Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Rare Beauty Pore Diffusing Primer - Always an Optimist Collection versus Make Up For Ever Step 1 Primer Pore Minimizer .
Last updated on October 22, 2023. Published on February 08, 2024
Overview
What they are
These products are both face primers. They have a total of 5 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain Vitamin E
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin and scar healing
Free From
They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, parabens or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain fragrances and 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
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
Rare Beauty Pore Diffusing Primer - Always an Optimist Collection 30 ingredients
Make Up For Ever Step 1 Primer Pore Minimizer 21 ingredients
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Contains Silicon
Ingredients in this product that are types of silicon:
Contains Fragrance
Ingredients in this product that are forms of fragrance:
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Contains Oils
Ingredients in this product that are types of oil:
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Vegan
This product is vegan 🎉
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Contains Silicon
Ingredients in this product that are types of silicon:
Contains Fragrance
Ingredients in this product that are forms of fragrance:
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Oil Free
This product is free of oils 🎉
Malassezia Safe
This product is free of malassezia feeding ingredients 🎉
Not Reef Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not reef safe:
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Not Cruelty Free
This product is not cruelty-free 😥
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Rare Beauty Pore Diffusing Primer - Always an Optimist Collection 30 ingredients
Make Up For Ever Step 1 Primer Pore Minimizer 21 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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Benefits
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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This product contains 1 ingredient 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:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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This product contains 4 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:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Notable Ingredients
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 1 ingredient 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 1 ingredient 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:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Rare Beauty Pore Diffusing Primer - Always an Optimist Collection 30 ingredients
Make Up For Ever Step 1 Primer Pore Minimizer 21 ingredients
Water • Dimethicone • Methyl Trimethicone • Dipropylene Glycol • Glycerin • Butylene Glycol • Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer • Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer • Cetyl Peg/Ppg-10/1 Dimethicone • Sodium Chloride • Dimethicone/Peg-10/15 Crosspolymer • Silica • Propanediol • Sodium Benzoate • Potassium Sorbate • Tocopheryl Acetate • Eclipta Prostrata Extract • Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer • Parfum • Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract • Sodium Citrate • Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract • Hyaluronic Acid • Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid • Sodium Hyaluronate • Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract • Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract • Nymphaea Odorata Root Extract • Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil • Tocopherol
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer • Dimethicone • Cyclopentasiloxane • Diphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone • Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer • Trimethylsiloxysilicate • Titanium Dioxide • Phenoxyethanol • Silica Silylate • Parfum • CI 77492 • Lepidium Meyenii Root Extract • CI 77713 • Maltodextrin • Polymethylsilsesquioxane • Aluminum Hydroxide • Tocopherol • CI 77491 • Hydrogen Dimethicone • CI 77499 • Water
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are
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. Talk about multi-purpose! If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterRare Beauty Pore Diffusing Primer - Always an Optimist Collection contains this as ingredient number 1.
Make Up For Ever Step 1 Primer Pore Minimizer contains this as ingredient number 21.
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.
Rare Beauty Pore Diffusing Primer - Always an Optimist Collection contains this as ingredient number 2.
Make Up For Ever Step 1 Primer Pore Minimizer contains this as ingredient number 2.
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.
Rare Beauty Pore Diffusing Primer - Always an Optimist Collection contains this as ingredient number 8.
Make Up For Ever Step 1 Primer Pore Minimizer contains this as ingredient number 5.
Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give aroma to products. Parfum, or fragrance, can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "Parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
In the US, the alternative name for parfum is 'fragrance'. The term 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance. One example is Calendula flower extract. Essential oil ingredients still impart a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, it can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Products use parfum often to give products a scent or cover up smells of different ingredients.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumRare Beauty Pore Diffusing Primer - Always an Optimist Collection contains this as ingredient number 19.
Make Up For Ever Step 1 Primer Pore Minimizer contains this as ingredient number 10.
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.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
Learn more about TocopherolRare Beauty Pore Diffusing Primer - Always an Optimist Collection contains this as ingredient number 30.
Make Up For Ever Step 1 Primer Pore Minimizer contains this as ingredient number 17.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
Rare Beauty Pore Diffusing Primer - Always an Optimist Collection 30 ingredients
Make Up For Ever Step 1 Primer Pore Minimizer 21 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
Rare Beauty Pore Diffusing Primer - Always an Optimist Collection 30 ingredients
Make Up For Ever Step 1 Primer Pore Minimizer 21 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
Rare Beauty Pore Diffusing Primer - Always an Optimist Collection 30 ingredients
tiffchikin
Didn't do anything
Didn't do anything on my combination skin, not for pore minimizing or longevity of my makeup. I find that it actually makes my...
Didn't do anything
Didn't do anything on my combination skin, not for pore minimizing or longevity of my makeup. I find that it actually makes my makeup slides off faster on my nose during the day.
MichelleR
So I don’t hate it. It just doesn’t make any noticeable difference. Maybe my pores are just too large.
Make Up For Ever Step 1 Primer Pore Minimizer 21 ingredients
Alternatives
Our Dupe Finder has found 23 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Rare Beauty Pore Diffusing Primer - Always an Optimist Collection.
See 23 alternativesOur Dupe Finder has found 16 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Make Up For Ever Step 1 Primer Pore Minimizer.
See 16 alternatives