16 Things To Try In April

Because we tried them for you in March.

1. A fortified duck-shaped dog toy that's proven it can stand the wrath even the toughest of chewers. My coworker's dog Rockie (the angel pictured below) normally goes through toys in a few days, and this duck has survived for four months!

AnaMaria Glavan / BuzzFeed

"My French Bulldog is extremely spoiled and gets new toys all the damn time — my sister will, I’m not kidding, raid the rows of TJ Maxx once a week for a new seasonally appropriate squeaker. There’s currently a mangled pastel purple bunny sitting in the garbage because, yep, he chewed right through it in a day… which brings me to my point! Chew toys can cost anywhere from $10 to $14 a pop and last maybe three days with minimal play. My dog sleeps for 18 hours in a 24-hour cycle so it mystifies me that he manages to go through them so quickly. But a few months ago, I found this very plain yellow duck toy on Amazon that had over 14,000 reviews with buyers claiming it could take a lot of wear and tear. I thought, my doggo deserves the best so let’s try it out.

Folks! This duck is woven with Valyrian steel! I literally purchased this on November 24, 2020 (and I’m writing this it is March 25, 2021) and it’s STILL GOING STRONG. It has not torn, ripped, there is no toy entrail fluff scattered throughout our living room.. nada. It’s still perfectly intact and Rockie generally prefers this toy over any other one in his ever-changing arsenal. It’s also perfect for his medium frame but I can see it being equally as ideal for smaller dogs because it’s lightweight, despite being on the larger side. My dog is also strange in that he prefers sleeping on this random blanket in the corner than in his bed and sometimes he’ll drag the duck with him and lay next to it and I just...my eyes fill with tears when I think about how adorable that is.

The best part is that the toy costs less than $10. Considering the quality, you’d expect it to cost *way* more considering that I haven’t had to replace it in the four months of me owning it. And again, I want to stress — my dog typically shreds through toys in less than a week, so to have one last 15x longer?! It’s pretty sweet. I also want to point out that the squeaker isn't obnoxiously loud which is pure bliss." —AnaMaria Glavan

Get it from Amazon for $7.90.

2. A tube of Stila Huge Extreme Lash Mascara for anyone who's been searching high and low for their holy grail mascara — this could be the one!

Jasmin Sandal / BuzzFeed

"I don't think I ever knew the true meaning of wide awake eyes until I armed myself with this mascara from Stila. Let's just start with the look and feel of it: it comes in a weighty gold tube — so you already know you're about to experience something special — and the applicator is curved in the center with just the right amount of product on it. Clearly from my experience, you can tell the obvious difference between the with and without — and, tbh, the 'without' has been my general M.O. during these recent times. But that has all changed thanks to this lash extension in a tube! Not only do my eyelashes appear thicker, but the length is just truly phenomenal. I feel like a brand-new, less-tired looking woman any time I apply a lick of this!

The product doesn't clump my lashes together, either, and there's no flaky leftovers come the end of the day. Just a really great formula that coats each lash. So if you're anything like me and want to do the complete bare minimum with makeup, you're going to want to have this in your beauty arsenal. It is the true definition of low effort, high *high* impact." —Jasmin Sandal

Get it from Amazon for $19.55.

3. An amazingly uncomplicated Wad-Free detangler device to keep bedsheets of any size from getting twisted, tangled, or balled-up while in the washer or dryer.

John Mihaly

To use, just attach the Wad-free to the four corners of your sheets, and wash and dry them like normal!

"I'm one of those people who actually likes doing their laundry (gross, right?) but I've also grown to really dislike dealing with my bedsheets and duvet cover. King-size sheets just don't get along with my washer/dryer; they're always bunching up and taking forever to dry. Bringing them to the laundromat became my only option, and a costly one at that in terms of both time and money.

Then one day an email popped into my inbox introducing me to Wad-Free for Bed Sheets, a detangling device that would do away with my very specific laundry woes. Equal parts excited and skeptical I was! But after my first test on both flat and fitted sheets as well as the duvet cover, I'm sold! My sheets were all evenly dried (in a reasonable amount of time) and didn't ball up causing wrinkles or the washer to start rocking all over the place.

As much I'm going to miss seeing that cute old dog who sleeps by the space-heater at the laundromat, I'm going to enjoy not having to leave my apartment or open my wallet every time I want clean sheets." —John Mihaly

Get a two-pack from Amazon for $18.99.

