There’s a reason the skincare and hair products at T.J. Maxx are so cheap, and it might not be what you’re thinking.
T.J. Maxx and Marshall’s are a wonderland for people wanting to get name-brand beauty products at a reasonable price.
You go into the sometimes color-coded aisles and your eyes get wide with the prospect of being able to access so many fancy items or even getting drug store staples at a fraction of the price.
But it might not be worth it in the end and could do more harm than good, this skincare expert explained.
The problem with T.J. Maxx beauty products
In a viral video with more than 360,000 views, licensed esthetician Paige (@paigemckennah) warned about buying your skincare and makeup at T.J. Maxx.
“There’s always a reason why you’re getting name-brand products for such a discount at T.J. Maxx or Marshall’s or wherever you’re getting it from,” Paige said.
Plenty of the products are allegedly on the verge of expiring. Paige looked at the batch code for a Neutrogena moisturizer and discovered it was made just a few days shy of two years ago.
Others, like the CeraVe moisturizer she picked up, are being resold because they were in unstable conditions, like getting too hot or cold, she said.
On top of that, she noted that the retailer sells plenty of deceptively branded products.
She pointed out that anything with the word “collagen” on it is a farce because collagen molecules are too large to be absorbed by the skin. Anything promoting vitamin C only works if it’s stored in a dark, airtight bottle. So those vitamin C sheet masks and clear orange bottles aren’t going to do what you hope.
Paige went on to warn about other popular products like eyebrow and derma planing razor blades that are “literally an esthetician’s worst nightmare” and blackhead strips.
“T.J. Maxx also has a lot of products that will literally just fry your skin,” Paige said.
“If you’re gonna get your skincare from T.J. Maxx, just make sure to check the expiration dates, the batch codes, and do your research on the product before you buy it,” Paige said.
When do skincare products expire?
Most skin care products are only safe to use for six months to a year, The New York Times reported. That number is even shorter for eye products.
Plus, over time, the preservatives and active ingredients in a product start to break down. Sometimes, it can be harmful and irritating to your skin. And even if it isn’t, if the helpful parts of a product have broken down, you’re applying it to your skin in vain since it might no longer have the beneficial properties you bought it for.
You can check batch numbers on checkfresh.com, Paige recommended.
Customers aren’t so sure
“Yes some of them can be expired but a lot of it is just overstock or brands that made too much!!” a top comment read.
“korean product are 2x the price in my area, tk/tj maxx is a money saver,” a person said.
“My esthetician sent me to TJ Maxx for products,” another wrote.
“That’s not true .. I’ve been using great products for my face and they work beautifully,” a commenter said.
@paigemckennah tj maxx skincare/makeup 😳😳 #skincare #makeup #marshalls #tjmaxxfinds #acne #shopping #haul #beauty #tjmaxx #spanight #selfcare #esthetician #licensedesthetician #acneskin ♬ son original – matiii
The Daily Dot reached out to Paige for comment via email and TikTok direct message and to T.J. Maxx via email.
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