Everything TikTok Made Me Buy That Actually Improved My Life

In the midst of a particularly nasty bout of seasonal depression, I finally pulled the trigger and bought the Restore sunrise alarm clock, which had been dominating my For You page for the last few months. It has rave reviews from people saying it fixed their sleep schedule and improved their mood, so I was hopeful with a healthy dose of skepticism. Would a couple of pretty lights and chirping birds make my morning that much better? Yes. Yes, they would.

Since I am a heavier sleeper, I did notice that I had to crank the bird sounds a bit in the morning, but the gradually increasing light helps me wake up feeling more refreshed and energized—even if it's still pitch black outside.

I even set a sleep and wake-up schedule through the app, which makes it a lot easier to choose a sunrise and alarm sound. It also comes programmed with different white noise sounds for falling asleep.

If you haven't heard of the infamous Stanley cup by now, you must be living under a rock. Not only has this dominated TikTok in the past year, but it is so popular it even made its way into the Wall Street Journal.

This cup gained popularity not just because it often goes out of stock, but also because it fixes all the problems I usually have with tumblers. I was lucky enough to find mine tucked away in the lamp aisle in Target, and it's certainly paid for itself as I've used it every day since I bought it over a year ago.

It keeps my drinks cold all day long, it fits in my car’s cup holder, it has a handle (which means I haven’t dropped and dented it like all my other bottles), the straw is large, and it’s so big that I only have to refill it once or twice throughout the day.

I’m making the case for running with wired earbuds. Though TikTok may have allowed me to feel a bit more at home wearing them in public, I have been repurchasing this exact model of earbuds since 2015. Here’s why.

1. They're cheaper. Coming out at under $10, you don't have to worry about losing or breaking your expensive headphones—and even if you have to replace them a few times, you'll still end up spending less.
2. If they fall out of your ears, you don't have to stop and dig around until you find them—much more conducive to a productive run.
3. They can’t run out of battery. We’ve all had our earbuds die in the middle of a long run, but these puppies are analog—no battery required.

The Everywhere belt bag is just good: It’s well-designed, lightweight, durable, and comfortable. It’s easily adjustable and has three pockets, two of which are zippered, to help keep the contents of your bag organized. And though it may look small, it can hold more than you think—I’m able to fit my keys, wallet, phone, hand sanitizer, gum, and a slew of lip balms with ease.

I typically use this as my everyday purse, but I also tested it out on a couple runs. You can either secure it sash-style or strap it around the waist, and while I would probably opt for something a bit more technical for a longer run, it works great for a jog around the neighborhood or trip to the gym.

I love a no-makeup makeup look, and the key to looking healthy and bright is glowing, radiant skin. This product is great on its own or under foundation since it’s lightweight, non-greasy, and fragrance-free.

It’s rated at SPF 40, which is plenty of protection for running, and because it’s a chemical sunscreen instead of mineral, it doesn’t have a strong smell or chalky residue. In fact, it leaves my skin looking refreshed and bright. While it is admittedly a bit pricey, I’ve found a little goes a long way.

Somehow it seems that port-a-potties are always out of hand sanitizer. I rue the days when I'm stuck finishing my run at the track with port-o-potty hands. Thus, I started carrying this Noshinku hand sanitizer with me. Most hand sanitizer comes in bulky packaging that bounces around in my pockets, and it's typically a gel solution that somehow leaves my hands both sticky and dry.

TikTok led me to the holy grail hand sanitizer: Noshinku. Let's start with the packaging, which is slim almost to the point of being flat, and fits easily into a pocket, waistband, or vest. It has a spray applicator that evenly and effectively coats your hands with a sanitizing yet moisturizing mist.

It's made with essential oils instead of artificial fragrances, and when the product is used up, you can simply buy a refill bag and continue using the container.