First Aid Beauty Hello FAB Coconut Water Cream Versus Pacifica Pore Warrior Everyday Lotion

First Aid Beauty Hello FAB Coconut Water Cream Versus Pacifica Pore Warrior Everyday Lotion

This calming moisturizer is formulated around Sodium Hyaluronate and Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract to calm redness and hydrate skin.

This pore-care moisturizer is formulated around Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice and Niacinamide to refine the look of pores and balance excess oil.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Cocos Nucifera Fruit Juice

Glucose

Maltodextrin

Water

Dimethicone

Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract

Sodium Hyaluronate

Alteromonas Ferment Filtrate

Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract

Prunus Armeniaca Fruit Extract

Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract

Sea Salt

Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Chrysanthemum Parthenium Extract

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Dipteryx Odorata Seed Extract

Coffea Arabica Seed Extract

Tocopherol

Caprylyl Glycol

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Butylene Glycol

Hydrogenated Polydecene

Dipropylene Glycol

Cetyl Diglyceryl Tris(Trimethylsiloxy)Silylethyl Dimethicone

Polysilicone-11

Laureth-8

Phenoxyethanol

Cocos Nucifera Fruit Juice, Glucose, Maltodextrin, Water, Dimethicone, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Alteromonas Ferment Filtrate, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Prunus Armeniaca Fruit Extract, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Sea Salt, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Chrysanthemum Parthenium Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Dipteryx Odorata Seed Extract, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Tocopherol, Caprylyl Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Dipropylene Glycol, Cetyl Diglyceryl Tris(Trimethylsiloxy)Silylethyl Dimethicone, Polysilicone-11, Laureth-8, Phenoxyethanol

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Glycerin

Cetyl Alcohol

Dicaprylyl Carbonate

Glyceryl Stearate Citrate

Coconut Alkanes

Coco-Caprylate/Caprate

Stearic Acid

Stearyl Alcohol

Niacinamide

Biosaccharide Gum-1

Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract

Melilotus Officinalis Extract

Panthenol

Allantoin

Betaine

Tapioca Starch

Bixa Orellana Seed Extract

Xanthan Gum

Ethylhexylglycerin

Parfum

Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Coconut Alkanes, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Stearic Acid, Stearyl Alcohol, Niacinamide, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Melilotus Officinalis Extract, Panthenol, Allantoin, Betaine, Tapioca Starch, Bixa Orellana Seed Extract, Xanthan Gum, Maltodextrin, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum

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Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.

Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.

In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.

While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.

Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.

This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.

This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.

Maltodextrin is a plant-derived carbohydrate made by breaking down starch (usually from corn, potato, or rice). In cosmetic formulas, it's a multitasking absorbent, emulsion stabilizer, and skin conditioner.

This ingredient is mostly used to stabilize emulsions and improve the powdery, non-greasy feel of products (like dry shampoos).

Safety-wise, this ingredient is pretty solid; it's even recognized as a food additive. Both animal and clinical studies found no adverse effects at the levels used in cosmetics.

Industry data shows this ingredient is used up to 45.7% in spray products and up to 33% in powder products.

Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).

It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.

On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.

Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).

You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.

Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.

Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.

Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.

Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.

In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.

Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:

Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.

Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.

You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.

Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.

You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.

Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.

It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.

This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.

This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.

In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.

Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.

Water. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.

So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.

You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!

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