents that don’t have an after-scent of alcohol to them. But most importantly?? These NEVER LEAK.
Touchland is a small business that specializes in hand sanitizers.
Promising review: “Love this hand sanitizer. I take it with me everywhere I go. Beautiful scents. Super fast drying time. Leaves my hands soft and smooth. Non-stickiness is the most important. A+++.” —KD
I am a huge fan of Touchland and have been using their products for YEARS. I love that they don’t smell at all like alcohol, so I don’t feel bad using them in public, and that they never dry out my hands. But the leakproof bit is the real win for me. I can’t tell you how many “lEaKpRoOf!!” hand sanis have exploded in my bag, but never, ever, ever has a Touchland version spilled a drop. And trust me when I say I am a chaos goblin who switches tote bags every day and knocks them around the floor with zero respect or decorum.
