Trader Joe’s crowned the new Sephora — here are…
Move over, make-up counters — New Yorkers are now grabbing glow-ups next to the frozen dumplings.
Bargain-loving magnificence followers are jokingly dubbing Trader Joe’s “the new Sephora,” claiming the cult-favorite grocery store is quietly serving up skincare and haircare dupes that rival luxurious manufacturers — at costs that gained’t torch your pockets.
From $5 lip masks to under-$7 face oils, TJ’s magnificence aisle is changing into a finances magnificence playground for Gen Z and millennials who need high-end outcomes without high-end receipts.
New Yorkers are questioning: Who wants Sephora when Trader Joe’s is serving luxurious dupes by the freezer aisle? From $5 lip masks to discount magnificence steals, NYC is glowing up on a grocery finances. Emmy Park for NY Post
Bold magnificence creators are scooping up sizable financial savings with gadgets like Trader Joe’s $5.99 vanilla lip masks — calling it a near-perfect dupe for a cult-fave by Laneige that sells for a whopping $24 at Sephora.
Same shiny hydration. Same comfortable lips. One prices less than your morning latte. The verdict: Why pay luxurious costs when the grocery store’s bought you coated?
Another viral favourite: Trader Joe’s $4.99 ultra-moisturizing hand cream — going through off with a comparatively luxe $34 product from L’Occitane.
Fans rave that it delivers the same wealthy hydration without the rich-girl price tag. In other phrases: comfortable fingers, arduous financial savings.
The frugal development takes maintain as Trader Joe’s just dethroned Publix as the nation’s “favorite supermarket,” scoring a top-of-the-charts 86 factors — up two factors from last 12 months — in a new survey.
Publix, which snagged the crown in 2025, couldn’t maintain onto its reign based on suggestions from more than 30,000 consumers nationwide, according to the latest rankings from the American Customer Satisfaction Index.
From discount bin to magnificence battle — Trader Joe’s $4.99 hand cream (above) is taking on L’Occitane’s $34 splurge cream from Sephora. Emmy Park for NY Post
Founded in Monrovia, California, in 1967, Trader Joe’s has constructed its top standing on wallet-friendly costs, cheerful crew members, and immediately recognizable branded tote luggage — now boasting more than 600 shops across 43 states and a fanbase that treats grocery runs like a lifestyle.
But frozen orange chicken isn’t the only craze fueling Trader Joe’s obsessions.
Beauty lovers are now storming the aisles prefer it’s a skincare gold rush — flipping bottles, scanning ingredients, and crowning grocery-store glow-ups as luxurious dupes in disguise.
And the discount glow doesn’t stop at lip masks.
TJ’s $5.99 leave-in conditioner is being hailed as a finances stand-in for the $32 cult traditional from Ouai — while the West Coast-based grocer’s $5.99 hair oil is getting stacked up against the $30 model from Olaplex. Smooth strands. Shiny end. Grocery-store checkout complete.
From $5.99 hair heroes (like TJ’s in style hair oil above) to luxurious lookalikes from Ouai and Olaplex, clean strands now come with grocery-store costs. Emmy Park for NY Post
Perhaps the boldest dupe declare of all: Trader Joe’s $6.99 100% marula facial seed oil versus the $72 model from skincare darling Drunk Elephant.
Same hero ingredient. Same glow potential. One prices about the same as a bag of tortilla chips.
Other magnificence creators are even swapping Trader Joe’s $5.99 supreme hydrating eye cream for the cult-fave $40 model from Kiehl’s — claiming it tackles darkish circles and dryness just as effectively for a fraction of the price.
And TJ’s glow-up doesn’t stop there. The grocery chain’s $8.99 hyaluronic moisture increase serum is being hyped as an equal — if not better — various to the buzzy $17.50 model from The Ordinary bought at Sephora.
Across the web, skincare and haircare fanatics insist their visages and manes really feel just as clean, hydrated and glowy, but their wallets are respiratory a entire lot simpler. Luxury look — bargain-bin invoice.
The dupe drama continues, with consumers dumping Kiehl’s $40 eye cream for Trader Joe’s “super-hydrating” $5.99 discount buy (above), claiming it really works just as effectively on darkish circles and dry pores and skin. Emmy Park for NY Post
Social media customers say their pores and skin can’t inform the distinction — but their bank accounts undoubtedly can.
However, according to Midtown East-based, board-certified dermatologist Dr. Brendan Camp, MD, while some of those viral comparisons aren’t completely off-base, they’re not always a one-to-one swap.
“From an ingredient standpoint, some Trader Joe’s viral beauty products do include similar key actives found in high-end Sephora products, like hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, ceramides or simple botanical extracts,” Camp told The Post.
“But ingredient similarity on a label does not always translate to equivalent performance.”
Camp explained that while many budget-friendly merchandise can deal with on a regular basis fundamentals like mild cleaning and hydration, higher-end formulation — like those discovered at Sephora, Ulta Beauty, Macy’s and more — often use stronger concentrations and more superior formulations to better sort out focused issues like pimples, getting older, discoloration and sensitivity.
TJ’s $5.99 lip masks, seen here, is being hailed as a near-perfect dupe for Laneige’s $24 bestseller — luxurious lips without the luxurious invoice. Emmy Park for NY Post
The Big Apple derm also warned that some cheaper dupes could include fragrances, preservatives or pH ranges that can irritate delicate or acne-prone pores and skin — making patch testing a must before slathering on a new viral discover.
Still, Camp says not all of the Trader Joe’s magnificence buzz is just social media smoke and mirrors.
“There are definitely Trader Joe’s products that are solid, affordable options for basic skincare steps like moisturizing or sun protection, and those can be smart savings for everyday use,” he said, pointing to the grocer’s mineral sunscreens and water-based moisturizers (often used as dupes for comparable Supergoop! and Clinique merchandise discovered at Sephora).
Ultimately, Camp confused, “The notion that every viral Trader Joe’s product is a direct dupe for a high-end Sephora item is often social media hype.”
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