What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Tricaprylin
Masking
Dimethyl Isosorbide
SolventCandelilla/Jojoba/Rice Bran Polyglyceryl-3 Esters
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Retinal
Skin Conditioning
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Asiatic Acid
Skin ConditioningPropylheptyl Caprylate
EmollientDisodium Cetearyl Sulfosuccinate
CleansingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Phytate
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Water, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Tricaprylin, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Candelilla/Jojoba/Rice Bran Polyglyceryl-3 Esters, Glyceryl Stearate, Panthenol, Caprylyl Caprylate/Caprate, Bakuchiol, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Retinol, Retinal, Asiaticoside, Madecassic Acid, Asiatic Acid, Propylheptyl Caprylate, Disodium Cetearyl Sulfosuccinate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Allantoin, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Tocopherol, Sodium Phytate, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Dimethyl Isosorbide is a low-irritation solvent that helps deliver actives into your skin. It is created from glucose.
Research shows how well this ingredient works depends on the active and formulation rather than the concentration alone. This means adding more Dimethyl Isosorbide does not guarantee better penetration of ingredients into the skin.
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.
Sunflower seed oil contains many fatty acids. The fatty acids found in sunflower seeds include (from highest amount to least): linoleic acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, arachidic acid, oleic acid, and linolenic acid.
These fatty acids help the skin create ceramides. Ceramides play a role in repairing the skin barrier.
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil helps moisturize the skin. This in turn helps the skin look more rejuvenated and smoother.
Sunflowers are rich in vitamin E.
Historians believe Indigenous cultures of North America domesticated sunflowers before corn. Thus they relied on sunflower oil for a variety of uses. One such use is moisturizing skin and hair.
Sunflower seed oil may not be fungal acne safe. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilThis ingredient is a retinoid. It usually goes by a more common name: "Granactive".
Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate (HPR) belongs to the class of retinoids that also includes retinol and tretinoin.
Retinoids have been proven to:
So what is the difference between all the retinoids?
Most retinoids need to go through a conversion line to become effective on skin. The ending product is retinoic acid. Retinoic acid is AKA tretinoin.
HPR is an ester of tretinoin. Emerging studies suggest HPR to have an added benefit that other retinoids don't have: Low irritation.
A study from 2021 found HPR to have the greatest stability when exposed to light and temperature out of all the commercial retinoids.
A note about naming:
The name "Granactive" is the trade name and the name most commonly used on packages.
Granactive is the name of the mixture - about 90% solvent and 10% HPR. A product with 5% granactive has 0.5% HPR.
Learn more about Hydroxypinacolone RetinoateRetinol is a gold-standard ingredient for anti-aging. It is a form of Vitamin A and belongs to the class of retinoids that also includes tretinoin.
Why is retinol famous?
It has the most scientific studies backing up its skin benefits out of all the non-prescription ingredients.
Retinol is proven to:
This is why retinol is effective at removing wrinkles, fading dark spots, treating acne, and reducing the appearance of pores.
Studies show retinol is less effective when exposed to UV. Be sure to look for appropriate packaging to keep your retinol potent (similar to Vitamin C).
Using retinol or any retinoids will increase sun-sensitivity in the first few months. Though studies show retinoids increase your skin's natural SPF with continuous use, it is best to always wear sunscreen and sun-protection.
We recommend speaking with a medical professional about using this ingredient during pregnancy.
Retinol may cause irritation in some people, so be sure to patch test. Experts recommend 'ramping up' retinol use: start using this ingredient once a week and work up to using it daily.
Read about Tretinoin
Learn more about RetinolTocopherol (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 Tocopherol
