This anti-aging serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Retinal to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.
This acne treatment is formulated around Glycolic Acid and Azelaic Acid to clear breakouts and refine skin texture.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Retinal
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Chitosan
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate
Emulsifying
Dimethyl Isosorbide
SolventPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
4-T-Butylcyclohexanol
Masking
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSucrose Palmitate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate
Skin Conditioning
Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate
Skin Protecting
Tromethamine
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Brassica Campestris Sterols
EmollientLinoleic Acid
Cleansing
Cholesterol
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
PPG-13-Decyltetradeceth-24
EmulsifyingRetinyl Linoleate
Skin Conditioning
Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Skin ConditioningBeta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Aluminum/Magnesium Hydroxide Stearate
Emulsion StabilisingPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Silica
Abrasive
Isopropyl Lauroyl Sarcosinate
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Retinyl Retinoate
Skin Conditioning
Tris(Tetramethylhydroxypiperidinol)Citrate
StabilisingBenzotriazolyl Dodecyl P-Cresol
UV AbsorberXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Retinal, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Chitosan, Centella Asiatica Extract, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Root Extract, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Squalane, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Pentylene Glycol, Panthenol, 4-T-Butylcyclohexanol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sucrose Palmitate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, Tromethamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Allantoin, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Adenosine, Retinol, Bakuchiol, Retinyl Palmitate, Brassica Campestris Sterols, Linoleic Acid, Cholesterol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Ceramide NP, PPG-13-Decyltetradeceth-24, Retinyl Linoleate, Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Beta-Glucan, Aluminum/Magnesium Hydroxide Stearate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Silica, Isopropyl Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Tocopherol, Retinyl Retinoate, Tris(Tetramethylhydroxypiperidinol)Citrate, Benzotriazolyl Dodecyl P-Cresol, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningDipotassium Azelate
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
C12-13 Alkyl Lactate
EmollientMagnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Succinic Acid
BufferingAcrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDimethyl Isosorbide
SolventMagnesium/Aluminum/Hydroxide/Carbonate
Azelaic Acid
Buffering
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate
Skin Conditioning
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Water, Dipotassium Azelate, Glycolic Acid, C12-13 Alkyl Lactate, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Succinic Acid, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Magnesium/Aluminum/Hydroxide/Carbonate, Azelaic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, Laureth-7, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Reviews
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 (often shortened to DMI) is a sugar-derived solvent made from sorbitol. It's used to dissolve tricky ingredients and help them mix smoothly into a formula.
Many actives sit as gritty crystals when undissolved, so DMI swoops in to full dissolve them. This helps improve texture, stability, and how evenly an active is distributed.
It does have a penetration-enhancing reputation that is a bit more nuanced than marketing suggests; a cell study on human skin found that 10% DMI didn't significantly boost the permeation of Hydroquinone, Salicylic Acid, or Octadecenedioic Acid compared to controls (though it did improve their solubility in the formula itself).
Typical usage concentrations usually range from 1-10% depending on the formula's needs; this ingredient is also well tolerated at these levels.
Learn more about Dimethyl IsosorbideHydroxypinacolone Retinoate (aka Granactive Retinoid or HPR) is a retinoid that is part of the same vitamin A family as retinol.
It is an ester of retinoic acid that binds directly to your skin's retinoic acid receptors so it doesn't need your skin to convert it through several steps before it can do anything.
In practice, this means it does the classic retinoid jobs in a formula:
The best part is that it can do all this with noticeably less redness, flaking, and stinging than traditional retinoids.
That gentle reputation is backed by lab work as well; a 2018 study on skin models found that HPR triggered higher retinoid-gene activity than retinol, retinal, or retinyl propionate at the same concentrations while being less irritating to cells.
It also boosted procollagen production to levels similar to retinoic acid itself.
A 2023 study showed HPR works synergistically with retinyl propionate to switch on collagen-building pathways and a 2025 clinical serum study in women with mild photoaging saw improvements in wrinkles and elasticity (though that formula also contained retinol, peptides, and Silybin).
One naming quirk worth mentioning:
You'll likely see this ingredient sold under the trade name "Granactive Retinoid", which is actually only 10% HPR blended with 90% Dimethyl Isosorbide solvent. This means a 5% Granactive Retinoid really only means about 0.5% HPR.
Finished products typically land somewhere between 0.05-1% and it's happiest formulated at a mildly acidic to neutral pH (~5.5-6.5).
Another perk is that this is one of the more light- and temperature-stable retinoids which is a nice bonus for shelf life.
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. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
