Target is a major discount retailer based in the US. Their biggest competitors are Walgreens and Walmart – which is the largest company in the world by revenue, but I happen to prefer Target. Walmart focuses on keeping prices low, which is why they thrived during the recession, but in times of economic stability, people are usually willing to spend a little bit more for a better quality product. Target’s prices are competitive, but they maintain a strong commitment to quality products and a quality customer experience. Accordingly, their private label brands sell very high quality products at a low cost.
Target has quite a few private label brands in different segments which reflect their company philosophy that low prices don’t have to translate to low quality. They sell grocery brands Archer Farms, Market Pantry, Sutton & Dodge, and Simply Balanced, a home goods line called Room Essentials, a furniture line called Threshold, a children’s bedding line called Pillowfort, and a children’s clothing line called Cat and Jack.
Target Up & Up Products Overview
Up & Up is Target’s main private label brand, as it’s the revamped version of what used to simply be called Target brand. The brand is dedicated to daily items in a whole bunch of categories. Up & Up’s products include household items such as plastic ware and garbage bags, personal care items like facial scrubs and feminine hygiene products, over-the-counter healthcare essentials like a thermometer and a variety of vitamins and medications, beauty products like makeup brushes and sponges, and baby care products like diapers, formula and baby food.
These wipes are gentle, hypoallergenic, alcohol-free, fragrance-free, and don’t have any icky parabens, dyes, chlorine or phthalates. The small size of the pack makes it ideal for throwing into a cosmetics bag, diaper bag or keeping in the car, and because these are so multi-purposed, you’ll be wanting them handy everywhere. You can use them to remove non-waterproof makeup, to clean your baby’s sensitive skin, or as a quick facial refresher.
This is a nice, simple soap. Aloe is a wonderful moisturizer, but it’s very far down on the ingredient list so it can’t be too effective here. Either way, the soap is comfortable and doesn’t dry out hands. It lathers and cleans well without leaving any weird residue behind, and it has a very pleasant smell.
Minoxidil is a wonderful ingredient that helps send oxygen and nutrients to hair follicles, and increases blood flow to follicles, stimulating hair growth dramatically. This extra strength treatment uses the maximum safe amount of minoxidil, 5%, to really make a difference in stubborn scalps. This is compared to Rogaine Extra Strength, and it’s one product type where brand is almost irrelevant because minoxidil is the same ingredient no matter who is packaging it.
The Up & Up minoxidil treatment is a liquid topical treatment, it comes in a simple bottle and dropper dispenser, and with a 3 month supply for $19.99 it is extremely competitive price wise. This treatment is not for women, unless permitted by your doctor, because women are more sensitive to minoxidil and should usually use smaller amounts than this to prevent potential side effects.
The more I learn about the causes of early ageing and the current statistics of skin cancer, the more serious I become about sunscreen. I don’t burn easily at all, so I never was one to carry it in my beach bag, and definitely never wore it on a daily basis. However, there are so many unseen effects that the sun can have on our skin that can be super problematic in the long run. Now, my daily moisturizer has a light SPF, and if I’m going on a hike or going to be in the sun for a while, I slather the stuff on.
Up & Up makes some great sunscreens. They are all hypoallergenic, fragrance and paraben-free, they are water resistant for 80 minutes and offer broad spectrum protection. The different options include the Sport sunscreen lotion or spray (SPF 30 or 50), the Baby sunscreen lotion or spray (SPF 50), the Kids sunscreen lotion or spray (SPF 50), the sunscreen lip balm (don’t forget about the lips! They can be really painful when burned, and get dry and cracked after too much sun exposure), the Facial Moisturizing Lotion with Sunscreen (SPF 30), and the Sheer Dry-touch Sunscreen (SPF 30.) The Sport sunscreens are great and long lasting, but they can stain white clothing with a yellowish tinge.
The Kids sunscreen is nice, but some people have had an itchy allergic reaction to it, which is the last thing you want in something that is supposed to protect your kid’s skin. Make sure to do a little patch test before applying to the whole body to test for sensitivity. My favorite of the bunch, by far, is the Sheer Dry-Touch which doesn’t leave any white cast or greasiness on the face, won’t clog pores, and wears beautifully under makeup.
Benzoyl Peroxide is one of the most frequently used acne fighting ingredients out there because it really penetrates clogged pores and dries out excess oil and impurities. It is also an antibacterial so it gets rid of pimple causing bacteria, stopping new spots from forming. 10% is a very high percentage of Benzoyl Peroxide so this stuff is powerful and works fast.
Apply it in thick layers on zits or pimples at night, and by the morning you will almost definitely see real improvement and skin clearing. Benzoyl Peroxide is a drying ingredient by nature, so if you have very dry skin you’ll probably want to stay away from this. It should be applied with a cotton swab to avoid drying the skin on your fingers over time.
Okay long story short, these wipes are basically perfect. They are tough on makeup, totally cleanse the skin, and they leave your whole face feeling fresh and moisturized. The towelettes are formulated with vitamin E so they can help soften and heal skin over time, and they are suitable for all skin types. At this price, what are you waiting for? Go buy them!
I generally really enjoy the Target products, but the Up & Up Eye Makeup Remover is one that I do not recommend. Some people have seemed to really enjoy this, and say that it does the job well, but in my experience it doesn’t live up to its claims. It is oil-free but still leaves an oily residue behind, and the product irritated my skin and had a drying effect, which is strange because it is supposed to be ultra-gentle. It’s a shame because the Neutrogena eye makeup remover that this is supposed to be comparable to is a great product and I wouldn’t have minded a cheaper alternative.
As a private label product, this face wash is a success. It is very comparable to the Clean & Clear Morning Burst Facial Cleanser, and like that face wash, wakes up the skin with menthol and has an energizing citrus scent that is very refreshing. However, neither product is amazing in my book. Too much menthol can irritate the face, and the exfoliating beads may feel great, but they can be abrasive (a liquid exfoliator is more effective and much gentler on the skin.) Don’t get me wrong though. If you know your skin isn’t sensitive and if it’s on the oily rather than dry side, this product can be really great for you. And if you’ve had good experience with the original version, the two face washes are almost identical.
Is Target Up & Up Cruelty Free?
Target works with a variety of vendors to manufacture the Up & Up products, and some of them do still test ingredients or products on animals. Target says that they are working with the companies to improve their animal practice policies, and they have recently committed to selling only cage-free eggs in their stores by 2025 so they are making some progress towards the better treatment of animals, but they are not cruelty-free as of now.
Conclusion
Up & Up consistently makes great products. The formulas work well and are free of harsh, irritating chemicals and ingredients which can be a concern with generic products. The packaging of all of the products I’ve mentioned is made of strong, durable materials, and they are stylish and well thought through for easy use.
Target has a knack for making private label products that you can forget aren’t made by name brand companies. Archer Farms, Threshold, and the rest have distinctive branding and are very sleek considering that they are made by a discount retailer, and Up & Up impresses as well.