4. A fluffy floral handbag for storing all of your springtime essentials in one trendy, cozy, Insta-worthy place.

Allison Faccenda / BuzzFeed

“I am obsessed with this plush shoulder bag. I’ve seen a ton of these being sold at stores (i.e. Urban Outfitters) but can’t justify the steep price tag. When I saw this one on Amazon I had to have it.

It looks so cute with a ton of my outfits since I wear mostly neutrals and actually fits a ton of things. I can fit my disposable camera, two wallets, hand sanitizer, mask, with room to spare. If you want a fun pop of pattern to add to your outfits than snag one of these bags. I got a ton of compliments on it and for under $15? How can you go wrong?” —Allison Faccenda

Get it from Amazon for $13.99 (available in 27 patterns).

5. A cheery face mask with an adjustable nose bridge and ear straps so you can position just so to avoid the dreaded fogging of the glasses.

Daniel Boan / BuzzFeed

Head to the CDC's website for their current mask recommendations and best-practices. Just remember — masks are not a substitute for social distancing! You should still maintain a minimum of 6 feet of distance between you and other people when possible, and continue washing your hands and avoiding touching your face. Stay safe!

Type Of Fit: Adjustable ear loops

Pocket For Filter: Yes, and includes a PM0.1 filter

Fabric Type: Polyester treated with antimicrobial and water repellent finishes

Shipping Time: Standard shipping is 3–5 days.

"If you are a fellow glasses-wearer, you probably understand how much of a hassle it can be to find a face mask that's secure enough to prevent the dreaded glasses fog. I've tried tons of anti-fog sprays and wipes, but sometimes I just want a reliable mask I can throw on when I'm in a hurry.

I had the chance to test out a design by Enro, and it's quickly become my new favorite mask. The material is super lightweight and breathable, but not so light that it doesn't feel protective. It also has an easily adjustable nose wire and ear loops for a customized fit that's greatly reduced the amount of fog on my glasses. Plus, it doesn't hurt that the Sunset Rainbow pattern is super cute and adds a nice pop of color to my mostly black outfits. I've been searching for the perfect reusable mask for over a year now, and I think I may have finally found it with Enro!" —Daniel Boan

Get it from Enro for $16.50 (available in five sizes and four colors) and shop all of their face masks here.

6. A Layla Hybrid Mattress that has two firmness options — that's right, just flip that sucker over to test out the firm side and the soft side and decide which one suits you best. It's also made with copper-infused foam to keep you cool as a cucumber even during the summer months.

Kayla Suazo / BuzzFeed

The mattress also comes with two memory foam pillows.

"This is it, guys. This is the mattress. Yes, I know, I’m sure you’ve seen a lot of reviews about a lot of mattress companies. But the Layla, on top of being the perfect firm mattress, has so many thoughtful features that make it stand out from the rest for me. I just got their Hybrid mattress and the double-sided feature gives me the ability to sleep firm, or flip the mattress around for a softer feel. The memory foam top feels firm and cozy, but doesn’t give me that feeling like I’m sinking into my bed like quicksand. I’ve been getting some of the best sleep of my life after this thing arrived. Firm sleepers out there, it’s the *best* firm mattress I’ve ever slept on. And if I want to flip it? It has handles on the sides of the mattress to make it super easy to move with another person. Imagine that? Flipping a mattress, easy peasy.

It *also* has an easy-to-remove cover that zips on and off so cleaning it is super simple. Really, these guys thought of it all. They took all of the common mattress problems and said, let’s solve that. Just to add to the glory that is Layla, the hybrid came with two free memory foam pillows. Gotta go now, need to take a nap." —Kayla Suazo

Get it from Layla for $1099+ (originally $1299+, available in twin–California king sizes).

7. A sampler of Avec mixers so fresh and flavorful, they taste like a real life mixologist whipped them up special just for you. With hard liquor for a cocktail, nonalcoholic spirits for a mocktail, or on their own over ice, all of Avec's flavors leave ya wanting more. 10/10.

Rachel Dunkel / BuzzFeed

Avec is a Black woman-founded business specializing in making mixers, and thereby your cocktails, packed with real juice and natural botanicals. The sampler comes with three each of the flavors Jalapeño and Lime, Ginger, Hibiscus and Pomegranate, Grapefruit and Pomelo, and Yuzu and Lime.

