50 clever gifts under $25 that won't end up getting regifted

A cult-favorite clay mask that basically vacuums out pores

Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay Mask, available on Amazon, $9.99

The Aztec Clay Mask is one of those cult-favorite products that was plucked from the depths of Amazon only to generate viral videos with over 4 million views on YouTube. Right now, it has over 12,600 five-star reviews on Amazon.

It's been called "the world's most powerful facial" and it's also under $10. It can be mixed with water, but it works best with a little bit of apple cider vinegar. You can read a full review here.

Reusable straws that fold up on the go

Food52 Reusable Straw Set, available on Food52, $25

Food52's reusable straw sets come in a pretty color palette, and each pack includes carrying cases and cleaning squeegees. They can toss one set in their bag, leave one at work, and keep one in the car.

A popular skin-care product that combats blemishes overnight

Mario Badescu Drying Lotion, available on Amazon, $17

Mario Badescu's Drying Lotion has acheived just as much cult status over the years as the company's famous facial sprays. It targets pimples with a cocktail of acne-fighting ingredients while you sleep, and it's one product we use daily in our own lives.

A lifetime REI membership

REI Membership, available on REI $20

Perfect for the outdoorsy types, an REI membership offers a lifetime of benefits for a one-time purchase. That includes 10%-back dividends, special offers, access to in-store REI Garage sales, and special pricing on REI classes and events. Find out more here.

Silicone gloves that keep the other half of the avocado fresh

Avocado Huggers, Set of 2, available on Uncommon Goods, $7.95

These little silicone cups hug the remaining half of an avocado to keep it fresh in the fridge.

A healthy, happy houseplant

Maranta Plant, available on The Sill, from $14

Order them a houseplant for under $20 with The Sill. If you choose one of the company's chic potters, the cost is closer to $30 for small plants.

A milk frother that brings the taste of a cafe closer to home

PowerLix Milk Frother, available on Amazon, $13.97

A milk frother is an unexpectedly convenient tool to have around the house, and it can make a frothy latte or cappucino that's closer to what you'd buy at the cafe.

Smart outlet plugs that let you turn devices on or off from anywhere

Kasa Smart WiFi Plug Mini, available on Amazon, $19.95

A small but convenient gift, smart wifi plugs let the owner turn their electronics on or off from anywhere with their smartphone thanks to the Kasa app. If they have a smart home gadget, they can use the voice assistant to turn things on and off as well. In the Kasa app, they can also set schedules and "scenes" for controlling many devices with a single button.

A bauble filled with silk hair ties

Slipsilk Hair Tie Holiday Bauble, available on Nordstrom, $25

Silk is often used in products like headbands and pillowcases to reduce friction and breakage of hair, and these four hair ties serve the same purpose. Designed to keep hair from catching, crimping, and pulling, these hair ties are gentle on strands and around the wrist. Plus, this set comes in an ornament-like bauble.

A mini griddle that makes individual servings of breakfast foods

Dash Mini Maker: The Mini Waffle Maker Machine, available on Amazon, $14.99

This tiny waffle maker is perfect for single-serving breakfasts, or for meal prep (just freeze your waffles ahead of time). It's compact for confined spaces, heats up in a few minutes, and has a non-stick surface that's easy to clean.

An approachable cookbook that's caused a lot of buzz this year

"Nothing Fancy: Unfussy Food for Having People Over" by Alison Roman, available on Amazon, $19.50

This is the cookbook to beeline it to if your recipient loves to host friends for dinner.

Author Alison Roman shuns mild-mannered foods and favors crunchy, citrusy, smoky, and otherwise bold flavors. Expect how-tos for a DIY martini bar, coconut-braised chicken and chickpeas, and pans of lemony turmeric tea cake.

If this isn't the right fit, check out other great options here.

Tickets to an event you know they'll appreciate

Live concert and game tickets, available on Stubhub, from $15 per person

Is there a good concert, play, or game coming up in the next few months you think they'd love? It doesn't have to be expensive to be impactful. Grab tickets and make a night of it — or, if you live far away, make sure they get to go with a friend or two.

