Off-price retailers like TJ Maxx, Marshalls and Ross have earned a devoted following for their significantly discounted deals on clothing, accessories, home goods and beauty products from well-loved brands, and the treasure hunt-like shopping experience has become a TikTok staple, with creators sharing haul videos that capture the thrill of discovering coveted products at a steal.

Recent videos show beauty lovers hunting for deals at TJ Maxx, showcasing impressive finds — like Beekman 1802’s Smooth Lactic Acid & Willow Bark Goat Milk Body Cream for $14.99 (originally $45), Supergoop’s Unseen Sunscreen Body SPF 40 for $29.99 (originally $44) and the NARS Light Reflecting Setting Powder for $16.99 (originally $42). These discounts make it easier to stock up on everyday essentials, try out new brands without the full-price commitment and even snag newly discontinued or rebranded products before they disappear for good.

But while the allure of bargain beauty products is undeniable, ensuring they’re still in good condition and not on the verge of expiring takes more than just luck.

Beauty products might be a risky buy at these stores.

When it comes to skin care products, especially those with active ingredients, storage and handling conditions play a crucial role in their effectiveness. Unfortunately, there’s often no way to know what conditions these products were exposed to during storage or transport before reaching store shelves.

According to cosmetic chemist and licensed esthetician Esther Olu, sensitive actives like vitamin C, retinoids and chemical sunscreen filters are particularly vulnerable to heat, light and humidity, which can degrade and destabilize them. This degradation not only reduces their benefits but can also increase the risk of skin irritation and shorten the product’s shelf life.

“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 points out, “There are many ingredients used in skin care products that are considered volatile or unstable, which is why [products] should only be opened for use. In many cases, exposure to air makes these ingredients less effective over time.”

Air exposure also introduces bacteria. Liquid and cream products, in particular, provide the perfect environment for bacteria to thrive, thanks to their dark and damp conditions. “You don’t know what germs may have been introduced to the product if it’s been opened,” Yadav said.

A company spokesperson from Ross explained their quality control procedures: “Our store associates discard products that arrive in a damaged state and monitor our beauty/cosmetics section to remove products that appear to have been opened and/or reached their expiration date,” they said.

HuffPost also reached out to TJ Maxx and Marshalls for comment about their protocols to ensure quality, but hadn’t received an answer at time of publication.

Here’s what you should look out for before you buy.

Choosing smart, protective packaging can significantly increase your chances of purchasing a product that’s still fresh and has safe and effective ingredients. According to Yashi Shrestha, head of chemistry at Novi (a company that helps brands, retailers and suppliers navigate transparency, regulatory standards and consumer demand for cleaner and more sustainable beauty products), opaque or dark bottles are ideal for shielding light-sensitive ingredients like vitamin C and retinol, preventing them from breaking down. Similarly, packaging that minimizes exposure to air, light and direct contact, such as airless pumps, spray bottles, press-top dispensers, tubes and twist-up sticks, helps preserve the product’s stability while reducing the risk of contamination.

On the other hand, jars with open-mouth designs, commonly used for face creams, body butters and lip balms, are more prone to contamination.

“Products with wand applicators, such as mascara, lip gloss and concealers, have a higher risk of contamination since the applicator comes into direct contact with the skin and is repeatedly reinserted into the product, potentially introducing bacteria and other microbes,” Shrestha explained. “These vulnerabilities increase the risk of bacterial or microbial growth, which can compromise product safety and efficacy.”

Even if a product is sealed, clear signs that it’s been exposed to unfavorable conditions include damaged, faded or warped packaging. “Additionally, the texture of the product is important,” Shrestha said. “If there’s a separation of ingredients — like oils floating on top of creams or lotions — this usually indicates a degradation in quality.”

If you’re thinking about buying a product nearing its expiration date, it’s important to ask yourself whether you’ll realistically use it up in time. “The expiration date on skin care products isn’t quite like products on a supermarket shelf, which are often ‘best by’ dates — skin care products may not just be less effective, but less safe,” Shrestha said.

Preservatives and stabilizers in skin care are only guaranteed to work up until the expiration date. After that, the product can degrade, especially once bacteria are introduced through opening and use, which can lead to irritation, redness or even infection, depending on the product. “This is especially risky when using eye products like mascara — you’re setting yourself up for some pretty nasty infections,” Shrestha said.

If you don’t see an expiration date on the back of the bottle or bottom of the jar, look for a small image of an opened jar with a number on it. This symbol, called the period after opening (PAO), indicates how many months a product is safe or shelf-stable to use after being opened, Olu explained. “If you notice a product has its seal tampered or the PAO is not present or is unclear, I would take caution.”

If there aren’t expiration dates on products, Shrestha recommends using tools like CheckFresh, which allow users to input batch codes to find manufacturing dates.

Avoid these items.

Aside from retinoids and vitamin C-based products, Shrestha suggests purchasing sunscreen with caution. “The effectiveness of sunscreen depends on stable active ingredients, which degrade with improper storage, like unregulated exposure to heat and light. Expired or degraded sunscreens may not provide adequate UV protection, increasing the risk of sun damage.”

Olu agrees, adding that natural or organic products, which may contain fewer or natural preservatives, are often less effective at preventing microbial growth.

These are a safer buy.

Some product categories tend to carry lower risk due to their stable formulations and reduced sensitivity to environmental factors. Powder-based products like blush, setting powder and eyeshadow are among the easiest to sanitize at home.

“You can pour isopropyl alcohol into a spray bottle and spritz the surface of the powder before wiping off the first layer to help clean it,” Yadav said. Tools like brushes, gua shas, face rollers and sponges are also easy to clean, while products in aerosol containers, which are typically hair formulas, are almost impossible to tamper with.

Olu also points out that balms and body butters are typically safe as they’re usually anhydrous and contain no water, which reduces the risk of microbial growth. However, she notes this isn’t foolproof, as how a consumer handles the product can still cause issues. “Additionally, fragrance-based products are generally safe to purchase at off-price retailers, as they typically have high alcohol content and other ingredients that act as natural preservatives to protect overall shelf stability,” Olu added.

Though off-price retailers are a favorite for scoring great deals on skin care and beauty products, it’s worth doing a little homework before making a purchase to keep your skin happy and healthy. “Knowing how a product should look, smell and feel when bought new directly from the manufacturer is very helpful,” Yadav said.