I did not expect to be blown away by canned mixers, yet here I am! Avec's drinks taste so fresh, it's hard NOT to make that "ahhhh" sound you do after you have a tasty beverage after every single sip. Their flavors are classic, but all have a fun, modern twist. For example, I expected their "Ginger" flavor to remind me of normal ginger beer, but inspired by Jamaican Ginger Beer, they combined ginger with pineapple juice, lime, and all-spice to make a perfect drink that blows run of the mill, sickly sweet, bottled ginger beer out of the water.

I tried The Sampler and loved every single flavor. Avec is lightly carbonated, lightly sweet, and every flavor truly tastes so thoughtful. I actually don't drink anymore, but I consider myself a non-alcoholic cocktail connoisseur, and combining Avec with my favorite NA spirits like Monday gin, Ritual tequila, or any Lyre's flavor has never NOT been a home run. I haven't always been alcohol-free though, so I can also confidently say these would make equally incredible mixers for actual spirits. If you're looking to up your at-home cocktail game without busting out the juicer and making a ton of extra work for yourself, Avec is for you.

Get The Sampler pack from Avec for $45.

8. Some Hero Cosmetics pimple patches — the cult-fave sebum-suckers that start draining your whiteheads of goo as soon as you stick 'em on.

amazon.com

"These are hands down the best pimple patches I’ve ever used. Why? Because they actually work. I’ve tried some more cutesy patches that were great for Instagram photos but did nothing to shrink my breakouts. And the pimple patches that touted themselves as basically invisible were — but so were any results. While the Hero Cosmetics pimple patches are a little more visible (but really only noticeable if someone were standing really close to my face), the results are clear to see. (And JSYK, they also make an invisible version but I have not tried it.)

IMO they work best on whiteheads, drawing out the pus and preventing me from picking. Once all the fluids are drained (yum!), I plop a patch on what was once home to a very angry whitehead and replace it twice a day (once in the morning and once at night). In my experience, that has been the best treatment for preventing really noticeable hyperpigmentation and acne scarring, which my skin is really prone to after breakouts.

I also really love the packaging. The patches come on a perforated sheet so you can easily remove the stickers as needed. With other patches, I’ve struggled to peel off the stickers and inadvertently crumpled them up, which is really annoying because then they’re basically unusable. Thankfully that’s never been a problem with these." —Melanie Aman

Get a 72–pack from Amazon for $21.99.

9. A pack of organic Reese's Cups for anyone who wants to eat their favorite chocolate treat with their pinky elegantly out. Dark chocolate + organic PB = bliss.

Heather Braga / BuzzFeed

"I'm a long-time fan of Reese's, but admittedly as I started to get a little older and my palate became a touch more 'refined' (not that refined, I still live mainly off of pizza and Kraft mac 'n' cheese) I started shifting towards higher end PB cups. However, Reese's recently came out with an organic version of their traditional peanut butter cup and I must say it is freakin' fantastic. The dark chocolate with the smoother (dare I say, more delicious???) peanut butter is an absolute game changer. They are *chef's kiss* perfection." —Heather Braga

Get a 12-pack from Amazon for $20.90.

10. A pair of recycled fleece sweatpants from Richer Poorer to stay cozy and look ~cool~. Temperatures may be warming up some, but don't be fooled into thinking it's magically going to be scorching outside just because the sun stays out later. I literally forget every year that spring is str8 up cold sometimes and you need a wardrobe to match.

Melanie Aman / BuzzFeed

"It’s taken me a really long time to finally write a review because these pants are so dang comfy that I’ve just been snuggled in them under a blanket and in my bed for the last month and a half. But seriously, these sweats are a dream. The soft fleece lining is ultra warm; I ventured outside when the temps were in the high 30s and my legs were plenty warm with no long johns underneath the sweats. I’m also a big fan of the fit, which is tapered enough so that I don’t feel like my clothes are consuming me. Even more important, it prevents the dreaded diaper butt that can happen with some sweats that stretch over time. My only complaint is that the sizing is a bit tricky. I consulted the sizing chart and went for the size that matched my natural waist and the length is a little short for my liking. (They hit a little higher on the ankle than I would like; for reference, I’m 5’5”.) Because of that, I would recommend sizing up unless you’re into the bare ankle look!" —Melanie Aman

Get them from Richer Poorer for $72 (available in sizes XS–XL and 11 colors).

