Why Trader Joe’s Beauty Aisle Is Irresistibly Good for Our Skin
Written by Larell Scardelli for Heathline
Can we all just agree that Trader Joe’s gets us? They provide us with the yummiest frozen snacks, bomb produce, beautiful flowers, and fancy cheese we can actually afford. Not to mention friendly service (free coffee!) and delicious samples while we cart around. So why is it a surprise they have our skin health in mind too?
Trader Joe’s has been using pure essential oils and gentle ingredients since day one, and their products are (mostly) formulated for the gentlest of washes. They’ve even remove parabens and sulfate lauryl — chemicals known to mess with your body’s natural hormones.
That’s right, between the protein bars and vitamins, there’s a modest but luxurious beauty aisle with lush lavender hand soap, pure oils for glowing skin, and shampoos that’ll make your hair flounce effortlessly in the wind. Okay, okay — we’re being a tad dramatic, but the TJ’s supply for all-natural beauty is real.
Here are beauty staples I recommend considering when visiting TJ’s, and an insider’s tip on what’s coming soon.
1. Tea Tree Tingle Body Wash, Shampoo, and Conditioner
Trying to wake up before work on a Monday morning? It’d be easier if you had a product that tingled your scalp and alerted your body with an awakening mix of peppermint, eucalyptus, and tea tree oil. Trader Joe’s Tea Tree Tingle line contains no laurel or laureate sulfates. But it does have all the vegan juiciness of luxurious antimicrobial essential oils that zing your body and mind awake.
Star ingredient(s): invigorating peppermint, eucalyptus, and tea tree oil
Cost: $3.99 each, available at your local Trader Joe’s
2. Lavender Salt Scrub
Not sure if you’ve heard, but the big secret to soft skin is exfoliating. Removing dead skin cells gets rid of flaked or dull-looking skin and promotes new healthy growth — a huge bonus for peeling sunburned or flaky winter skin. Salt scrubs, like Trader Joe’s, are especially stimulating and enhance circulation, giving skin a luminous glow. Just don’t go full-on Beyoncé in the shower (and scrub gently as well as sparingly to protect your skin barrier) because this can get a little slippery.
Star ingredient(s): moisturizing sweet almond oil, apricot kernel oil, antioxidizing green tea leaf extract, and soothing lavender oil
Cost: $5.99, available at your local Trader Joe’s
3. Moisturizing Shave Cream in Honey Mango
We know it’s different than lathering up but hear us out. Trader Joe’s genius shaving creamworks to soften the hair before shaving, making your experience pain-free — we all know that sudden feeling of omg ouch! It’s made for sensitive skin like bikini lines, and of course, it’s free of parabens and smells like a tropical hug.
Star ingredient(s): soothing aloe vera and vitamin E
Cost: $3.99, available at your local Trader Joe’s
4. Spa 100% Pure Jojoba Oil
Trader Joe’s 100 percent pure jojoba oil is cold-pressed, cruelty-free, and basically skin care magic. It’s one of those products that will make your winter self-care routine a little easier because you can use it as a moisturizer on your hair, face, skin, and nails. See, jojoba is purported to be one of the closest matches to our body’s natural oil, which means it quickly absorbs, doesn’t leave an oily residue, or promote breakouts. You can even personalize your routine by adding a drop or two of your favorite essential oil.
Star ingredient(s): skin-balancing jojoba oil
Cost: $7.99, available at your local Trader Joe’s
5. Spa Natural Facial Cleansing Pads with Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree oil could be the answer to all your acne problems and Trader Joe’s knows it. That’s why they’ve made soothing, easy-to-use cleaning pads with the skin-calming essential oil. They even added witch hazel, a mild astringent that contains natural oils, and calendula, a powerful anti-inflammatory. So not only are you cleansing, you’re reducing inflammation and evening your skin tone.
