Trader Joe's 12 Days of Beauty

I am a sample junkie. And when Trader Joe's 12 Days of Beauty hit shelves I was strangely excited. Finally a sample set of items on shelves, seasonal items, and some items unique only to this set. But be warned, if you want to be surprised then this review contains spoilers as to what is behind each door (not that you couldn't flip the box over and see what was in it.

The last time I purchased this product the combination of products was different. Now the review has been updated to reflect what is being offered in 2021.

For $19.99, the price here might take you back a bit. It costs about the same as some roasts sitting in the refrigerated aisle. But beauty is beauty and you are getting 12 sample-sized items to try. That works out to about $1.67 each.

It is hard to find travel-sized items for that price anyway. Now, you could treat this as an advent calendar and open one each day. Or you could be like me and can't wait to crack into it. I made on chilly Saturday afternoon into a home spa day and got into all 12. So if you don't want to know how or what each of these happens to be, now is your last chance before the spoilers.

And yes, I'm adding this to my Trader Joe's Gift Ideas list in case you need some inspiration for holiday shopping.

What is in Trader Joe's 12 Days of Beauty (2021)

So if you aren't using this as an advent calendar then there is what it looks like cracked open:

And the back:

Grapefruit Ultra Moisturizing Hand Cream- If you are a fan of any of their ultra-moisturizing creams then you know this stuff is top-notch and will keep your hands silky smooth on even the coldest days. The fragrance is very similar to the seasonal Grapefruit body butter we saw over the summer.

Peel-Off Charcoal Face Mask- This is the same item that was available in previous collections from previous years. It did take about 20 minutes for it to dry (other than the spots where I put it on a bit too thick). And it peeled off in the same way a Biore Pore Strip feels when removed. Afterward, my face felt really nice. However, I personally prefer the one-time-use masks that sit on your face. Those are much more comfortable when removing. Otherwise, this was probably the only item I wouldn't buy as a full-sized item (not that it is available either)

Hair Mask- This is different from Trader Joe's Shea Butter and Coconut Oil Hair Mask. Despite the package saying to use it twice a week, I was only able to squeeze out a single use here with my long hair. But the results were really good. My hair was so soft after using this. I hope to see this as a full-sized product but doubt they will as they already have one hair mask on shelves.

Cucumber Green Tea Sugar Scrub Cube- A sugar cube was available in previous sets. Think of this as a concentrated version of Trader Joe's Sugar Scrubs. It feels moisturizing. You'll get one maybe two uses out of this. It does a really good job of exfoliating without being harsh.

Vitamin C Serum- Holy cow. This stuff is awesome. It's a hint of orange and smells lightly of citrus but I loved using this product. I applied this after a shower and before bed. My skin was hydrated but not oily. I can only hope we see this as a full-sized product. And yes, this was sold in a larger-sized set in Trader Joe's Merry and Bright Skin Care Trio.

Toasted Marshmallow Body Butter- This smells like lightly burnt sugar. Definitely, my least favorite fragrance of the body butter I've tried but it performs well.

Kombucha Black Tea Cleansing Oil- This stuff did a good job of washing my face and removing makeup without using it on my eyes. This bottle isn't squeezable so you'll need to shake a bit into your hands before applying it to your face. I didn't notice the fragrance here. But my face was smooth and not oily out of the shower. This is another one I'd like to see as a full-sized product.

Winter Citrus Shampoo, Conditioner, and Body Wash- Similar to Trader Joe's #3 formula but with a citrus smell. Basically, when you have a product like this it doesn't do all three things well. At best it's a decent shampoo and body wash, but you'll want your own conditioner unless you have very short hair.

Berry Lip Mask- I really wanted to like this and I was deeply hoping for this to compete with my Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask. It didn't come close. This is a good berry lip balm, but the downfall of this product is actually in the packaging. There is a teeny amount of product in this tube. And it was a pain to try to push it out. The product here was about average but nothing spectacular. I'll stick with my Laneige.

Frost Cranberry Body Butter- Body butter just with a pleasant light fruity fragrance. Nothing I'd buy the full size but it won't go to waste. I did prefer this fragrance over the toasted marshmallow.

Chai Shimmer Body Wash- Basic body wash with a hint of spice. Nothing special with this. It did the job it was tasked to do and nothing more.

Enrich SPF 15 Facial Lotion- This is also available year-round, however, it is my first time trying it. While the weather is a bit too chilly to test out the SPF 15, I can tell you it absorbed quickly, was lightly fragranced, and was a nice moisturizer. It would be fine under makeup. Overall, I'd consider buying the full-sized product.

