From CB: I wanted to vouch for the Sawyer insect repellant with picaridin. I’ve gone hiking a couple of times and have sprayed in on my shoes, legs and arms. I have not found a tick on me or had one mosquito bite. It really works well for me. I also bought these hiking poles for just $23. They have four different end pieces and come in a travel bag. I found them easy to set up and useful, but if you hike a lot you may want something more high end. Here are some more things Hecate and I are looking at.

A grout cleaner and a brush to easily whiten and scrub between tile

Grout-Eez is a grout cleaner that comes with a thin scrub brush to easily clean between tile. (The scrub brush does not come with a pole.) This works for ceramic and porcelain tile, but you’re not supposed to use it on natural stone. You pour it on, let it sit for ten minutes and scrub. It’s said to restore grout to its original color. It has over 6,400 ratings, 4.3 stars and a B on Fakespot. Reviewers say it works very well and doesn’t smell bad either. “I have tried several grout cleaners over the past 15 years since the majority of our flooring has been ceramic tile. This product surpassed all of them. In fact, nothing has ever worked this quickly.” “Our kitchen floor looks amazing and it didn’t cost me several hundred dollars for a professional tile cleaner!”

An inflatable couch for camping, the beach and on the go

AlphaBeing Inflatable Lounger is a portable inflatable couch with a headrest. It would be great for camping, going to the beach and keeping in your car for comfort on the go. It comes in 16 different colors and prints, most under $31. You inflate it by just running with it until it fills with air. This has over 2,5000 ratings, 4.4 stars and a B on Fakespot. People write that it’s comfortable, bigger than they expected, and that they’re surprised how easy it is to set up. “This thing is AMAZING! I ordered it for a outdoor music festival and it was the best choice ever. The material is durable and you can adjust how big you want it (lengthwise) by the amount of air you put in.” “I got this to bring to the beach and it was perfect. It was easy to fill with air (definitely need 2 people) and when it’s packed in the bag it takes up very little space and is lightweight”

A three step hair treatment system for all hair types

I found ApHogee while researching other hair treatments. I’ve since bought their products and my hair is so much softer and nicer! These treatments work for all hair types including natural hair. They do have a scent but it’s pleasant and not too perfumey. For just $23 you get a 16 ounce shampoo, 16 ounce conditioner and an eight ounce 2 minute keratin treatment. This set has over 1,300 ratings, 4.4 stars and an A on Fakespot. Women rave about how well this worked to restore and soften their hair. “Since I’ve started using these products, my hair is looking and feeling the way it used to when I was in my teens and 20’s.” “I could immediately tell the difference in the texture of my hair after shampooing and protein treatment. It was much softer and shedding reduced after first application/treatment.”

Pure organic hyaluronic acid serum for smooth, clear skin

I ran out of my other hyaluronic acid and it’s no longer in stock. I bought this brand, Asterwood Naturals, as it looked like a good choice. It feels great on my skin and was affordable at under $12. This has almost 8,500 ratings, 4.5 stars and a B on Fakespot. Women say it really works to fade acne scars and reduce fine lines. “Gives my face the softest feel and I have noticed differences in fine lines and areas that were patchy and dry. I will definitely be purchasing again!” “I’ve been using this serum for less than a week and can’t believe the wonderful results I’ve noticed already. Overall, my skin just looks healthier and more youthful.”

All natural goats milk soap for softer skin

From Hecate: This soap is all natural made with a goat’s milk base. This paraben-free soap comes with three scents, lavender-rosemary, lavender-mint and frankincense-lavender, all of which are some of my favorite scents. Fancy soaps like this are something I always want to buy but can never justify spending money on, which I know is wrong – we should treat ourselves every once in a while But at 3 for $17, I can make more of a case for myself, especially if I give one as a gift. The soaps received 4.8 stars from 318 reviews and an A on Fakespot. Customers who bought it said the scents really come out and the soap is really clean, “Wonderful and strong scent and lots of lather. The soap is mild on my skin and rinses away easily.” Another convinced me I need to try goat’s milk on my skin, which I haven’t yet, “For anyone that does not know the amazing properties of goat’s milk, let me just tell you that it makes a drastic difference on the health and feeling of your skin after using.” The only con is a reviewer said because it’s a soft soap, you go through it pretty quickly. So I guess it’s good this comes in a three pack.

Color coded marshmallow roaster forks for safer s’mores

From Hecate: We are big fire folk at Hecate Temple. We use our hearth well past winter and we have an outdoor fire pit for the summer. As soon as we light the fire outside, the cry for s’mores goes out. The neighbor behind us just wiped out all our trees for his fence (a story for another time) so we won’t have roasting branches this summer. But I found these cool roasting forks with 32-inch extendable arms that are dishwasher safe and I think I need them! They come in four different options: five forks for $10, eight for $13, 10 for $16 or 15 forks for $20 and each option comes with a storage bag. Each fork comes with a different color band so folks know which roasted goody is theirs. There are over 13,000 reviews on Amazon and ReviewMeta has them at 4.2 stars. One person said they aren’t just for marshmallows, “They telescope out so you don’t have to sit right next to the fire. They are strong enough to roast marshmallows, as well as hot dogs!” Another said they couldn’t be easier, “These are so easy to clean. So easy to store would not in use they take up very little space. So easy to share with others.” One person did warn the metal flakes a bit when first used so it’s probably a good idea to ‘treat’ the forks first by letting them spend a little time in the fire with no food on them for the first run. But they don’t heat up and many people said they were safe enough for kids to use unassisted.

The reversible Octopus made popular by TikTok

From Hecate: I have put off showcasing this little guy but I have seen them everywhere. Apparently, it first found fame on TikTok but has been a number one bestseller on Amazon for weeks now. The toy is an adorable reversible octopus that has two different expressions. The intent is for the toy’s owner to flip the octopus to convey their own emotion. The toy is fairly small so I guess you carry it with you. It comes in seven different color and expression combinations. It’s really popular so some of the styles are out of stock. The plushy has almost 28,000 reviews and earned 4.8 stars with a B on Fakespot. I was looking for something to recommend for kids but the youngest person in the reviews was 14. Plus, at $15 a pop, I can see why more mature people go for this. But they love it, “This is so so cute, I bought it for myself, but now everyone who sees it wants one so it’s a great gift idea. It smaller than I expected for the price, about the size of a candle, maybe a large coffee mug, maybe half a sneaker.” Reviewers said it really helped with anxiety and people struggling right now. It sounds like a wonderful pick me up, if you know anyone who could use it, “I have crippling anxiety and if you do too then this is the toy for you, makes a great stress relief tool, cute and well made as well.” This is just a bonus review because I thought this guy was really funny, “My wife no longer speaks to me. She now only uses The Original Reversible Octopus solely to express her feelings. We have returned evolutionarily to a primal level of communication and it has honestly worked wonders for our relationship.” Also, this is the octopus form of this doll. TeeTurtle, the maker of it, has several varieties of mood plushies to choose from.