Should You Trust Discount Retailers for Your Beauty Buys?
Discount stores such as TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and Ross have attracted loyal customers due to their remarkably reduced prices on items from popular brands, including apparel, jewelry, household items, and cosmetics. The excitement of searching for these bargains has turned into a favorite pastime on TikTok, where influencers post unboxing clips highlighting the joy of finding sought-after merchandise at unbeatable discounts.
Recently, videos have been showing beauty enthusiasts searching for bargains at TJ Maxx, highlighting remarkable discoveries—like Beekman 1802's Silky Lactic Acid and Willow Bark Goat Milk Body Moisturizer for $14.99 (originally $45), Supergoop's Unseen Sunscreen for Body SPF 40 For $29.99 (down from $44) and the NARS Light Reflecting Setting Powder For just $16.99 (down from $42), these savings help you restock essential items more affordably, experiment with different brand names without fully committing to their regular price, and possibly grab limited availability items like recently discontinued or repackaged goods before they vanish permanently.
However, although cheap cosmetic items are undeniably tempting, confirming their quality and checking that they haven’t nearly expired requires more than mere chance.
Cosmetics could be a dicey purchase at these shops.
When dealing with skincare items, particularly those containing potent components, proper storage and handling are essential for maintaining their efficacy. However, typically, there’s no means of determining the conditions under which these goods have been kept or transported prior to being placed on retail displays.
Based on what a cosmetic chemist and licensed aesthetician has said Esther Olu Sensitive ingredients such as Vitamin C, retinoids, and chemical sunscreen agents are highly susceptible to damage from heat, light, and moisture, leading to their deterioration and instability. This breakdown diminishes their effectiveness and may elevate the likelihood of skin irritations, along with reducing the product’s longevity on store shelves.
“Vitamin C, specifically L-ascorbic acid, is highly susceptible to oxidation when exposed to air and light, breaking down into dehydroascorbic acid, a less effective form,” Olu explained. “This degradation is often indicated by a color shift from clear or pale yellow to orange or brown.”
Another concern is shoppers turning store items into testers, either opening them up to smell or dipping their fingers in to test their texture and color. As a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Facet Dermatology Dr. Geeta Yadav notes that " numerous components utilized in skincare items are deemed volatile or unstable; thus, they ought to be opened exclusively when needed. Often, coming into contact with air reduces their efficacy gradually."
Exposure to air also brings in bacteria. Particularly with liquid and cream products, these environments offer ideal conditions for bacterial growth due to their dark and moist nature. "Once opened, you can't be sure of the germs that might have contaminated the product," Yadav explained.
A representative from Ross detailed their quality assurance processes: "Store employees dispose of items received in poor condition and regularly check our cosmetics area to take out products that seem tampered with or past their expiry dates," they stated.
Also contacted TJ Maxx and Marshalls regarding their procedures to maintain product quality, yet did not receive a response by the time this was published.
Here are some things to consider before making your purchase.
Selecting intelligent, secure packaging can greatly enhance your likelihood of buying an item that remains fresh with safe and efficacious components. As stated Yashi Shrestha The leader of the chemistry department at Novi (a firm aiding businesses in addressing transparency, compliance with regulations, and meeting consumers' demands for safer and greener cosmetics) points out that opaque or dark containers are best suited for protecting light-sensitive compounds like vitamin C and retinol, thereby stopping their degradation. Additionally, packaging designed to limit interaction with air, light, and direct touch—such as airless pumps, spray bottles, press-top dispensers, squeeze tubes, and twist-up sticks—not only maintains the product’s integrity but also decreases the likelihood of contamination.
Conversely, containers featuring an open-top design, typically utilized for products like facial creams, body butters, and lip balms, tend to be more susceptible to contamination.
Items like mascaras, lip glosses, and concealers that use wand applicators face greater risks of contamination because the applicator touches the skin directly each time it’s used and then goes back into the product," said Shrestha. "This increases the chances for bacterial or microbial proliferation, thereby posing potential threats to both the safety and effectiveness of these products.
Despite being packaged and sealed, evident indicators that a product has been subjected to poor conditions encompass damage, fading, or deformation of the package. "Moreover," Shrestha mentioned, "the consistency of the item matters significantly. If you observe a splitting of components—such as oil separating from creams or lotions—it typically signifies a decline in its quality."
When considering purchasing an item close to its expiration date, ensure you'll actually use it before it expires. "Skin care products' expiration dates aren't similar to those found on grocery store items, typically 'best by' dates," explained Shrestha. "Using them past their prime could result in reduced effectiveness as well as decreased safety."
Preservatives and stabilizers in skincare products ensure effectiveness only until their expiration date. Beyond this point, the items may deteriorate, particularly after exposure to contaminants upon opening and usage. This degradation could result in issues such as irritation, redness, or even an infection, contingent on the specific product. "It’s particularly hazardous with eyecare products like mascara; you're significantly increasing your risk of severe infections," explained Shrestha.
If there isn't an expiry date on the back of the bottle or at the base of the jar, check for a tiny picture of an open jar accompanied by a numeral. Known as the Period After Opening (PAO) symbol, this denotes the number of months post-opening during which the item remains usable and stable. As Olu clarified, "Should you find that a product’s seal has been compromised or if the PAO marking is missing or hard to read, proceed with care."
If products lack expiration dates, Shrestha suggests utilizing tools such as CheckFresh , enabling users to enter batch codes for determining manufacturing dates.
Avoid these items.
Apart from using retinoids and Vitamin C serums, Shrestha advises being cautious when buying sunscreen. She explains, "Sunscreen efficacy relies on consistent active components, but these can deteriorate due to incorrect storage conditions such as unchecked temperature fluctuations and direct sunlight exposure. Using expired or compromised sunscreens might fail to offer sufficient UV defense, thus raising your chances of experiencing sun harm."
Olu concurs, noting that natural or organic items, possibly featuring lesser amounts of or entirely natural preservatives, tend to be less efficient at stopping microbial proliferation.
These are a more secure purchase.
Certain product categories generally pose less risk because of their consistent formulas and decreased susceptibility to environmental conditions. Home sanitization becomes relatively straightforward with powder-based items such as blush, setting powders, and eye shadows.
"You can put isopropyl alcohol in a spray bottle and mist the surface of the powder prior to removing the initial layer for cleaning purposes," Yadav explained. Cleaning tools such as brushes, gua sha devices, facial rollers, and sponges are relatively straightforward to maintain. However, items contained within aerosol cans—usually styling sprays—are nearly impossible to modify.
Olu highlights that balms and body butters are often considered safe because they usually lack water and are anhydrous, thereby minimizing the chance of microbial proliferation. Nonetheless, she cautions that user handling remains a potential issue even with these products. Furthermore, Olu mentioned that items like fragranced goods tend to be secure for acquisition from discount stores since their composition includes substantial amounts of alcohol along with naturally occurring preservatives designed to maintain long-term stability on shelves.
Although off-price stores are popular spots for finding discounted skincare and beauty items, it pays to do some research beforehand to ensure your skin stays content and healthy. As Yadav noted, "Being aware of what a newly manufactured product should visually appear like, how it ought to scent, and how it feels can be quite beneficial."
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