What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
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
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientTocopherol
Antioxidant
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSqualane
Emollient
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Glycolipids
Skin ConditioningGlycine Soja Sterols
Emollient
Retinyl Acetate
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Dimethyl Isosorbide
SolventHydroxypinacolone Retinoate
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Lactate
BufferingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingTetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Tocopherol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Squalane, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Phospholipids, Glycine Soja Oil, Glycolipids, Glycine Soja Sterols, Retinyl Acetate, Dimethicone, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Hyaluronic Acid, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Sodium Lactate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Sodium Hydroxide, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
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 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 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 RetinoateWater. 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
