10 Products With Hidden Powers

Toothpaste
Getting globs of toothpaste on your personal items is probably something you try to avoid at all costs, so what we're about to tell you might seem a little strange: Toothpaste can actually be used to clean your jewelry.

"Just rub it in and rinse clean," says Erin Huffstetler, the frugal living guide for About.com. Huffstetler explains that toothpaste is "perfect for gently scrubbing away stains and grime" because it contains baking soda and other mild abrasives.

Feeling a bit skeptical, we tested this method for ourselves using a tube of Colgate to shine up a silver Tiffany bracelet. Lo and behold it actually worked. The proof was in the pudding: Not only was the bracelet more shiny, but we could see the tarnish rub off on the paper towel we used to rub the toothpaste in. While some may argue the method isn't as effective as buying a professional jewelry cleaner, it's not a bad choice if you're short on cash and want to make a piece of jewelry sparkle for a big date or special outing.

Huffstetler warns, though, that toothpaste should not be used on jewelry with pearls.

Alka-Seltzer
Alka-Seltzer may be marketed as a way to relieve heartburn and acid indigestion, but tablets that contain aspirin can also help soothe insect bites.

"The aspirin helps to exfoliate the little spot [where the insect bite is] for you, so if there's anything trapped it allows it to be released," Benabio says. "The aspirin itself is also anti-inflammatory so it can reduce the inflammation."

To use, dissolve Alka-Seltzer in water and apply as a cool compress for 30 minutes, Reed says.

Baby oil
Makeup remover can be pricey, but there's a cheap alternative to help you wash off your cosmetics at night: baby oil.

"It works great as a gentle eye makeup remover, but some people with oily skin or acne-prone skin should avoid it, as it can lead to breakouts," says Dr. Sonia Badreshia-Bansal, a dermatologist and clinical instructor at the University of California, San Francisco, with a private practice in Danville, Calif.

If baby oil irritates your skin, another option is grape-seed oil, says esthetician Melissa Picoli, founder of BijaBody, a wholesale retailer of holistic body products and tea blends in Missoula, Mont. "It isn't too greasy and will not cause breakouts," she says. "It also contains nourishing vitamin E, so it's like an eye cream and makeup remover in one."

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