Like I mentioned earlier today, yes, I’m completely serious. The ingredients in Monistat Chafing Relief Powder-Gel are similar to the famous Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer, but costs a fraction of the price. Check the ingredients of both products below.
Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer: 
Cyclomethicone, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Isopropylparaben, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbic Acid, Carthamus Tinctorium (Safflower) Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract, Cola Acuminata Seed Extract, Propylene Glycol, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Isobutylparaben, Butylparaben, Water.
Monistat Chafing Relief Powder-Gel: Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Silica, Tocopheryl Acetate, Trisiloxane.
Let’s break down the ingredients. I’m no chemist, but I did do a bit of research as to what some of these ingredients are.
- Cyclopentasiloxane, Trisiloxane, Cyclomethicone, Dimethicone and other “-cone” ingredients are silicone and/or silicone derivatives. They are emollients that help create that silky barrier that most of us like so much.
- Retinyl Palmitate: a vitamin A derivative
- Tocopheryl Acetate: a vitamin E derivative
- Ascobic Acid: Vitamin C
- The ingredients ending in “-paraben” are preservatives. These are safe despite what certain companies try to tell you. There is no significant reason to think that parabens are dangerous. Check The Beauty Brains for more on this.
- Silica: a mineral that absorbs moisture. FYI, MUFE’s HD Powder is 100% silica.
Basically, both are silicone based products that are marketed two different ways. The only difference between the two is that the Smashbox primer contains a few more vitamins and plant extracts. Since these are listed after the first three ingredients, the amounts are so small that it doesn’t matter very much. Also, you get 1 oz. of product with Smashbox for $36 as opposed to 1.5 oz. of product with Monistat for $6-$8, depending on where you get it. Talk about bang for your buck!
This Monistat gel is truly a great alternative to more expensive primers from Sephora or Ulta. Give it a try, you won’t be disappointed. If the cashier gives you a funny look when s/he sees what you’re buying, forget about ‘em. Be satisfied in the fact that you’re in on an awesome beauty secret. 
You can find Monistat Chafing Relief Powder-Gel in the feminine care aisle of drugstores, Target, and Walmart. It’s also available at drugstore.com if you can’t make it to the store.
I def can’t take credit for being the first to discover this. In fact, I’ve seen this around the beauty blogosphere for quite some time now. I don’t remember which specific blogs I read about this on since there were a few, so I’ll just thank all bajillion of my fellow beauty bloggers out there. 
