What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Retinyl Linoleate
Skin Conditioning
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract
Antioxidant
Polyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Dimethyl Isosorbide
SolventHydroxypinacolone Retinoate
Skin Conditioning
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningStearyl Phosphate
Emulsifying
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Coffea Arabica Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Propanediol, Glycerin, Squalane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Retinyl Linoleate, Bakuchiol, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Polyglutamic Acid, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, Retinol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Phenethyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Beta-Glucan, Ethylhexylglycerin, Stearyl Phosphate, Stearyl Alcohol, Coffea Arabica Fruit Extract, Acetyl Glucosamine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Tocopherol
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
Reviews
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, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolDimethyl 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 RetinoateSodium 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 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. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