11. Some organic, gluten-free pizza bites so you can take your love of these precious little pockets of lava to the next level with organic veggies and grass-fed mozzarella.

Jonathan Mazzei / BuzzFeed

"First of all, let me start by saying my pizza standards are HIGH from growing up in an Italian family who is serious about their ‘za, and right off the bat, these tasted more like the kind of pizza I love than any other pizza pockets I’ve ever had. They’re made with 100% organic ingredients, and you won’t find any scary, hard-to-pronounce chemicals here. But that doesn’t make them taste any less indulgent! The grain-free dough is super flavorful, and gets perfectly crispy on the outside while remaining nice and soft on the inside. And the inside?? It’s truly delicious! The tomato sauce is seasoned perfectly and packs a really nice tangy and garlicky oregano punch without being overly salty like some other frozen foods tend to be. And the CHEESE. Grass-fed mozzarella? Yes plz! The list of ingredients is packed with nutritious veggies, but don’t tell your kids that, and they’ll never know! These pizza pockets are bursting with flavor and will def be my go-to from now on when I’m looking for an easy, tasty snack. 
Making them couldn’t have been simpler, and putting these in the oven for about eight to nine minutes worked out perfectly for me. I’m definitely guilty of sometimes relying on frozen food more often than I should, but eating these makes me feel way less bad about that habit than other overly-processed options, and I look forward to seeing (and devouring) whichever frozen food Snow Days decides to tackle next!" —Jonathan Mazzei

Get a two packs of 20 pizza bites from Snow Days for $34.99.

12. A card from Cute Root that — get this — can be planted and grow into wildflowers! After enjoying your message, the card receiver can soak the card, plant it in soil, place it in the sun, and be amazed as it grows! A happy little greeting, indeed.

Anna Kopsky / BuzzFeed

"Last month my best friend sent me the most adorable birthday card, and when I received it she excitedly instructed me to scan the QR code on the back 'for a surprise.' This was when I learned that not only did she send me a card, but she sent me a card that I could plant and grow into my very own wildflower bouquet (!!!). I'm obsessed with plants but have a hard time keeping the ones I buy alive, so I was psyched to grow my very own and challenge myself to follow every step correctly and carefully. It's been a few weeks and I have the cutest sprouts poking through the soil in my windowsill flower pot. I'm anxious to watch these grow even more so it'll finally feel like springtime in my little apartment!" —Anna Kopsky

Get the "Sarcastic Cat" card above for $7.99 and shop all of their cards here.

13. A wood platform bed frame with a plush linen headboard that's a serious upgrade from the rickety metal frame you've been rocking for a while. If you're looking to spend a bit to instantly upgrade your room's aesthetic, this no-tools-required assembly walnut frame is an excellent pick.

Christine Forbes / BuzzFeed

The frame has 9 inches of clearance so you can store things under it and features rounded edges so you don't bump your shins (too hard, at least)!

"I recently tried a no-tool assembly Thuma Bed to see whether it was really that easy to put together. Short story short: I assembled this bed alone in just 20 minutes. It's stunning and I love that it's made of real wood rather than particleboard. The price is worth it, especially if you move every few years. My IKEA bed frame was never quite the same after it was reassembled. Taking it apart was a nightmare too. On the other hand, the Thuma bed has joints that fit perfectly into each other, so I won't damage it while trying to take it apart when I move. Although there are only like two screws, it hasn't budged. As a young woman living through a pandemic, relying on men and expensive TaskRabbits to assemble my furniture ain't it. With this high-quality bed, I'm able to be more self-sufficient. It's costly, but the bed maintains its value due to the brilliant design. Plus, Thuma has Affirm to lessen the initial financial blow. Highly recommend!' —Christine Forbes

Get it from Thuma for $695+ (available in twin–California king sizes and two headboard colors).

14. Yotta — a financial app that rewards you for saving money by giving you a "lottery ticket" for every $25 you put away. Drawings for winners happen weekly and if you don't win, no worries! You aren't penalized and have built your savings!

Megan Liscomb / Via Yotta

Check out the official sweepstakes rules for more detailed info on all the prizes you can win, eligibility, and more!

