Our Editors Share the 12 Affordable Buys That Changed Their Lives

Amazon has undoubtedly become our premier resource for, well, everything, and Prime Day is basically a national holiday in our book. There are few other retailers where you can buy a bulk pack of your soon-to-be-discontinued favorite concealer, specialty sun-dried tomatoes from a mom-and-pop shop in Italy, and a new pair of heels all in one go, let alone expect it all at your doorstep within a couple of days. Amazon's massive marketplace is an online shopper's godsend. But unless you already have a specific product in mind, its overstocked digital shelves also make it difficult to suss out the true diamonds in the rough.

Cracking the code to Amazon's best gems is a never-ending challenge. Product reviews tell only half the story. To lend a helping hand, we've had our editors weigh in on their own holy-grail Amazon buys. Purchased, tested, and approved, these 12 items have changed their lives for the better (a chic Squatty Potty included!). So before you spiral down yet another Amazon rabbit hole, shop WWW's ride-or-die purchases below.

"I used to stock up on this micellar water whenever I traveled abroad, but now that it's on Amazon, it no longer requires a trip overseas to buy it. Good thing because it's one beauty product I can't live without."

"This mask is something I was hesitant to use at first, but all the reviews are true. This is the one thing that I feel like really sucks all the impurities out of my skin without having to go get a professional facial. It's cheap, lasts forever, and is a fun activity to do with your friends—if you are into that sort of thing."

"This is my number one weapon against super-dry hands. It absorbs quickly and makes my hands feel super soft. I also like that the ingredients are clean, and the Home Depot like graphic design tickles me compared to all my other millennial-targeted products."

"SkinCeuticals' C E Ferulic is the most-loved anti-aging product I know of. People swear by it, and it also happens to have a $166 price tag. When I learned about a $17 dupe on Amazon with almost the exact same ingredients from my beauty-editor colleague, I had to try it. Am I certain it's as good as the C E Ferulic? No, but for the price, I absolutely recommend it. You can see the majority of the Amazon reviews are positive too."

"These clear floating shelves literally bring me joy every day. Why? I bought two sets to make a purse wall in part of my bedroom. Previously, I didn't have a real place for my somewhat massive purse collection. The only shelf in my closet was already overflowing with bags, and the purses I regularly use would end up hanging off doorknobs, sitting on my dresser, or even in random spots on my bookshelf. It was purse chaos, if you will, until these shelves came into my life to provide a pretty and functional way to display my most-loved bags. If you're curious about installation, I also bought this electric screwdriver and had the shelves installed in under 20 minutes."

"Without going into too much detail, you've likely heard people sing the praises of a Squatty Potty. I'll just say that all the claims are true, and I can't quite understand why anyone wouldn't want this helper in their bathroom. It changes my life every single day! I found this wooden one, which takes a while to ship (no Prime here), but I like that it's sleek and feels a bit more elevated than the white plastic versions that make it look like you live with a toddler."

"This is probably the best Amazon purchase I've ever made. Even though it looks like some kind of torture device, this little bed of needles (that sounds dramatic—it's not painful, I promise!) has made a huge difference in both my sleep quality and anxiety. Acupressure mats are designed to emulate the same effect and benefits as acupuncture, and whenever I'm good about lying on the mat and neck pillow for 10 to 15 minutes before going to bed, I notice I fall asleep faster in addition to having a deeper sleep."

"These are the best whitening eye drops I've ever encountered by far. They're extremely effective and don't burn like many other drops on the market do. I use them 10 minutes before putting my contacts in, and my eyes stay white for hours."

"I probably still don't clean my phone as much as I should (they say that cell phones carry 10 times more bacteria than most toilet seats—yikes), but these wipes make it a lot easier to stay on top of."

"I know I talk about this a lot, but seriously, these packing cubes have changed my life. From before a trip to when I get home, they make the whole packing process so much better. I can pack in increments and group together different items (just zip them up in a cube); they keep my clothes organized while I'm at my destination; and once I get home, I can quickly take all the cubes out of my suitcase so it's not sitting in the middle of my apartment for a week. I could go on and on, but I'll leave it there."

"This Moroccanoil Treatment is a godsend for my frizzy, curly hair. For so many years, I would only wear my hair down if I straightened it. Now, I'm slowly learning to tame the beast, and this oil is a key part in making me feel good about my natural hair."

"I have acne-prone skin and refuse to leave the house without this Nars concealer. It's a huge confidence booster to know that it can help cover current and old spots so well."

Up next: May we interest you in some more fabulous Amazon content? 

The 21 Best-Selling Skincare Products on Amazon Are All Under $35

The Trendiest Fashion Items Are Under $50 on Amazon

All the Fashion Items We're Buying on Amazon (Because of Instagram) 

This post was published at an earlier date and has since been updated.