First Aid Beauty, or FAB, was launched in 2009 as the lifetime dream of its founder, Lilli Gordon.
Her initial interest in skincare came at the tender age of five when she remembers being captivated by her grandmotherâs and her great-auntsâ beautiful skin when they would have family lunch every Sunday. Young Gordon would look at their skin, mesmerized by how it was translucent and radiant, even though they were all older women with lines and wrinkles. It was then she realized beautiful skin isnât necessarily wrinkle-free.
As a teenager, like most of us, Gordon dealt with her own complexion issues. She had very sensitive skin compounded with bouts of acne along with dryness and irritation. At the time, her only two options for treating her skin were department storesâwhich mostly offered prestige creams catered to mature women to combat agingâor drugstore products that were medicinal and not compatible with her sensitive skin long-term. Her personal skincare struggle was another turning point that piqued Gordonâs interest in the beauty industry.
It wasnât until well into her career in finance that Gordon got her first taste of the skincare industry. She was brought on as a partner for Fresh by founders Lev Glazman and Alina Roytberg to help grow and expand the skincare company. She was instrumental in helping them take their business to the next level and made lifelong friends along the way.
Gordon eventually negotiated the sale of Fresh to Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH). She loved her time at Fresh, and the industry knowledge and experience she gained help pave the way for her to start her own company.
Gordon created First Aid Beauty to bridge the gap between luxury department store and curative drugstore brands. Her goal was to create a line of skincare with products that are effective, made with safe ingredients, and gentle enough to be compatible with sensitive skin like her own.
With a rescue mission that understands skin has no âone size fits allâ solution, FAB offers highly efficacious products that provide relief to all skin concerns, from eczema and discoloration to wrinkles, dullness, and acne. These formulas are science-based, dermatologist-tested, skin-nurturing and free of harsh chemicals and known allergens. They are both solution-driven and luxurious, all while allowing for a customized regimen to suit the individual needs of all skin types and issues.
Gordon is hands-on with FABâs product development and formulations, working closely with incredible chemists to help bring her ideas to life. She believes the difference between a good product and a great product boils down to attention to detail. For example, all FAB products are formulated with their own antioxidant botanical blend that features white tea, feverfew, and licorice root to fight environmental aggressors.
Even the apothecary-style packaging captures the brandâs ârescue and preserveâ spirit, with the trademark life preserver on their logo. For Gordon, it is also important the labelling on the packaging is transparent and clearly specifies ideal skin conditions, ingredient benefits, and key features of each product.
In 2018, Gordon sold FAB to Procter & Gamble as part of her long-term vision to grow the company globally. She remains active and involved with the company as its CEO, using her vast experience to propel FAB into the future as it expands into makeup and haircare.
All First Aid Beauty products are clean, dermatologist-tested, fragrance-free, cruelty-free, and formulated to be compatible with sensitive skin types. Most are vegan and well under $50.
Check out just 10 of FABâs best-selling star skincare solutions:
Ultra Repair Cream
Ultra Repair Cream is one of FABâs best-selling, award-winning products, with one unit sold every 20 seconds. This rich, silky moisturizer offers 24 hours of soothing hydration and features a weightless, whipped texture that absorbs instantly. It is so hydrating that it can even be used to treat eczema without causing irritation. Ideal for post-laser treatments, this versatile moisturizer can be applied anywhere on the face or body. Clinical studies have proven that it increases skin hydration by an average of 169% after just one application. Key ingredients like colloidal oatmeal protect and renew the skin while strengthening its barrier. Shea butter moisturizes and fortifies the skin barrier with essential vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids, while allantoin calms and soothes the skin.
Face Cleanser
Another FAB best-seller is the fragrance-free Facial Cleanser, which combines effective cleansing with a non-irritating formula and optimal pH level. This light, pearlescent formula gently removes dirt, oil, makeup, and impurities without stripping the skin barrier. As a result, your skin feels deeply cleansed and super smooth without any dryness or tightness. Aloe and allantoin work together to calm, soothe, and nourish the skin, while glycerin hydrates and smooths.