A cold brew coffee tool that makes a quart of liquid

Takeya Deluxe Cold Brew Coffee Maker, available on Amazon, $18.99

This cold brew maker is as inexpensive as it is convenient, and it saves me hundreds of dollars per year on iced coffee. It easily fits into most refrigerator doors, is simple to use, and makes a good amount of cold brew at once. If they need more than one quart, there's also a two-quart option.

A spray that protects your shoes from stains

Jason Markk Repel Spray, available on Amazon, $17.48

This Jason Markk spray repels water and oil to keep your shoes free of stains and water spots. It's water-based, so it's okay to use on a variety of materials — from suede to nubuck leather to canvas and others. It sprays a fine mist that covers large areas both quickly and evenly.

Soft, cozy underwear that comes in holiday patterns

MeUndies Holiday Boxers, available on MeUndies, $24

MeUndies makes some of the most comfortable underwear and loungewear for men and women that we've found at Insider Picks. And, beyond that, we love their festive patterns.

Because they're pricier than most people are willing to pay for their own underwear, these make a great and surprisingly luxurious gift.

Coasters made from reclaimed vinyl records

Upcycled Record Coasters, available on Uncommon Goods, $18

These upcycled coasters are made from reclaimed vinyl records and sealed against moisture. Each set includes a variety of music genres.

A thermos that keeps drinks hot for up to six hours straight

Hydro Flask 16-Ounce Wide Mouth Coffee Thermos, available on Nordstrom, $24.95

Hydro flask's cult-favorite thermos keeps hot drinks hot for up to six hours, and cold drinks cold for up to 24 hours.

Playing cards that pay homage to musical giants

Genius Music Playing Cards, available on Amazon, $9.42

Two jokers (Björk and David Bowie) and 52 playing cards featuring music's greatest legends — from Madonna and Prince to Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, and Amy Winehouse — make up a fun pack of cards.

Fast-absorbing, moisturizing hand sanitizer

Touchland Hand Sanitizer, available on Touchland and Amazon, from $12

Touchland makes hand sanitizers that aren't sticky or drying. We like them because they're fast-evaporating, moisturizing, and effective.

An eco-friendly utensil set for eating on the go

United by Blue Utensil Kit, available on United by Blue, $24

Perfect for eating on the go or at a campsite, this utensil kit comes with two stainless steel straws, one silicone straw tip, one straw cleaner, one stainless steel spork, and one pair of stainless steel chopsticks.

United by Blue is an eco-friendly outdoors retailer, and the carrier is made from 100% recycled polyester ripstop with a water-resistant finish.

A protective case for your airpods

Incase Airpods Case, available on Incase, $29.95

Incase probably makes either your laptop case or phone case, but they also have covers for your AirPods. It's lightweight, adds another layer of protection, and keeps your charging case from getting scuffed or scratched.

A cult-favorite $15 cast iron skillet

Lodge 10.25-Inch Cast Iron Skillet, available on Amazon, $14.79

This affordable 10.25-inch cast iron skillet is another wunderkind plucked from the depths of Amazon. It has over 12,400 five-star reviews, and Lodge has been making cast iron cookware since 1896, so they've learned a thing or two about what makes it great.

A membership to unlimited reading

Scribd Membership, available on Scribd, $8.99/month

Enjoy unlimited access to hundreds of thousands of books, audiobooks, and magazines for less than $10 a month with Scribd. (Or $13 per month for access to Scribd and the New York Times). If they aren't a bibliophile already, Scribd will make them one.

A cult-favorite fidget toy

Speks Classic Magnet Balls, available on Speks, $24.95

Speks are one of our all-time favorite fidget accessories. They're tiny magnetic balls that you can break apart, reconfigure, and otherwise mold, mash, and build with. They help us divert just enough energy to remain productive throughout the day.

A mug decorated with the mugs of American activists

Fishs Eddy American Activist Mug, available on Nordstrom, $14.95

If your giftee is interested or involved in activism, this mug covered with the mugs of Gloria Steinem, Harvey Milk, Shirley Chisholm, and other great American activists is a unique gift they'll actually like owning. It's from New York's fun, eclectic dishware shop, Fishs Eddy.

