Let’s be real: When is TikTok not obsessed with Trader Joe’s? Whether it’s Bria Lemirande (@brialem) fangirling over Crunchy Curls or TikTokers buying out all of Trader Joe’s’ frozen chicken soup dumplings (we love a good depression meal), Trader Joe’s is all over TikTok, and everyone is obsessed — myself included. And if you’re on the skincare side of TikTok like I am, you’ve probably heard of the new Trader Joe’s’ Supergoop! sunscreen dupe.
Since it was first pointed out on the app that the Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40 and the Trader Joe’s Daily Facial Sunscreen share striking similarities — and with the Trader Joe’s version being a fraction of the cost, at just $9 compared to Supergoop!’s $36 — consumers have been buying these straight off the shelves.
Thankfully, my local Trader Joe’s happened to have just a few bottles left of this (affordable!) goodness on their shelves, so I bought one to see if it really lives up to the hype. I got you, bestie.
Who first discovered the dupe?
TikTok user @prettierjesus was the first to point out the similarities between the Trader Joe’s and Supergoop! facial sunscreens. @prettierjesus said, “Y’all didn’t hear this from me, but Trader Joe’s just got in a dupe for Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen.” In the caption, @prettierjesus explained that the ingredients in the Trader Joe’s Daily Facial Sunscreen are basically “99% the same” as the Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40.
Dermatologists on TikTok joined in on the conversation, confirming that the Trader Joe’s Daily Facial Sunscreen is a close copycat to the Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40. Dermatologist @dermdoctor, who has almost 16 million followers on TikTok, compared the formulas of both sunscreens side-by-side on his skin. “Initial impression, this one [the Trader Joe’s Daily Facial Sunscreen] feels a little bit heavier on the skin. Like, it doesn’t have oil in it, but it feels slightly more oily,” @dermdoctor said. “But looking at them side by side, I cannot tell a difference. So for $9, I would run and go get this before it sells out.”
Like the Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40, the Trader Joe’s Daily Facial Sunscreen also has an invisible, weightless finish, and is fragrance-free. Both sunscreens boast SPF 40, making them great to wear out in the sun all day long. The biggest difference between the two, though? The price — which is what has TikTokers running to their closest Trader Joe’s.
So… does the dupe live up to the hype?
Being the sunscreen connoisseur I am, I had to go to my local Trader Joe’s and try this sunscreen dupe out myself (or maybe I just used this as an excuse to go to Trader Joe’s because it’s my favorite grocery store on earth — but who knows?).
The best way I can describe this sunscreen’s texture is that it has a bit of an Aquaphor-like consistency. It doesn’t have a strong sunscreen smell (which is always a plus!) and feels really lightweight. It leaves a velvety, matte feel on the skin, similar to the Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40. Although this is a perk to a lot of beauty gurus and sunscreen users out there, I personally prefer a more dewy texture when it comes to my sunscreen, which is why this sunscreen wasn’t my personal favorite. Because of that, I ended up rating it an eight out of 10; however, if you’re looking to buy the Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40 but don’t want to drop $36, I would definitely recommend this Trader Joe’s dupe instead.
To buy the sunscreen dupe, sprint to your local Trader Joe’s before they all sell out.