Facial Radiance Pads
The Facial Radiance Pads are yet another FAB best-seller designed to exfoliate away dull skin and reveal a radiant, naturally glowing complexion. With just under 5% active ingredients, including glycolic and lactic acids, these compostable pads are gentle enough for daily use, even on the most sensitive skin. They help brighten, smooth, and refine the skinâs surface while prepping it for additional skincare without causing irritation. These pads are also rich in moisturizing ingredients such as aloe leaf juice, glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and cucumber extract.
Bounce-Boosting Serum
Smooth away fine lines and wrinkles while providing plumping hydration with FABâs Bounce-Boosting Serum. This serum restores youthful suppleness and resilience to the skin while visibly fading the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Peptides work to smooth the skin, while algae helps support firmness, elasticity, and tone. The luxe texture absorbs instantly and layers seamlessly with other products. For best results, use it twice daily in the morning and evening for a firmer, glowing complexion. This non-comedogenic formula wonât clog pores.
Ingrown Hair Pads
FABâs best-selling Ingrown Hair Pads feature active ingredients that exfoliate dead skin cells and debris that can trap hairs, helping to clear the way for healthy hair growth. Glycolic acid exfoliates and resurfaces the skin, while salicylic acid smooths texture, brightens, and purifies, effectively preventing painful ingrown bumps. Formulated with witch hazel and aloe, these pads leave the skin soft and smooth without stripping it. Each package contains 60 single-use, compostable pads.
KP Bump Eraser Body Scrub 10% AHA
FABâs KP Bump Eraser Body Scrub 10% AHA is another best-seller that won Allureâs Readerâs Choice Award in 2022. This body scrub effectively exfoliates to clear away bumps, roughness, and uneven skin texture associated with keratosis pilaris (KP). Commonly referred to as âstrawberry skinâ or âchicken skin,â KP can cause dry, rough patches and tiny hard bumps on the skin. This fast-acting scrub uses 10% AHAs, including glycolic and lactic acids, to resurface the skin, improve texture, and brighten while smoothing away bumps. It is also formulated with pumice buffing beads, which act as a natural physical exfoliator to gently remove dead skin cells. Additionally, botanical extract bisabolol helps soothe and calm the skin, while vitamin E provides antioxidants that combat environmental aggressors.
10% Vitamin C Brightening Serum
Visibly brighten and firm your skin with FABâs 10% Vitamin C Brightening Serum, which targets signs of aging such as fine lines, wrinkles, dark spots, dullness, uneven texture, and loss of elasticity. This powerful serum restores youthful radiance with a gentle 10% vitamin C formulation safe for all skin types, including sensitive skin. The lightweight, non-comedogenic formula also includes vitamin E to enhance brightness while protecting against free radical damage. Squalane helps hydrate and soften the skin while locking in moisture.
Coconut Water Cream
Coconut Water Cream is a weightless moisturizing cream with a gel texture that quickly absorbs to provide an ultra-hydrating boost. This cream instantly gives the complexion a smooth, soft, plumped, and healthy appearance. Key ingredients include coconut water, which hydrates and replenishes the skin, sodium hyaluronate, which smooths and increases moisture content, and alteromonas ferment filtrate, which helps retain moisture. The non-comedogenic formula ensures that it wonât clog pores.
0.3% Retinol Complex Serum
The 0.3% Retinol Complex Serum features an optimal dosage of retinol and retinyl propionate to maximize results without the irritation often associated with traditional retinol. This unique blend penetrates deep into the skinâs surface layers to boost cell turnover, resulting in a smoother, firmer, and more youthful-looking complexion. Peptides hydrate the skin for 24 hours, strengthen the surface barrier, and promote collagen and elastin production, helping to plump and improve the skinâs structure.
Firming Cream
The final best-seller on the list is FABâs Firming Cream. This nourishing, collagen-infused face cream effectively reduces visible signs of aging, including loss of firmness, dryness, and fine lines and wrinkles. Since collagen production naturally slows in our mid-twenties, this cream helps to plump the skin with moisture, maintaining elasticity and volume. Peptides work to smooth the skin, minimizing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, while niacinamide restores a healthy tone and texture, giving the complexion a more supple, youthful look.
For questions, concerns, or article ideas, feel free to reach out to our eCosmetics Beauty Editor directly at beauty@ecosmetics.com