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‘It’s just not worth it’: Woman says she’s never buying hair products from T.J. Maxx again after seeing what happened to her face

‘That joint burned my scalp.’

Photo of Alexandra Samuels

Alexandra Samuels

TJ Maxx(l), Woman talking(r)

A woman is going viral on TikTok after warning users against using hair products purchased from T.J. Maxx. 

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Betty (@bettylulseged) said she recently bought a biotin oil from the store that caused her skin to break out in hives. As a result, the beauty influencer said that she will “never, ever buy hair products from T.J. Maxx again.” As of Monday, Betty’s video warning others about the dangers of the store’s items amassed 29,200 views. 

What’s up with T.J. Maxx’s hair products?

Betty said she purchased a biotin oil from the store but didn’t divulge which brand the product was or how much it cost. 

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After using it, though, Betty said her face broke out in hives. In her video, Betty was wrapped in a towel as she showed viewers her skin, which was covered in red splotches. She also said her scalp felt “inflamed.” She compared the feeling to a bug or spider bite.

“I never had a good feeling about buying products from [T.J. Maxx],” Betty said. “But now I know for sure that it’s just not worth it.”

The content creator theorized that the store sells either expired products or products that are nearing their expiration date. 

“I think that’s what I bought,” she said.

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While Betty confessed that she has sensitive skin, she said she didn’t understand why the oil caused an adverse reaction.

“I’m convinced they are selling expired products,” she said of T.J. Maxx. 

Do they sell expired beauty and hair items? 

Not all hair care products sold at T.J. Maxx are expired, but some might be. According to the store’s website, it acquires products from a variety of sources, including department stores, manufacturers, and vendors.

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But since it gets these products through cancelations or closeout deals, products sold at T.J. Maxx are a lot cheaper than ones sold directly to salons. This has led some content creators to allege that certain products might be expired or tampered with.

In June 2023, for instance, a Marshalls customer said she bought an expired skincare product from the store. (Marshalls and T.J. Maxx are owned by the same company.) She was able to verify this by using an online cosmetics calculator

Using expired hair products, in particular, is generally not recommended as they can be less effective and cause scalp irritation, itching, or redness. These effects might be especially pronounced if you’re already prone to sensitive skin.

@bettylulseged

♬ original sound – Bettylulseged
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Viewers warn against buying beauty products from T.J. Maxx

In the comments section of Betty’s video, several other users said they’ve had similarly negative experiences with T.J. Maxx’s beauty products.

“I bought a biotin oil that joint burned my scalp,” one user said, suggesting they bought the same product as Betty. 

“The same thing happened to me a few months ago,” another shared. “A foaming aloe vera facial wash, I broke out into a dermatitis rash all over my face that took 2 weeks to clear up.”

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“I purchased some face products from there and it destroyed my skin,” a third viewer said. 

Others, meanwhile, similarly theorized that T.J. Maxx’s products are harmful because they’re expired. 

“They’re cheaper there because some are close to their expiration date,” one woman wrote. 

“Most professional products you find outside of salons, Ulta, or a reputable retailer are either counterfeit or expired,” another echoed. 

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“It was definitely expired,” a third user said of the oil Betty purchased. “I just saw another TikTok [where] this girl got a 3rd-degree burn from an expired skincare product.”

Given these horror stories, some viewers swore off buying beauty supplies from T.J. Maxx and similar department stores, such as Marshalls.

“I don’t buy products or food from there,” one commenter wrote. 

“Yeah, never again T.J. Maxx,” another said.

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“I only buy beauty products from T.J. Maxx or Marshalls that have a date on it clearly,” a third user shared.

The Daily Dot has reached out to Betty via TikTok comment and to T.J. Maxx through email.

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