Trader Joe’s is famous for its low-cost products, and beauty fans have gone crazy for its cheap knockoffs of popular, expensive products.
But how do you know which are the best buys that actually work?
San Diego, California-based medicinal chemist Sarah Babula broke down her favorite products for her 54,000 TikTok followers, and many commenters weighed in on their go-to purchases that are dupes of skincare products from brands like Drunk Elephant, Crème de la Mer, Supergoop and more.
The viral video quickly received over 240,000 views, with Sarah declaring in the caption: “We love affordable skincare” and her followers agreed.
“I’m a chemist and these are some of the super affordable skincare products from Trader Joe’s that I would recommend to people,” the scientist explained.
San Diego, California-based pharmaceutical chemist Sarah Babula broke down her favorite products for her 54,000 TikTok followers.
Commenters were quick to share their favorite Trader Joe’s knockoffs for pricey Sephora products.
Sarah said the grocery chain’s antioxidant facial serum is her favorite facial serum and it’s only $10.
The serum includes retinol, as well as green tea and vitamin K1, essential for bone formation, vitamin D3, which protects against ultraviolet light, vitamin E, which keeps skin soft, and vitamin B5, which reduces signs of aging.
The oil-free moisturizer has similar ingredients and is a lightweight option.
Sarah is also a swear by the “super lightweight yet still very hydrating” Ultra Hydrating Gel Moisturizer, $9, which is infused with humectants and contains aloe and green tea extract.
“Drunk Elephant will charge you a lot for this oil, but you can get it here for like $7, it’s not that expensive,” she said of the Marula oil, which costs $69 at Sephora.
“If you want an oil that absorbs very easily but isn’t too thick,” the chemist recommends argan oil.
Sarah also suggests the $3 Biocellulose Hydrating Face Mask, made with green tea, turmeric, pomegranate and aloe, and says that while face masks are fun, you don’t need to spend a lot of money on them.
The Vanilla Lip Mask for $6 is another one of my favorite products, as “you should never have to spend a lot of money on a lip mask,” because “Aquaphor works well” and it contains oils and antioxidants.
Commenters offered their own similar products, with one person saying, “That gel moisturizer has the same ingredients as La Mer,” which can sell for up to $390.
“Drunk Elephant will charge you a lot for this oil, but you can get it here for like $7, it’s not that expensive,” she said of the Marula oil, which costs $69 at Sephora.
The $6 Vanilla Lip Mask is another favorite—it’s similar to the wildly popular $24 Laneige Sleeping Mask, which celebrities like Alix Earle and Sydney Sweeney love, but at a lower price point.
Daily facial sunscreen is another suggestion, which one commenter compared to the $40 Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen.
The vanilla lip mask is similar to the wildly popular $24 Laneige sleeping mask, loved by celebrities like Alix Earle and Sydney Sweeney, but at a lower price point.
Daily facial sunscreen is another suggestion from the chemist, which one commenter compared to the $40 Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen.
Sarah isn’t the only one who thinks Marula oil works wonders.
“I used to work at a Sephora next to a Trader Joe’s and I would always tell people to buy the Marula oil at TJs when they asked me about Drunk Elephant,” one commenter proclaimed, citing the $69 product that teens are obsessed with.
And the moisturizing gel turned out to be a hit with fans.
Others offered their own products, with one person saying: “That gel moisturizer has the same ingredients as La Mer,” which can sell for up to $390 and is one of the most expensive beauty products in the world.
