7 Tried And Tested Products You Should Buy In April

Because we bought them in March!

Sian Butcher/ BuzzFeed

We hope you love the products we recommend! Just so you know, BuzzFeed may collect a share of sales from the links on this page.

Hi! I'm the kind of person that messages my friends with products I'm obsessed with. And at work, my team and I are constantly recommending products to each other. So we thought we'd let you know what we're digging too.

For the sake of transparency, we'll always let you know if we're recommending something that we tried as a press sample/got for free.

1. Try out a vegan shampoo that keeps thick curls moisturised and bouncy.

Elizabeth Pears/ BuzzFeed

"My thick, curly hair was in desperate need of some nourishment post-winter when Swedish brand Maria Nila's Head & Heal range fell in my lap – a friend passed on a press sample. I'll admit I was sceptical about these products being effective on my 3A/3B hair type, but they're actually brilliant. The shampoo, conditioner, and hair mask smell divine and not only are they sulphate-free, paraben-free, but vegan too! So pure. My curls are visibly more moisturised and bouncy. I'm a convert. Honestly, it's like wrapping your hair in velvet love." – Elizabeth Pears

Get the shampoo and conditioner on Amazon, £54.95

2. Wake up with a fancy-ass Nespresso machine at a pocket-friendly price.

Nespresso

"I recently bought a Nespresso machine online through Nespresso's subscription option – you can sign up for a monthly coffee pod subscription and get the machine for 1 pound, it's brilliant! I split the £18/month fee with my partner and it translates to about 50 instant coffee pods, which is roughly what we would have been buying anyway, even if we'd bought the machine outright. It's such a game changer – so convenient for early mornings!" – Chelsey Pippin

Find out more about subscriptions at Nespresso's site.

3. Get involved with a pair of smart but comfortable trousers that don't need a belt to stay up.

Laura Gallant/ BuzzFeed

"I am 5ft 2 with a small waist and wide hips, which means that buying trousers is a bloody nightmare. Jeans are hard enough to buy (high-waisted jeans, never go out of style, I beg you), but trousers are a whole other ball game. So when Polka Pants got in touch, I was interested.

They're a London-based company who make high-waisted and tailored trousers for women in the service industry, with fabric sourced in the UK. Here's the backstory: "Over her years in the kitchen, Australian-born, London-based chef Maxine Thompson found herself frustrated at the unbecoming trousers she and her fellow female cooks had to wear, so she began sketching the ideal female chef trouser – one designed for functionality and comfort, but also for style."

I was skeptical (sounds nice, but will they fit meeeeeeee?), but sent over my measurements to the PR. As I wear a size 29 waist in jeans, I went for a size 10, thinking they'd be just right, but they actually come up more like slim fitting slacks – I could have sized down to an 8. The fabric is stretchy but soft, and I love the gold accent zip. I kept thinking, "where were these trousers when I was working as a temp and had to wear horrid polyester trousers from Dorothy Perkins?"

I'm looking forward to wearing these in the summer with some stompy clogs and crop top – but I would 100% recommend them to any wide-hipped gal who has to wear proper trousers to work." – Ailbhe Malone

Buy a pair of Polka Pants, £50 (sizes 2-18)

4. Treat your hair like a princess and discourage breakage with a silk pillowcase.

amazon.co.uk

"I toss and turn a lot during my sleep and I'd noticed a lot of breakage in my hair, sleeping on silk is supposed to reduce friction and be a lot better for your hair and your skin. I actually bought these pillowcases nearly three years ago. They've survived countless washing and are still in perfect condition. One side is pure silk, the other is cotton, which is what adds to the durability. The silk is thick but also fairly matte, so they look like inconspicuous neutral pillowcases. Whenever I sleep on them, I wake up with my hair still smooth and neat, and with no horrible pillow crease marks on my face." – Natalya Lobanova

Get it on Amazon, £8.99

5. Say "so long" to rummaging for a tote bag, and get a cheap and cheerful fold-up backpack.

Laura Gallant/BuzzFeed

"I bought this incredibly nerdy backpack. It's foldable! It folds down very easily and fits into a pouch about the size of a large purse. I bought it for cycling, I have a medium sized basket on my bike, which is great and means I don't have to get a sweaty back wearing a backpack all the time, but occasionally I would buy more food on my way home than I could fit in my basket, which made for some precarious plastic bags dangling from my handle bars. Now I have this backpack I can buy as much as I want on my evening shop and fill it AND my basket.

It's very large when unfolded, larger than your average backpack, and its padded straps are really comfortable. So much more handy and useful than carrying around spare tote bags, and infinitely better than plastic bags." – Flo Perry

Get it on Amazon, £8.99

6. Keep kittens entertained (and away from your possessions) with an interactive scratching post.

amazon.co.uk

"I got one of these toys for my two eight month old kittens and it proved a *huge* success – they tend to reject any toys in favour of boxes/my feet/treasured possessions, but they really went for this thing, and it's both quiet and cheap. Not sure how long it'll last but it was also super-cheap so feeling good about it." – James Ball

Get it on Amazon, £4.75

7. Introduce your skin to a friction-free shave and reap the benefits.

Friction Free Shaving

"I'm trying to up my personal grooming routine. I'm the type to buy cheap razors that leave my skin irritated and dry, so I decided my body deserves better.

"Friction Free Saving, or FFS is a monthly or bi-monthly subscription service that delivers razors straight to your door. You choose what razor style you want, and decide whether you receive replacement blades once a month or every 2 months.

"I went for the Samantha razor because it's rose gold and pretty, and I picked every 2 months, because I don't shave that often. This worked out to me paying £7 every 2 months. This razor is so bloody good. It left my skin feeling so soft, without any irritation or dryness, which is a first and it's really sturdy compared to other razors. I've used it to shave all my bits, my legs, under arms and my bikini line, and it's silky smooth every time. I used with along side the FemFresh Shower and Shave cream, which I am also in love with." – Tolani Shoneye

Find out more about Friction Free Shaving here.

Is there something you think we should try out next month? Let us know in the comments, or tweet me.