What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Bran Oil
Emollient
Dimethyl Isosorbide
SolventGlycerin
Humectant
Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate
Skin Conditioning
Ergothioneine
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine
EmulsifyingSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingDehydroxanthan Gum
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Water, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Glycerin, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, Ergothioneine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Gluconate, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine, Sclerotium Gum, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Dehydroxanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingGlycerin
Humectant
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Soybean Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Dimethyl Isosorbide
SolventHydroxypinacolone Retinoate
Skin Conditioning
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Glycerin, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Beta-Glucan, Hydrolyzed Soybean Palmitate, Acetyl Glucosamine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Phenethyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Stearyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citric Acid
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant and emollient, meaning it attracts and preserves moisture.
It is a common ingredient in many products, especially those designed to hydrate skin. The primary benefits are retaining moisture, skin softening, and promoting a healthy skin barrier.
Though Caprylyl Glycol is an alcohol derived from fatty acids, it is not the kind that can dry out skin.
This ingredient is also used as a preservative to extend the life of products. It has slight antimicrobial properties.
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidDimethyl 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.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinThis 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 RetinoateSodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.
Like hyaluronic acid, it is great at holding water and acts as a humectant. This makes it a great skin hydrating ingredient.
Sodium Hyaluronate is naturally occurring in our bodies and is mostly found in eye fluid and joints.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