Spicy, fragrant cinnamon sticks

Williams Sonoma Cinnamon Sticks, available on Williams Sonoma, $15.95

Are they a whiz in the kitchen, or a big fan of apple cider? Switch it up with these elevated cinnamon sticks. They're made with Korintje cinnamon renown for its intense spicy flavor and curled "quills" of dried evergreen bark that hails from the volcanic soil on the slopes of Mt. Korintje. They'll be on the receiving end of a delicious convergence of spice and fragrant essential oils.

Spiral hair ties that don't leave kinks in their hair

Invisibobble Hair Elastic Set, available on Ulta, $14

Inivisibobble makes popular spiral hair ties that apply even pressure to a ponytail, providing a strong but comfortable hold. This set comes with six hair ties in two limited-edition colorways.

Chip-resistant, vegan nail polish that comes in over 40 colors

Smith and Cult Nail Polish, available on Smith and Cult, $18

Smith & Cult's rich, chip-resistant nail polish comes in 46 colors and the kind of beautiful bottle you leave out on the vanity because it's just that nice to look at. The formulas are vegan, cruelty-free, and don't have potentially harmful ingredients like formaldehyde or camphor, among others.

An advent calendar of 24 herbal teas

Pukka Advent Calendar, available on Amazon, $12.49

This pack of 24 tea bags in different varieties supplies a full month of daily spontaneity and self-care. According to Pukka Herbs, all its teas and supplements are ethically and sustainably sourced.

Charitable lottery tickets that donate money to a deserving organization

Scratch-off Donation Card, available on LottoLove from $4.95

When you scratch off a card from LottoLove, you won't win any money. Instead, you "win" a charitable prize that's donated to someone in need. There are four possible prizes, which help provide clean water, solar light, nutritious meals, or literacy tools. To date, LottoLove and its charitable partners have impacted lives in over 60 countries.

A set of travel-friendly perfumes

Pinrose Good Intentions Sampler Kit, available on Sephora, $25

Perfume is often expensive, and scent is very personal, but samples let the wearer live with the scent for a few days before committing. Pinrose's Good Intentions Sampler Kit makes that possible, with eight mini bottles of its signature scents. They can find their favorite and keep the others for travel.

Lip gloss that's moisturizing and not sticky

Tower 28 Beauty ShineOn Jelly Lip Gloss, available on Sephora, $14

Tower 28 makes soft lip glosses with subtle color and a non-sticky, moisturizing formula with ingredients like raspberry seed oil and rosehip oil. Pick it up in four colors.

A set of glasses that have a how-to diagram for Bloody Marys

Bloody Mary Diagram Glassware, Set of 2, available on Uncommon Goods, $25

These cute Bloody Mary glasses make a playful science out a truly perfect spicy and savory Bloody Mary.

Reusable beeswax sandwich wraps

Beeswax Reusable Sandwich Wrap, available on Uncommon Goods, $11

Beeswax Sandwich Wrap is made from cotton infused with beeswax and natural oils. It acts as an eco-friendly substitute to plastic sandwich bags, and which can be reused over and over and over again.

A hair towel that cuts down on drying time by as much as 50%

Aquis Original Microfiber Hair Turban, available on Amazon, $20.99

Aquis' cult-favorite hair towels have inspired a slew of rave reviews online, including one from our own team of product reviewers.

The towels are made from a proprietary fabric called Aquitex that's composed of ultra-fine fibers (finer than silk) that work to reduce the amount of friction that hair experiences while in its weakest state. Plus, it speeds up drying time by as much as 50%.

Festive syrups that are perfect for cocoa, coffee, or cocktails

Monin Mini Coffee Syrup, available on Amazon, $14.99

Did anyone — anyone at all — say cocktails? Monin's holiday cheer collection has everything needed for festive drinks, be they cocktails, cocoas, lattes, mochas, or ciders. It includes five syrups ranging in flavors from gingerbread cookies with a hint of cinnamon to toasted campfire treats. Plus, Monin has a recycling initiative that works to improve the health of bee populations.

A smart chip that helps you find items you've lost

Tile Mate, available on Amazon, $17.98

How nice would it be if every time you lost something, you could find it within a few minutes? Use your smartphone to make the Tile Mate ring aloud, and you'll be able to locate your keys or wallet using the sound.

