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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Differin Adapalene Gel 0.1% Acne Treatment versus The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion .

Last updated on August 14, 2023. Published on August 16, 2021

Overview

What they are

These products are both serums. They have a total of 2 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain retinoid

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for fighting acne and anti aging

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, oils, silicones or sulfates

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.

Serum American Brand United States
Serum Canadian Brand Canada

Serum

Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.

Serum

Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.

Price

Shop

Buy Adapalene Gel 0.1% Acne Treatment

Starts at $14.97
Shop

Buy Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion

Starts at $11.39

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Notable Ingredients

Retinoid

Benefits

Anti-Aging
Acne Fighting

Concerns

Irritating
Rosacea
Eczema (2)

Notable Ingredients

Retinoid (2)

Benefits

Hydrating
Good For Oily Skin (2)
Reduces Irritation
Skin Texture (2)
Reduces Large Pores (2)
Anti-Aging (2)
Dark Spots (2)
Scar Healing (2)
Acne Fighting (2)
Brightening (2)

Concerns

Drying (2)
May Worsen Oily Skin (3)
Acne Trigger
Irritating (3)
Eczema (2)
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Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

1
What it does:
Community Rating: Disliked

Disodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.

It is a chelating agent, meaning it neutralizes metal ions that may be found in a product.

Disodium EDTA is a salt of edetic acid and is found to be safe in cosmetic ingredients.

Learn more about Disodium EDTA

Differin Adapalene Gel 0.1% Acne Treatment contains this as ingredient number 3.

The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion contains this as ingredient number 28.

2
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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 Water

Differin Adapalene Gel 0.1% Acne Treatment contains this as ingredient number 7.

The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion contains this as ingredient number 1.

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.

25% are loved or liked
13% have mixed ratings
50% are disliked or very disliked
13% have no rating yet
33% are loved or liked
9% have mixed ratings
45% are disliked or very disliked
12% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

When to use

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Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Differin Adapalene Gel 0.1% Acne Treatment 8 ingredients

4.8 /5
from 16 reviews
ClaireCummings_200's Avatar'
Jun 20, 2023

great for acne

great for acne

crubby's Avatar'
Jul 2, 2023

god send

god send

JessShaw_716's Avatar'
Nov 20, 2023

Clears up my acne and smooths my skin.

Clears up my acne and smooths my skin.

The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion 33 ingredients

3.5 /5
from 2 reviews
AshN.'s Avatar'
Jan 31, 2024

(Used from 2019-2022) This was my very first introduction to using retinoids in my evening routine. With this product I felt that my skin texture and complexion was smoother and brighter. Very gentle formulation, so I felt no irritation...

(Used from 2019-2022) This was my very first introduction to using retinoids in my evening routine. With this product I felt that my skin texture and complexion was smoother and brighter. Very gentle formulation, so I felt no irritation at any point. As with most of The Ordinary's products, they make for a great budget buy. Only moved on from this product because I felt that my face was getting too used to it, and I stopped noticing large changes in improvement. Definitely would recommend for beginners looking to add a gentle retinoid to their routine.

Great Value
Hydrating
Light
Absorbs Well
No Scent
Works Well

Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 9 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Differin Adapalene Gel 0.1% Acne Treatment.

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Our Dupe Finder has found 27 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion.

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