Overall

The 2021 set is far more unique than the one offered in previous years. The 2019 and 2020 sets were similar but had a few different products to them. However, this year they kept the price the same and had some products that I really hope come to market as full-sized products. If you are a product junkie or know someone who is then this is a reasonably priced set. Keep in mind yes, it's almost $20 but that still works out to be under $2 a product. Not a bad deal at all. And there really weren't any duds in this box.

What is in Trader Joe's 12 Days of Beauty (2019)

Winter Citrus Ultra Moisturizing Hand Cream- This item is unique to this set, however, the ultra-moisturizing hand creams are a year-round item just not in this scent. And for me, I love all things citrus. I think it is a way underutilized scent. I really like this item and wished they'd sell a full-sized one. If you've never tried the moisturizing hand cream you can read my review of the Rose Oil Hand Cream which is only available seasonally.

Coconut Body Butter- This is available all year long in a full-sized container. If you haven't tried Trader Joe's Body Butter and use lotion regularly, this might convert you to switch. They moisturize really well and are affordable for the size. This does smell quite tropical and you'll have the aroma of coconuts on you.

Exfoliating Sugar Cube- This sits behind square number 12. It is the only item that is not labeled. It looks a whole lot like candy but isn't. It is a very coarse cube that does a great job of exfoliating. It melts into your hand when you scrub yourself down. Unless you cut it in advance, you'll only be able to use it once. While it didn't moisturize, it did a great job of exfoliating assuming you don't mind the coarseness of the cube. This item is exclusive to this set.

Cranberry Cider Shimmer Body Wash-  This is a unique item to this set. It smelled nice and it was nice and sudsy in the tub. Otherwise, it wasn't overly moisturizing and it was only shimmery in the container. However, with the two-body butters in this set, I didn't need to worry about that too much. I liked the cranberry aroma in the shower. I'd pick this up in full size if it were available.

Number 3 Formula: Shampoo, Conditioner, and Body Wash- Despite the fact that this is available all year long, I've never tried this prior to this sample. My husband liked it, but he also has much shorter hair than I do. I liked this as a shampoo and a body wash. It didn't do a great job of conditioning my hair. So if your hair is on the long side, you'll still want a separate conditioner. Otherwise, this gets a thumbs up for me and is something new to buy in full size.

Peel-Off Charcoal Face Mask- This is unique to this set. I got a bit worried when I opened the set because this item did fall out of the 6th door and was at the bottom of the calendar. Otherwise, it did take about 20 minutes for it to dry (other than the spots where I put it on a bit too thick). And it peeled off in the same way a Biore Pore Strip feels when removed. Afterward, my face felt really nice. However, I personally prefer the one-time-use masks that sit on your face. Those are much more comfortable when removing. Otherwise, this was probably the only item I wouldn't buy as a full-sized item (not that it is available either).

Brown Sugar Body Scrub- This isn't new, but hasn't been available all year long either. This item was part of last year's Body Scrub Trio Gift Set. This exfoliates in a more gentle fashion than the sugar cube but still gets the job done.

Warm Vanilla Body Butter- This item is available seasonally during the winter months and is just as good as coconut body butter. Both get the job done well and both in this set are 1-ounce containers. Both are perennial customer favorites.

Blueberry and Acai Facial Scrub- This item is available year-round. It smells a bit like blueberry yogurt. It exfoliates nicely. It is sold in a full-sized container. You can see my full review of this item here.

Pomegranate Moisturizing Lip Balm- This is unique to this set. Trader Joe's does sell a Lip Balm Virtuoso in Spearmint which is excellent (other than the fact that it is spearmint). But it was nice to have a better-smelling item available. I was wishing to buy a few more of these as they didn't leave my lips chapped after it balm wore off.

Rose Facial Oil- This item is a seasonally available item that shows up between Valentine's Day and Mother's Day. However, if you've passed that item up, you get a nice-sized sample that you can use several times. The bottle is small but portable and allows a few drops out at a time. You can see my full review of this item here.

Enrich SPF 15 Facial Lotion- This is also available year-round, however, it is my first time trying it. While the weather is a bit too chilly to test out the SPF 15, I can tell you it absorbed quickly, was lightly fragranced, and was a nice moisturizer. It would be fine under makeup. Overall, I'd consider buying the full-sized product.

Would I buy this again? For this season, Trader Joe's 12 Days of Beauty once is enough for me. But I would consider picking this up as a gift for someone else. I was wishing that maybe they had included a mini bath bomb in this set rather than repeat certain items. But otherwise, I have no major complaints about this set.

Product Photos (2019)

The box of Trader Joe's 12 Days of Beauty:

The Bottom Line

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