Star ingredient(s): acne-fighting tea tree oil, cleansing witch hazel, and calming calendula
Cost: $3.99 each, available at your local Trader Joe’s
6. Enrich Moisturizing Face Lotion
Someone in TJ’s beauty department just gets it. This lotion is free of fragrance and PABA — culprits that mess with sensitive skin. It’s also SPF 15, which is key for keeping skin wrinkle-free in the long term. (Don’t forget, even though we’re not lying out in bikinis, the sun is still shining down strong.) When applied, TJ’s face lotion is nongreasy and absorbs quickly. It just checks all the boxes for us.
Star ingredient(s): skin-loving vitamin A, C, and E
Cost: $3.99, available at your local Trader Joe’s
7. Vitamin Oil E
Potent vitamin E does a few miraculous things for skin. First, it’s a powerful antioxidantTrusted Source, which means it works to reduce the wrinkling effects of free radicals. It also helps diminish the appearance of scars and stretch marks by keeping skin moisturized. In fact, it’s such a deep moisturizer, it may help heal skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, and dandruff. The TJ’s version comes with the added bonus of coconut and soybean oil — both of which add to the oh-so-softness of this must-have moisturizer.
Star ingredient(s): healingvitamin E
Cost: $3.99, available at your local Trader Joe’s
8. Nourish All-in-One Facial Cleanser
Need the perfect solution for keeping your face bright and clean? TJ’s has just the thing. Without harsh ingredients that will leave your skin dry and stiff, this cleanser is rich in skin-nourishing vitamins and antioxidants that help clear breakouts and even oil production. It’s a solid facial cleanser that you can rely on every day.
Star ingredient(s): skin-loving vitaminsA, C, and E
Cost: $5.99, available at your local Trader Joe’s
9. Next to Godliness Micellar Cleanser and Makeup Remover Towelettes
Face still shining after letting your inner fitness goddess shine during your lunch workout? Take our favorite solution, this gym bag staple from TJ’s, with you. Their gentle cleaning wipes use fancy molecular technology that picks up dirt and makeup without drying your skin out. They’re free of aggressive alcohol, colorants, parabens, and allergens, too.
Star ingredient(s): high-tech, moisturizing micellar water
Cost: $3.99, available at your local Trader Joe’s
10. Blueberry Acai Facial Scrub
Trader Joe’s caught onto the whole ‘berries on your skin’ trend fast, and we couldn’t be more pleased with their pretty frosted jar of facial scrub. Made from U.S.-grown blueberries, this gentle scrub is full of powerful FDA-approved alpha hydroxy acidsTrusted Source (AHAs). Using this beauty two to three times a week will have you looking berry, berry good.
Star ingredient(s): exfoliating AHAs and antioxidant blueberries
Cost: $5.99, available at your local Trader Joe’s
11. Nourish Spray SPF 50
Trader Joe’s SPF 50 sunscreen is top-of-the-line UVA and UVB protection with nourishing ingredients. And —as if it could get better — the spray technology doesn’t use harsh chemicals like other brands. Instead, it’s powered by air pressure. Just lock the top, throw it in your purse, and head out into the sun. It’s not available all the time, usually only in the summer, so keep an eye out for this sunscreen magic on shelves come late spring.
Star ingredient(s): soothing aloe and healing vitamin E
Cost: $5.99, available at your local Trader Joe’s
If You’re Not Too Overwhelmed with All the Juicy Beauty News, Listen Up:
And this part is truly an insider’s secret: TJ’s also carries seasonal beauty products. Last December, there was a lip scrub our editors wish they had stocked up on and a hyaluronic gel that’s flown under everyone’s radar. This spring, they just launched a soothing rosewater face toner and a lemongrass body oil to line their beauty shelves.
If these new products are anything like the gems that live in Trader Joe’s beauty aisle now, we feel truly blessed to expand our self-care routine with their natural products. So mark your calendars, ask the friendly workers when they’re coming in, and stock up! We certainly will be.
Larell Scardelli is a freelance wellness writer, florist, skin care blogger, magazine editor, cat lover, and dark chocolate aficionado. She has her RYT-200, studies energy medicine, and loves a good garage sale. Her writing covers everything from indoor gardening to natural beauty remedies and has appeared in Bust, Women’s Health, Prevention, Yoga International, andRodale’s Organic Life. Catch her silly adventures on Instagram or read more of her work on her website.
