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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of DRMTLGY Makeup Primer No. 1 versus Smashbox The Original Photo Finish Smooth & Blur Oil-Free Primer .

Published on May 30, 2023

Overview

What they are

These products are both cruelty-free face primers. They have a total of 8 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain exfoliants, retinoid and Vitamin E

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, anti aging, brightening skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing, dark spots and better texture

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances, oils, parabens or sulfates

What's Inside

They both contain silicones

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.

Face Primer American Brand United States
Face Primer American Brand United States

Face Primer

A base to help makeup products last longer on the face or to help control shine.

Face Primer

A base to help makeup products last longer on the face or to help control shine.

Price

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Notable Ingredients

Retinoid
Vitamin E (2)
Exfoliators

Benefits

Hydrating
Good For Oily Skin
Skin Texture
Reduces Large Pores
Anti-Aging (2)
Dark Spots
Scar Healing (2)
Acne Fighting
Brightening (2)

Concerns

Drying
Irritating (2)
Rosacea
Eczema

Notable Ingredients

Retinoid
Vitamin E
Exfoliators

Benefits

Good For Oily Skin
Skin Texture
Reduces Large Pores
Anti-Aging
Dark Spots
Scar Healing
Acne Fighting
Brightening

Concerns

Drying
Irritating
Rosacea (2)
Eczema (2)
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Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

1
What it does: Emollient, Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Disliked

Cyclopentasiloxane is a silicone used to improve texture and trap moisture. An easier name for this is D5.

D5 is considered lightweight and volatile. Volatile means it evaporates quickly after application. Once evaporated, D5 leaves a thin barrier that helps keep skin hydrated.

D5 is an emollient. Emollients help soften the skin and prevent water loss. Silicones create a silky texture in products. D5 helps other ingredients become more spreadable.

Studies show D5 is safe to use in skincare products. We recommend speaking with a skincare professional if you have concerns.

Learn more about Cyclopentasiloxane

DRMTLGY Makeup Primer No. 1 contains this as ingredient number 1.

Smashbox The Original Photo Finish Smooth & Blur Oil-Free Primer contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Disliked

Trisiloxane is a type of silicone.

DRMTLGY Makeup Primer No. 1 contains this as ingredient number 2.

Smashbox The Original Photo Finish Smooth & Blur Oil-Free Primer contains this as ingredient number 4.

3
What it does: Emollient, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Dimethicone is a silicone used for making products smooth and silky. It also has the added benefit of sealing in hydration. The amount of dimethicone found in beauty products is considered safe and non-comedogenic, meaning it won't clog pores.

Dimethicone has been found increase absorption in skin, boosting the benefits of other ingredients. While there is concern for the safety of dimethicone, the levels used in skincare are safe for use.

DRMTLGY Makeup Primer No. 1 contains this as ingredient number 4.

Smashbox The Original Photo Finish Smooth & Blur Oil-Free Primer contains this as ingredient number 2.

4
What it does: Emulsion Stabilising
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Dimethicone Crosspolymer is a silicone created by modifying dimethicone with hydrocarbon side chains. Due to its large size, it does not penetrate skin. It is considered non-occlusive.

Dimethicone Crosspolymer is used to stabilize and thicken products. It also helps give products a silky feel.

DRMTLGY Makeup Primer No. 1 contains this as ingredient number 5.

Smashbox The Original Photo Finish Smooth & Blur Oil-Free Primer contains this as ingredient number 3.

5
What it does: Abrasive, Absorbent
Community Rating: Disliked

Silica is a mineral naturally found in our skin. It helps to thicken and smooth the texture of a product. It also acts as an agent for other ingredients by increasing the absorption of other ingredients into the skin.

Silica is often used for absorption and can help reduce shine when products are applied. Silica occurs in naturally in materials like clay and sandstone, and it can also be produced synthetically.

Silica is present naturally within the skin during collagen production and when reducing inflammation.

Learn more about Silica

DRMTLGY Makeup Primer No. 1 contains this as ingredient number 6.

Smashbox The Original Photo Finish Smooth & Blur Oil-Free Primer contains this as ingredient number 5.

6
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Mixed

Retinyl palmitate is a form of retinoid. Retinoids are the superstar class of anti-aging ingredients that include tretinoin and retinol.

This particular ingredient has had a bumpy year with its rise and fall in popularity.

First, Retinyl palmitate is created from palmitic acid and retinol. It is a retinol ester and considered one of the weaker forms of retinoid.

This is because all retinoids have to be converted to Tretinoin, AKA retinoic acid. Retinyl Palmitate is pretty far down the line and has to go through multiple conversions before its effects are seen.

Due to this long and ineffective conversion line, the benefits of Retinyl Palmitate are debated.

Studies show Retinyl Palmitate to help:

Dermatologists say this ingredient is ineffective because it isn't used in high enough concentrations in cosmetics.

This ingredient used to be found in sunscreens to boost the efficacy of sunscreen filters.

The downfall of Retinyl Palmitate was due to released reports about the ingredient being correlated to sun damage and skin tumors.

While there is a study showing this ingredient to cause DNA damage when exposed to UV-A, there is no concrete proof of it being linked to skin cancer. It is safe to use when used correctly.

All retinoids increase your skin's sensitivity to the sun in the first few months of usage. Be especially careful with reapplying sunscreen when using any form of retinoid.

Currently, this ingredient is still allowed in cosmetics all over the world. In Canada, cosmetics must have a warning label stating the product to contain Retinyl Palmitate

Fun fact: This ingredient is often added to low-fat milk to increase the levels of Vitamin A.

Learn more about Retinyl Palmitate

DRMTLGY Makeup Primer No. 1 contains this as ingredient number 7.

Smashbox The Original Photo Finish Smooth & Blur Oil-Free Primer contains this as ingredient number 8.

7
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer is a silicone used to improve the texture of products and absorb oil. It does not get absorbed into the skin.

Like other silicones, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer helps condition the skin by creating a barrier. In this sense, it can act as an emollient and trap moisture in.

DRMTLGY Makeup Primer No. 1 contains this as ingredient number 8.

Smashbox The Original Photo Finish Smooth & Blur Oil-Free Primer contains this as ingredient number 6.

8
What it does: Antioxidant, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

Tocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.

One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.

Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.

Learn more about Tocopheryl Acetate

DRMTLGY Makeup Primer No. 1 contains this as ingredient number 10.

Smashbox The Original Photo Finish Smooth & Blur Oil-Free Primer contains this as ingredient number 9.

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.

27% are loved or liked
20% have mixed ratings
53% are disliked or very disliked
0% have no rating yet
27% are loved or liked
7% have mixed ratings
53% are disliked or very disliked
13% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

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Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

DRMTLGY Makeup Primer No. 1 15 ingredients

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Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 16 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to DRMTLGY Makeup Primer No. 1.

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Our Dupe Finder has found 15 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Smashbox The Original Photo Finish Smooth & Blur Oil-Free Primer.

See 15 alternatives
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