Overview
What they are
These products are both reef safe face primers. They have a total of 6 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain exfoliants
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for dry skin and brightening skin
Free From
They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, parabens or sulfates
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that needs an update? Let us know.
Ingredient Info
Rare Beauty Always An Optimist Illuminating Primer 18 ingredients
Benefit Cosmetics The POREfessional: Hydrate Primer 35 ingredients
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Rare Beauty Always An Optimist Illuminating Primer 18 ingredients
Benefit Cosmetics The POREfessional: Hydrate Primer 35 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
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Concerns
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This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Notable Ingredients
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Ingredients Side-by-side
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.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
Ethylhexyl Palmitate is created from 2-ethylhexyl alcohol and palmitic acid. It is a fatty acid ester.
Isohexadecane is added to enhance texture, emulsify, and to help cleanse. It is an isoparrafin. It is a component of petrolatum.
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite is the synthethic version of mica. It consists of fluorine, aluminum and silicate.
We don't have a description for Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer.
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride is an emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
Helps hydrate Dry Skin 2 Concerns
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil is the oil derived from the seeds of a Sunflower. Sunflower seed oil is non-fragrant. It is an emollient, meaning it helps to soften the skin.
Nelumbium Speciosum Flower Extract comes from the Lotus Flower, Nelumbiumspeciosum.
Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
1,2-Hexanediol is a multi-tasker ingredient. It acts as a preservative to increase shelf-life and can aid other preservatives in preventing microbe growth. 1,2-Hexanediol also helps the skin retain moisture as a humectant.
Polysorbate 80 is a surfactant and emulsifier. It is used to keep ingredients together, and prevent oils and waters from separating.
Sorbitan Oleate is created from compounds in oleic acid and sorbitol. It is used to stabilize a product by preventing ingredients from separating.
Tin Oxide is an inorganic oxide used to add opacity and volume to a product. In nature, it is already found in mineral form. The main ore of tin is an opaque and shiny mineral called casseterite.
Ci 77891 is a white pigment from Titanium dioxide. It is naturally found in minerals such as rutile and ilmenite.
Ci 77491 is also hydrated iron III oxide. It's sole purpose is to give a red/pink hue to products.
Water, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Isohexadecane, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Nymphaea Odorata Root Extract, Phenoxyethanol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polysorbate 80, Sorbitan Oleate, Tin Oxide, CI 77891, CI 77491
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.
Cyclopentasiloxane is a silicone used to improve texture and trap moisture. An easier name for this is D5.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
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.
Diglycerin is a humectant. It is derived from glycerin, which is naturally found in your skin.
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 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.
Pentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
This is a synthetic polymer. It helps improve the texture of products by adding thickness and gel-like feel.
Isohexadecane is added to enhance texture, emulsify, and to help cleanse. It is an isoparrafin. It is a component of petrolatum.
Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
Cyclohexasiloxane is a type of silicone more commonly known as D6. It is an emollient and solvent.
2 Concerns
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.
2 Concerns
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter is a plant lipid from the fruit of the Shea Tree. It is an effective skin hydrator and emollient.
Polysorbate 60 is used to help stabilize products. It is a surfactant and emulsifier. These properties help keep ingredients together in a product. Surfactants help reduce surface tension between ingredients with different states, such as liquids and solids. Emulsifiers help prevent oils and waters from separating.
2 Concerns
Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
We don't have a description for Dimethicone/Phenyl Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer.
Sorbitan Isostearate is an emulsifer and cleaning agent. It is created from isostearic acid and sorbitol.
Sodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.
Limonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.
Triethoxycaprylylsilane is a silicone used to bind and stabilize ingredients.
This BHA stands for butylated hydroxyanisole. If you are looking for the beta-hydroxy acid, aka as Salicylic Acid, click here.
Alumina is another name for the compound aluminum oxide. It is used as a thickener, absorbent, and abrasive.
Antioxidant 4 Benefits May cause irritation
Tocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Ci 42090 is a synthetic dye created from petroleum. It is used to give a bright blue color to cosmetics, medicine, and food.
This pigment is called Ultramarine blue lazurite. It gives a saturated blue color, but can be used to create other colors as well.
Ci 77491 is also hydrated iron III oxide. It's sole purpose is to give a red/pink hue to products.
Ci 77492 is also hydrated iron III oxide. It's sole purpose is to give a yellow hue to products.
Ci 77499 is also hydrated iron III oxide. It is created from mixing red and black iron oxides. This helps give shades of darkness to a product.
Ci 77891 is a white pigment from Titanium dioxide. It is naturally found in minerals such as rutile and ilmenite.
Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Diglycerin, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Dimethicone, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Pentylene Glycol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Phenoxyethanol, Diphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone, Cyclohexasiloxane, Silica, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Isoceteth-10, Polysorbate 60, Parfum, Dimethicone/Phenyl Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Sorbitan Isostearate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Limonene, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, BHA, Alumina, Magnesium Oxide, Tocopherol, CI 42090, CI 77007, CI 77163, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499, CI 77891
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterGlycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinIsohexadecane is added to enhance texture, emulsify, and to help cleanse. It is an isoparrafin. It is a component of petrolatum.
Due to its large size, Isohexadecane is not absorbed by the skin. Instead, it sits on top and acts as an emollient. Emollients help keep your skin soft and smooth by trapping moisture within.
Isohexadecane is often used in products designed to help oily skin. It is lightweight and non-greasy while helping to moisturize. When mixed with silicones, it gives a product a silky feel.
Learn more about IsohexadecanePhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Ci 77891 is a white pigment from Titanium dioxide. It is naturally found in minerals such as rutile and ilmenite.
It's main function is to add a white color to cosmetics. It can also be mixed with other colors to create different shades.
Ci 77891 is commonly found in sunscreens due to its ability to block UV rays.
Learn more about CI 77891Ci 77491 is also hydrated iron III oxide. It's sole purpose is to give a red/pink hue to products.
Iron III oxides are classified as inorganic chemicals for coloring.
Synthetically created Ci 77491 is considered safer than those naturally found. This is because the synthetically created version may contain less impurities. Iron oxides are generally non-toxic and non-allergenic.
Learn more about CI 77491Ingredient Ratings
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
When to use
Rare Beauty Always An Optimist Illuminating Primer 18 ingredients
Benefit Cosmetics The POREfessional: Hydrate Primer 35 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
Rare Beauty Always An Optimist Illuminating Primer 18 ingredients
Benefit Cosmetics The POREfessional: Hydrate Primer 35 ingredients
LaurenFuerst_683
I love the way it makes my face look! It smooths out all the fine lines, evens the tone a bit, and it helps my skin stay hydrated during harsh...
I love the way it makes my face look! It smooths out all the fine lines, evens the tone a bit, and it helps my skin stay hydrated during harsh western US winters
