I’m a beauty expert, I tested Trader Joe’s viral skincare products… here’s how the cheaper ‘dupes’ compared

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When most people think of Trader Joe’s, they think of their delicious and viral foods, like the chicken soup dumplings that broke the internet, the ever-popular cauliflower gnocchi or even the creamy, nuttiness of the Unexpected Cheddar Cheese. 

But over the past few years, shoppers have descended to the store for more than just food. 

The retail giant has quietly been adding to their beauty and skincare product lines, building up their collection to rival that of high-end brands. 

They’ve introduced everything from moisturizing hand cream to Brazil nut body butter to lip masks, all for super affordable prices. 

And some of them are so good that they’ve drawn comparisons to pricey products sold at Sephora. 

On social media, there have been tons of comparisons of Trader Joe’s beauty products to these luxury items, labeling many of them as cheaper ‘dupes.’ 

With such a large difference in price, it really does raise the question – does Trader Joe’s really have the better beauty products, or are name-brands still at the top? 

As a beauty writer for Daily Mail’s Lifestyle team, I’ve put it to the test and tried them all. Here, we reveal whether or not the Trader Joe’s products live up to the hype as compared to luxury brands – and which ones come out on top. 

Trader Joe’s $6.99 Vitamin C Firming Body Butter versus Sol de Janeiro’s $48 Brazilian Bum Bum Cream

Over the past few years, Sol de Janeiro’s $48 Brazilian Bum Bum Cream has totally taken over the internet, as beauty fanatics have raved about it for nearly a decade now.

I’ve always been a fan of Sol de Janeiro’s Brazilian Bum Bum Cream because I think it’s one of the few body creams on the market that actually does what it says it’s going to, which is make the skin feel tight and firm.

However, Trader Joe’s has a similar product – the $6.99 Vitamin C Firming Body Butter. 

But spoiler alert: while Sol de Janeiro is pricier, it’s definitely the better buy over the Trader Joe’s cream. 

They both contain Vitamin C, but Trader Joe’s focuses on it more as the main seller.  But I felt like the Vitamin C cream sat on top of my skin instead of soaking into it like it’s supposed to. 

The smell also really bothered me. Trader Joe’s Vitamin C Firming Body Butter smelled like very strong, artificial sherbet, whereas the Sol de Janeiro cream smells natural, like sweet pistachio, vanilla and almond.

I’ve always found that the Bum Bum Cream melts seamlessly into the skin and leaves it feeling firm and soft. 

In addition, the Bum Bum Cream is much silkier, whereas Trader Joe’s Vitamin C Firming Body Butter is thick and doesn’t blend in well.   

If you’re looking for a hydrating moisturizer that is truly the real deal, Sol de Janeiro’s Bum Bum Cream is definitely worth the price and better value over Trader Joe’s cheaper option. 

Trader Joe’s $5.99 Vanilla Lip Mask versus the $24 Laneige Vanilla Lip Sleeping Mask

One of the most viral products on the market right now is the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask, which is sold at Sephora with a hefty price tag of $24.

Unfortunately, after trying the $5.99 Trader Joe’s dupe, that $24 might actually be worth it.

While both of the formulas are quite thin and light, Laneige’s lip mask feels a lot more hydrating and sinks into the lips quite effortlessly, unlike the Trader Joe’s one, which felt like it just sat on my skin.

My lips felt significantly more hydrated after using the Laneige mask a few times versus the one from Trader Joe’s, which I felt made little of a difference. 

Interestingly enough, the two products share many of the same ingredients, including shea butter and coconut oil, but the key difference is that the Laneige product has the addition of berry fruit complex and Vitamin C.

Vitamin C helps to nourish and protect the skin barrier, something that seems to really set the Laneige mask apart.

Something that also stood out when comparing these two lip products was their smell. 

I noticed that the Trader Joe’s mask has a faint smell of plastic, and is reminiscent of a vanilla shampoo, while the Laneige mask smells like a delicious bowl of vanilla pudding.

If you’re looking for an option that’s actually worth the money, I would recommend the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask, just due to the fact that it’s more hydrating.

Trader Joe’s $6.99 Marula Oil Cream Cleanser versus Drunk Elephant’s $36 Mello Marula Cream Cleanser

Online, the Trader Joe’s $6.99 Marula Oil Cream Cleanser has been endlessly compared to its pricier counterpart, the $36 Mello Marula Cream Cleanser by Drunk Elephant.

And, after putting both to the test, I think that you can save your money on Drunk Elephant, and pick up the Trader Joe’s version instead.

Both cleansers use marula oil, an oil that is rich in fatty acids and is meant to be extremely hydrating for the skin. They also both include one percent colloidal oatmeal, which is a good soothing agent. 

I tried out the Drunk Elephant cleanser first, which came out quite thick. It didn’t have too much of a lather, and the scent, a faint vanilla, wasn’t too overpowering.

