Flower Beauty by Drew In Your Prime Illuminating Primer Versus First Aid Beauty Hello Fab Coconut Skin Smoothie Priming Moisturiser

Flower Beauty by Drew In Your Prime Illuminating Primer Versus First Aid Beauty Hello Fab Coconut Skin Smoothie Priming Moisturiser

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Ethylhexyl Palmitate

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Glycerin

Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract

Cyclopentasiloxane

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Bis-Lauryl Cocaminopropylamine/Hdi/PEG-100 Copolymer

Butylene Glycol

Caprylyl Glycol

Carbomer

Dimethiconol

Disodium EDTA

Ethylhexylglycerin

Hexylene Glycol

Jasminum Officinale Extract

Phenoxyethanol

Sodium Hydroxide

Tocopherol

Xanthan Gum

Triethoxycaprylylsilane

Isononyl Isononanoate

Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer

Sorbitan Oleate

Titanium Dioxide

Mica

Iron Oxides

Water, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Cyclopentasiloxane, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Bis-Lauryl Cocaminopropylamine/Hdi/PEG-100 Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Dimethiconol, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Jasminum Officinale Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Isononyl Isononanoate, Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer, Sorbitan Oleate, Titanium Dioxide, Mica, Iron Oxides

Cocos Nucifera Fruit Juice

Glucose

Maltodextrin

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Dimethicone

Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Cocos Nucifera Fruit

Hydrolyzed Quinoa

Selaginella Lepidophylla Extract

Prunus Armeniaca Fruit Extract

Saccharomyces/Zinc Ferment

Saccharomyces/Silicon Ferment

Saccharomyces/Magnesium Ferment

Saccharomyces/Iron Ferment

Saccharomyces/Copper Ferment

Dipteryx Odorata Seed Extract

Coffea Arabica Seed Extract

Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Chrysanthemum Parthenium Extract

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Lactobacillus Ferment

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Polysorbate 80

Isohexadecane

Sodium Benzoate

Potassium Sorbate

Tin Oxide

CI 77891

CI 77491

Cocos Nucifera Fruit Juice, Glucose, Maltodextrin, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Water, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Mica, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Cocos Nucifera Fruit, Hydrolyzed Quinoa, Selaginella Lepidophylla Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Prunus Armeniaca Fruit Extract, Saccharomyces/Zinc Ferment, Saccharomyces/Silicon Ferment, Saccharomyces/Magnesium Ferment, Saccharomyces/Iron Ferment, Saccharomyces/Copper Ferment, Dipteryx Odorata Seed Extract, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Chrysanthemum Parthenium Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, Lactobacillus Ferment, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Sorbitan Oleate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Polysorbate 80, Isohexadecane, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Tin Oxide, CI 77891, CI 77491

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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.

Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.

Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.

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%.

Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.

This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:

On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.

One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).

Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.

You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.

Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:

The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.

Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.

Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.

Topically, glycerin does several things at once:

Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.

Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.

This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.

Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.

Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.

Mica is a naturally occurring mineral used to add shimmer and color in cosmetics. It can also help improve the texture of a product or give it an opaque, white/silver color.

Serecite is the name for very fine but ragged grains of mica.

This ingredient is often coated with metal oxides like titanium dioxide. Trace amounts of heavy metals may be found in mica, but these metals are not harmful in our personal products.

Mica has been used since prehistoric times throughout the world. Ancient Egyptian, Indian, Greek, Roman, Aztec, and Chinese civilizations have used mica.

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.

Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract is extract from Apples. Apples are rich in Vitamin C, sugars, and antioxidants.

The sugar in Apples are humectants and help hydrate the skin. On top of that, apples also contain some acids, such as malic acid. These acids may have a mild exfoliating effect.

Last, the phytochemicals found in apples are strong antioxidants. These antioxidants help with anti-aging as they protect your skin cells against oxidative damage.

Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.

In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.

Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.

"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.

Sorbitan Oleate is a PEG-free emulsifier made by esterifying sorbitol with oleic acid.

You'll likely see it paired with Polysorbate 80 to create the right emulsification balance.

Typical use levels in formulas range from 2-10%.

The CIR Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as a cosmetic ingredient.

Since this ingredient is an ester of oleic acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. Oleic acid is a fatty acid that falls into the C11-24 range that Malassezia can metabolize.

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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