"Okay, saving money isn't exactly fun or glamorous, but it's sooo necessary and this app actually makes me look forward to adding to my savings. It's called Yotta, and I learned about it from a BuzzFeed commenter on one of our personal finance posts (TYSM fahneek!!). For every $25 you deposit, you get a ticket, and a new number is drawn every night at 9 p.m. ET. The more numbers you match, the more money you can win — and did I mention that there's a jackpot of $10 million and no fees? Plus you can also win smaller chunks of cash, or even a Tesla, just for making deposits to an FDIC-insured savings account. And you still get a guaranteed interest rate on your savings of 0.2%

On the surface, it sounds a little too good to be true, so I tested it out with just $25 and won a 32% return, thanks to the 100 bonus tickets I got for signing up. After transferring the rest of my emergency fund over, my return has dipped to 1%, which sounds small until you learn that the average interest rate on a savings account in the US is a measly 0.04% and most high-interest savings accounts tap out at around 0.5%. I've never been much of a gambler because I HATE losing money, but Yotta has me hooked. I really look forward to checking my numbers every night, and I get excited to deposit funds and get more tickets. Plus, you can get extra tickets for referring friends and pool tickets to increase all of your chances of winning.

It does have some limits — for example, you can only connect Yotta to one funding account at a time, and it only works with US-based accounts. Additionally, if you need to transfer funds back to your checking, it can take a couple of days for the money to arrive. But if you're looking for something that will help you save more for a rainy day, and maybe even enjoy doing it, it can't hurt to give Yotta a try." —Megan Liscomb

Download Yotta for free from the Apple App Store or Google Play.

15. A flexible, easy-to-assemble Noho office chair for anyone who needs a comfy WFH seat but abhors the look of a rolling chair. This splurge-worthy perch has been keeping me much more comfortable at my desk and sewing table while actively making my house look cooler — win win!

Rachel Dunkel / BuzzFeed

In my house, we have 50 billion chairs and inexplicably none of them is comfortable — then the Noho arrived. The magic of this chair lies in its movement. It flexes forward and backward with your natural motions, not in the somewhat mechanical way a regular office chair does. But even though it's flexible, it still feels super supportive and stable. It's bucket seat comfortably cradles your bum, and the topper provides just enough cushion for all-day comfort.

It was delivered in a chair-shaped box, which really tickled me, and was extremely easy to assemble. You just snap the legs onto the body by matching corresponding stickers and slip the cover over the top, snapping it into the chair's textured body (a few of the legs took a little coaxing, but it was overall very simple and it was great that there were no tools required). The Noho is sturdy but light and is made almost entirely from recycled plastic. It's easy to move from room to room, which is perfect for me seeing as it's my favorite chair. I went with a black chair and a brown cover but there's a nice selection of fun colors to choose from. I love the look of it — modern and minimalistic, but not obnoxiously so.

It's definitely a splurge, but it's hard to overstate how well-designed this piece of furniture is. Well worth it if you have the budget, are in need of a multifunctional chair, and you dig the aesthetic.

Get the chair from Noho for $375 (available in two colors) and add a wool topper for $145 (available in five colors).

16. A tie-dye face mask so you can still be stylin' while keeping yourself and other safe. It's about time you invested in a mask you really love.

Heather Braga / BuzzFeed

Once again for reference, here's the CDC's current face mask guidelines!

Type Of Fit: Ear loops

Pocket For Filter: No

Fabric Type: Cotton

Shipping Time: Orders ship in 2–4 business days.

"As a diehard Real Housewives of New York fan, when Ally Shapiro and Jill Zarin offered to send me a sampling of their face masks, I was thrilled. However, I was even more excited when I actually put this mask on for the first time. Masks by Jilly & Ally are super soft...like actually cloud-like. I wore mine for a full day while moving into my new home and honestly forgot I had it on — it was that comfortable. They oddly smelled incredible right out of the packaging (can't explain why but...delightful) and come in so many fun colors. It's odd to be at a point in my life where I'm truly excited by pastel and neutral-colored face masks, but here we are. I immediately shared the masks with my family and friends — everyone is a fan! In addition to being an all-around fabulous product, for each mask that is purchased Jill & Ally donate a mask to healthcare providers and essential workers on the front lines across the country." —Heather Braga

Get the tie-dye mask from Jill Zarin Home for $25 (available in eight colors and two- or three-ply versions) and shop all of their mask styles here.