What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate
Skin Conditioning
Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract
Antioxidant
Astaxanthin
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Dimethyl Isosorbide
SolventHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Beta-Sitosterol
Emulsion Stabilising
Squalene
Emollient
Water, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract, Astaxanthin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Tocopherol, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycine Soja Oil, Beta-Sitosterol, Squalene
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
Emulsifying
Sclerotium 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
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.
Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
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 RetinoatePhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
