The 11 best and worst things we tried from social media this year — from productivity hacks to dishes that almost made us give up cheese
The scrunchie method creates easy, pretty curls overnight.Lauren Finney Harden
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The internet is full of tips, tricks, and things to buy — some of which, like heatless curls, go viral.
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Insider’s staff has tried dozens of them — from “pillow slide” slippers to”negroni sbagliatos.”
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Some hacks are delicious and convenient — but others have ruined things we once loved, like cheese.
Each year, the internet surfaces thousands of supposed life hacks — here are the mashed potatoes that will make your in-laws respect you, the foundation trick that will make your skin look unnaturally airbrushed. This year, we tried our fair share of the viral tips, tricks, and products that made the rounds. Some were genuine upgrades; eyeshadow can be a good lip liner, and working with someone can make us more productive. Others, like the recipe that made a staff member want to swear off cheese, were not.
Here are 11 of the best and worst things we tried from social media this year:
Best: Boiling your mashed potatoes in chicken stock
Food reporter Rachel Askinasi said she’ll “never serve water-boiled mashed potatoes again.”Rachel Askinasi/Insider
Insider’s food reporter, Rachel Askinasi, tried a TikTok hack for mashed potatoes that instructs the cook to boil potatoes in chicken stock rather than salted water. According to Askinasi, the potatoes cooked in stock had a much more robust and rich flavor and were slightly creamier.
“I’ll never serve water-boiled mashed potatoes again,” Askinasi told readers.
Read more here.
Best: The “pillow slide” sandals
Executive editor Sally Kaplan swears by these comfy, squishy “pillow slides” she found on TikTok.Sally Kaplan/Insider
Executive editor of Insider Reviews, Sally Kaplan, tried TikTok’s famous “pillow slide” sandals and said these waterproof foam sandals have super thick and squishy soles that still offer a decent bit of support.
“I thought I was just getting a comfy pair of house sandals when I bought these, but they’ve become my go-to’s for errands…
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