Watermelon in skincare is “so hot right now” and we are HERE. FOR. IT. Nothing says summer like watermelon, so you can imagine our excitement when we saw that Trader Joe’s created some watermelon skincare products, duping some of the pricier prestige items. Beauty Guru, Kristin, tested products side-by-side to find you the best money savings buys from Trader Joe’s. Yes, please.
GLOW RECIPE Watermelon + AHA Glow Sleeping Mask vs. Trader Joe’s Watermelon Overnight Face Mask
Beauty Guru, Kristin, says: I was so excited to see this release from Trader Joe's, especially as it was marketed to be a dupe for the much pricier Glow Recipe product. There are some obvious similarities - both products are quite heavily scented like watermelon candy, and the style/colors of packaging is the same. However, the Trader Joe's mask is a thicker consistency, comparable to a night cream, where the Glow Recipe is like a water-based moisturizer. If you were to tip over the Glow Recipe jar, the product will easily spill out. I found that the Trader Joe's mask absorbed a bit better due to the thicker texture, while the Glow Recipe sort of sat on top of my skin.
That said, when I used both of these products as an overnight mask, I woke up to basically the exact same results - my skin did look hydrated and plump. It is recommended that people with sensitive skin only use these products as a shorter treatment, rather than overnight. (I did also get some breakouts when using both products - in the same place even - so I will be using them for shorter treatments in the future.) If you're looking to try a watermelon product, I would save yourself a bunch of money and try the Trader Joe's mask!
GLOW RECIPE Watermelon Glow Ultra Fine Mist vs. Trader Joe's Watermelon Facial Mist
Beauty Guru, Kristin, says: I have to admit that I have heard a lot of positive reviews about the Glow Recipe mist, and when I saw that Trader Joe's had released a pretty obvious attempt at a dupe, I was excited to compare them. Both of these products need to be shaken up before use and both have a watermelon candy scent, although I think that the Trader Joe's mist is more heavily scented. I preferred both of these products after makeup application, rather than before, but they do help hydrate the skin either way. I found that neither product disturbed my makeup, when wearing either powder or liquid base products.
I liked the dewy effect that both mists gave my skin, and neither really helped extend the life of my makeup, but didn't wear it down more quickly either. The biggest difference is the spray mechanism - the Glow Recipe mist dispenses in a VERY soft spray, which they describe as 'fog-like.' The Trader Joe's spray is not nearly as soft and wasn't honestly remarkable in any way. This wouldn't ordinarily be an issue, but it doesn't dupe the experience of the Glow Recipe. (I did find that the best way to replicate the Glow Recipe spray with the Trader Joe's was to gently spray pointing upward onto my face.) Unfortunately, this isn't a dupe that will replace the much pricier item here. But if you're looking for a nice facial mist in a yummy smelling scent, the Trader Joe's is a nice summer find!