The Newest Trader Joe’s Beauty Product I’m Totally Obsessed With

updated May 30, 2019
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(Image credit: Jonathan Weiss)

I try my darnedest to avoid making eye contact with the Trader Joe’s beauty section because I never really need anything from it. And most of the stuff isn’t travel size, which I prefer when trying new products for the first time. (My skin can be pretty finicky, so I like to test things out before fully committing to them.) Plus, I have a bunch of go-tos for basically everything already anyway.

But more often than not, those shelves just draw me in. I blame it on the fact that the toiletries are located along the perimeter of my local store, where the forever-long line often snakes (read: I have ample time to browse and compulsively buy). I really should do what everyone else does and bury my nose in my phone instead!

On a recent visit, a pretty pink tube caught my eye, and once I realized it was TJ’s new Grapefruit Ginger Sugar Scrub, I had to throw it in my basket.

(Image credit: Danielle Blundell)

I take exfoliating pretty seriously because I’m prone to dry skin and have eczema, which only gets worse once temperatures drop. The more I properly exfoliate, the less of an issue I have with redness and itchiness. I’ve got a great facial polish, but I’ve yet to find the best full-body situation. And you know I’m not wasting the pricey face stuff on my arms and legs!

First, let’s talk scent. I’m a fan of grapefruit and citrus-forward smells; to me, they communicate cleanliness and aren’t as polarizing as the more gourmand scents like vanilla, which people tend to either love or hate. But I don’t necessarily want my body to smell like Pine-Sol Lemon Fresh, either. That’s why I tend to gravitate toward some of the lighter, tarter grapefruit blends — and this scrub didn’t disappoint. It’s a nice mix of sweet and spicy, with that little bit of ginger thrown in there. It still reads as fresh and clean to me, and a faint bit of citrus lingered after my shower — but I didn’t smell like I had just peeled a hundred oranges.

(Image credit: Danielle Blundell)

As far as performance goes, the scrub has an almost petroleum jelly-like appearance, but isn’t too thick or greasy going on or after washing off. Sugar is the main exfoliator, and the grains are pretty fine. I massaged the scrub onto wet skin and had no issues whatsoever moving the product around. It rinses pretty easily, as well.

For comparison, I tried it on one arm and not the other. The arm I used it on was much silkier to the touch post-shower. I’m not sure if that was because of the exfoliating, the moisturizing ingredients, or a little bit of both. But I’m into it, regardless. And the softness seemed to last all day.

At just $6 for an eight-ounce tube, I’d definitely buy it again. I’m thinking of using it every other day from now until spring, so we’ll see how many washes I’ll get out of it. If you like the scent of grapefruit, and want to exfoliate (without getting involved with all that body brushing and those chemical peels), give this a try.

Have you tried this? What’d you think?