The cleanser was good, and left my skin feeling pretty soft, but it wasn’t anything to write home about, especially for $36.

That night, I tried out the Trader Joe’s Marula Oil Cream Cleanser, which I found to have a similar, rich consistency as the Drunk Elephant one.

Like the Drunk Elephant cleanser, the one made by Trader Joe’s had a low lather, but my skin felt slightly softer after using the Trader Joe’s cleanser. 

For someone who has sensitive skin, I really liked that it felt incredibly gentle.

If you’re in the market for a marula oil cleanser, I would definitely go with the Trader Joe’s product here, just due to the price. Both cleansers felt quite similar on the skin, and contain very similar, if not many of the same, ingredients.   

Trader Joe’s $3.99 Rose Water Facial Toner versus Mario Badescu’s $14 Rose Water Spray

The Mario Badescu Rose Water Spray, which retails for $14, has always been a fan-favorite, and a product that I’ve personally used for over ten years.

I’ve always liked the Mario Badescu spray because I feel like it always calms down my sensitive skin, and is very soothing.  

But when I tried the Trader Joe’s Rose Water Facial Toner, which costs only $3.99, I was actually quite surprised.

I felt like the two products were extremely similar, both leaving my face feeling refreshed, dewy and glowing.

Plus, I found that both of these sprays were quite hydrating, which is another added bonus.

When it comes to these two, I would definitely choose the Trader Joe’s Rose Water Facial Toner over the one by Mario Badescu, simply for the price alone.

Trader Joe’s Rose Water Facial Toner is significantly cheaper, and is overall just a better bang for your buck. 

Trader Joe’s $12.99 Mineral Sunscreen versus Supergoop! $38 Unseen Sunscreen

I have been using Supergoop! for years, and have always loved it for its lightweight feel and easy-to-blend formula – but the Trader Joe’s Mineral Sunscreen might just be giving the pricey brand a run for their money.

Summer after summer, I’ve bought tube after tube of the $38 Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen. I have always loved the silky formula and its high SPF content.

But sometimes, the price on Supergoop! can feel a little out of hand, so I was pleasantly surprised when I tried the $12.99 Mineral Sunscreen from Trader Joe’s.

I found that the two formulas were extremely similar, and they both have SPF 40.

Both sunscreens were very light and easy to blend in, and sunk into the skin seamlessly. I did feel like the Trader Joe’s sunscreen was slightly thicker, but even so, it dissolved easily.

For the sheer lower price, I would actually go with the Trader Joe’s sunscreen here. And, with both of these products containing the same amount of SPF coverage, it’s not too much of a competition.

Trader Joe’s $4.99 Ultra Moisturizing Hand Cream versus L’Occitane’s $34 Nourishing and Protective Shea Butter Hand Cream 

The $34 L’Occitane Nourishing and Protective Shea Butter Hand Cream is considered a beauty classic by many – and after testing it against Trader Joe’s’ Ultra Moisturizing Hand Cream, it’s clear why it has such a following.

Similar to their lip mask, I felt like the Trader Joe’s $4.99 hand cream was sitting on top of the skin rather than absorbing into it.

The Trader Joe’s hand cream also seemed to leave a thin, greasy film over my hands for hours. 

While I felt like the L’Occitane cream had a bit of a strong scent to it – almost like you had covered yourself in baby powder – the actual product was a lot better than the Trader Joe’s dupe.

The cream melted right into my hands, and left them feeling soft and hydrated all day. So if you’re an avid hand cream fanatic, this is definitely the one to reach for.  

However, it’s important to note that the L’Occitane is a lot more expensive, so if you’re not a big fan of hand cream in general, and won’t reach for it often, the Trader Joe’s cream might be the more economical option.  

Trader Joe’s $6.99 Watermelon Overnight Face Mask versus Glow Recipe’s $40 Watermelon Glow AHA Night Treatment 

Glow Recipe has been a favorite amongst beauty fanatics for years, and I’m definitely a fan of the company. 

I’ve been using their Watermelon Glow AHA Night Treatment on and off for the past few years, which retails for $40, and have always loved how it’s felt on my skin.

It’s very cooling and makes your skin feel plump and supple the next morning. The Glow Recipe mask is also very hydrating, and absorbs into the skin almost immediately. 

When I picked up the $6.99 Trader Joe’s Watermelon Face Mask, I was really excited, hoping that it could be a cheaper option, but I was quite disappointed.

Upon my first impression, I felt like the Trader Joe’s mask was a bit sticky and tacky, whereas Glow Recipe’s feels very smooth and jelly-like.

The Trader Joe’s mask also didn’t sink into my skin easily, and it had a very strong, artificial watermelon smell.

When I woke up the next morning after using the Trader Joe’s product, my skin did feel soft, but I do think that the one from Glow Recipe is the better buy.

Glow Recipe leaves your skin glowing and supple, whereas the Trader Joe’s one was a bit lackluster.