Lavendar lotions and masks that help you relax

Tony Moly I'm Lavender Cracker Box Set, available on Macy's, $14

This Tony Moly Lavender set is made to soothe irritated skin and bring about instant relaxation. The set is comprised of two sheet masks, a sleeping mask, and hand cream.

A popular lip mask that creates a protective seal to lock in moisture overnight

Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask, available on Sephora, $20

Laneige's hyper-successful Lip Sleeping Mask uses a combination of vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, minerals, antioxidants, and fruit extracts to form a protective layer over the lips to lock in moisture overnight. It has over 7,000 ratings on Sephora, and an average rating of 4.5-stars out of five.

A reusable shopping bag that comes in tons of fun colors

Baggu Standard Reusable Shopping Bag, available on Amazon, $12

Baggu bags are popular for a reason — they come in tons of fun prints and can fold down to pretty much nothing even though they can hold 50 pounds of stuff.

A slip-resistant armband to keep their phone in place on a run

Tribe Cell Phone Armband, available on Amazon, from $10.98

If you're going to buy an armband for a runner, you're probably going to wind up buying this version from Tribe. It has over 18,000 reviews on Amazon (with a 4.2-star rating overall) and, while it's not the most perfect out there, it's frequently recommended for its water-resistant and no-slip design.

Knee-high socks from one of the best loungewear companies online

Tommy John Knee High Casual Sock, available on Tommy John, $18

Tommy John is another company responsible for some of the very best loungewear and underwear on the internet. Their knee-length socks have light compression to support blood flow, and the "comfort cuff" design means you should be able to peel them off without finding marks left over.

An adjustable phone stand for their desk, dinner table, or kitchen counter

Lamicall Adjustable Cell Phone Stand, available on Amazon, from $10.99

Whether they use it as a desk accessory or to prop up their YouTube search for "how to chop onions" while they cook at home, a lightweight, adjustable phone stand comes in handy more often than you'd expect.

One of the best new books of the year

"The Night Tiger: A Novel" by Yangsze Choo, available on Amazon, $13.49

If you're looking for a good book to gift, look no further than the reading lists already on Amazon — form the best books of the month, to the best books of the year, to the 100 you should read in a lifetime. We loved "Circe," "Educated," and "On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous" this year. Find nearly 30 books the Insider Picks team recommended last year.

All the tools you need for a delicious, fast avocado toast

Avocado Toast Breakfast Set, available on Uncommon Goods, $10

This set of breakfast tools makes a thoughtful gift for anyone who wants a delicious meal faster, which is never a bad thing in the morning.

A photo book with some of their best memories

Custom Softcover Photo Book, available on Artifact Uprising from $15

For a sentimental gift under $25, we recommend these beautifully designed photo books that look like a personal magazine, curated by you for them.

Bath salts that are the perfect excuse for relaxation

Herbivore Botanicals Calm Bath Salts, available on Nordstrom, $18

Herbivore Botanical's bath salts include nutrient-rich Pacific sea salts combined with ylang-ylang and vanilla essential oil. They'll moisturize the skin and provide a deeply relaxing, calming effect on the brain to decrease anxiety and restlessness.

The best hair mask you can buy

It's a 10 Miracle Hair Mask, available on Amazon, $21.10

Perfect for color-treated, heat-styled, and otherwise damaged hair, It's a 10's hair mask deep-conditions strands with a blend of moisturizing ingredients like oat kernel extract, apricot kernel oil, sweet almond oil, and linseed extract. We ranked it the best hair mask you can buy.

A cute, bunny-shaped loose-tea infuser

Fred & Friends Brew Bunny Tea Infuser, available on Amazon, $11.44

Gift them some relaxing time spent sipping their favorite tea (which you could pick up as an accompanying gift).

The makeup remover tourists stock up on in French pharmacies

Bioderma Sensibio H2O Makeup Remover, available on Amazon, $14.90

Bioderma's makeup remover is a cult-favorite among makeup artists, celebrities, the average person, and the Insider Picks team. We've ranked it the best makeup remover you can buy, and it's one of the many beauty products tourists are known to stock up on when visiting a French pharmacy.