Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion versus Boost Lab Retinol Night Renewal Serum .
Last updated on May 06, 2024. Published on November 11, 2021
Overview
What they are
These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe serums. They have a total of 13 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain retinoid
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing, dark spots and better texture
Free From
They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, oils, parabens, silicones or sulfates
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.
Price
Ingredient Info
The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion 33 ingredients
Boost Lab Retinol Night Renewal Serum 17 ingredients
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
Contains Fragrance
Ingredients in this product that are forms of fragrance:
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Oil Free
This product is free of oils 🎉
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Vegan
This product is vegan 🎉
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
Fragrance Free
This product is free of fragrances 🎉
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Oil Free
This product is free of oils 🎉
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion 33 ingredients
Boost Lab Retinol Night Renewal Serum 17 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
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Concerns
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Notable Ingredients
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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Concerns
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion 33 ingredients
Boost Lab Retinol Night Renewal Serum 17 ingredients
Water • Glycerin • Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride • Ethyl Linoleate • Propanediol • Dimethyl Isosorbide • Cetearyl Isononanoate • Bisabolol • Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate • Retinol • Tasmannia Lanceolata Fruit/Leaf Extract • Inulin Lauryl Carbamate • Glyceryl Stearate • Ceteareth-12 • Ceteareth-20 • Cetearyl Alcohol • Carrageenan • Xanthan Gum • Acacia Senegal Gum • Cetyl Palmitate • Sucrose Laurate • Polysorbate 20 • Isoceteth-20 • Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract • Hydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone • Behentrimonium Chloride • Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate • Disodium EDTA • Dehydroacetic Acid • Benzoic Acid • Ethylhexylglycerin • Phenoxyethanol • Chlorphenesin
Water • Propanediol • Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride • Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice • Glyceryl Citrate/Lactate/Linoleate/Oleate • Dimethyl Isosorbide • Glycerin • Retinol • Tocopheryl Acetate • Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate • Xanthan Gum • Bisabolol • Polysorbate 20 • Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate • Citric Acid • Phenoxyethanol • Ethylhexylglycerin
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Water. 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. Talk about multi-purpose! If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterThe Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion contains this as ingredient number 1.
Boost Lab Retinol Night Renewal Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.
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 GlycerinThe Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion contains this as ingredient number 2.
Boost Lab Retinol Night Renewal Serum contains this as ingredient number 7.
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride is an emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
Within a product, Caprylic Triglyceride can thicken the product and make spreadability easier by dissolving clumping compounds. An added benefit of Caprylic Triglyceride is its antioxidant properties.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Caprylic Triglyceride has not been found to be toxic for human use in concentrations under 50%.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideThe Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion contains this as ingredient number 3.
Boost Lab Retinol Night Renewal Serum contains this as ingredient number 3.
Propanediol helps absorb ingredients into your skin, boosting their benefits. It can act as an emollient, making your skin softer. Propanediol can help products last longer by boosting the properties of preservatives within the formulation.
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use.
It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolThe Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion contains this as ingredient number 5.
Boost Lab Retinol Night Renewal Serum contains this as ingredient number 2.
Dimethyl Isosorbide is a solvent and helps deliver actives into your skin. It is created from sorbitol.
As a solvent, dimethyl isosorbide helps dissolve other ingredients. This helps ensure even distribution of an ingredient. It may also be used to decrease the thickness of a product.
Studies show dimethyl isosorbide is able to penetrate skin to deliver other ingredients into the skin, making them more effective.
Learn more about Dimethyl IsosorbideThe Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion contains this as ingredient number 6.
Boost Lab Retinol Night Renewal Serum contains this as ingredient number 6.
Bisabolol is pimarily used to add fragrance to a product. However, it is also famous for helping soothe skin.
Bisabolol comes from German chamomile essential oil. Synthetic Bisabolol has been shown to be less effective.
Bisabolol helps soothe skin. It does this by blocking the inflammatory signals, helping to reduce your body's reaction to irritation.
Bisabolol also interferes with the process of hyperpigmentation. This can help with reducing dark spots and uneven tone.
Bisabolol is an antioxidant. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells. By fighting these free-radicals, Bisabolol may slow down signs of aging.
Studies have shown Bisabolol to have antimicrobial properties and may be a fungicide. These properties help preserve a product's shelf life.
Bisabolol also helps the absorption of other ingredients.
Learn more about BisabololThe Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion contains this as ingredient number 8.
Boost Lab Retinol Night Renewal Serum contains this as ingredient number 12.
This 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 RetinoateThe Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion contains this as ingredient number 9.
Boost Lab Retinol Night Renewal Serum contains this as ingredient number 10.
Retinol is a gold-standard ingredient for anti-aging. It is a form of Vitamin A and belongs to the class of retinoids that also includes tretinoin.
Why is retinol famous?
It has the most scientific studies backing up its skin benefits out of all the non-prescription ingredients.
Retinol is proven to:
This is why retinol is effective at removing wrinkles, fading dark spots, treating acne, and reducing the appearance of pores.
Studies show retinol is less effective when exposed to UV. Be sure to look for appropriate packaging to keep your retinol potent (similar to Vitamin C).
Using retinol or any retinoids will increase sun-sensitivity in the first few months. Though studies show retinoids increase your skin's natural SPF with continuous use, it is best to always wear sunscreen and sun-protection.
We recommend speaking with a medical professional about using this ingredient during pregnancy.
Retinol may cause irritation in some people, so be sure to patch test. Experts recommend 'ramping up' retinol use: start using this ingredient once a week and work up to using it daily.
Read about Tretinoin
Learn more about RetinolThe Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion contains this as ingredient number 10.
Boost Lab Retinol Night Renewal Serum contains this as ingredient number 8.
Xanthan 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 GumThe Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion contains this as ingredient number 18.
Boost Lab Retinol Night Renewal Serum contains this as ingredient number 11.
Polysorbate 20 is made by combining ethoxylation of sorbitan, ethylene oxide, and lauric acid. It is a mild cleansing agent, surfactant, and emulsifier.
As a surfactant, it helps collect dirt and oils for washing. Emulsifiers prevent oils and water from separating.
Polysorbate 20 also adds scent to a product. Since it is made using sorbitol, it has a sweet scent. Sorbitol can also be found in fruits such as apples and peaches.
The lauric acid used to create Polysorbate 20 is often derived from coconuts.
Polysorbate 20 may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion contains this as ingredient number 22.
Boost Lab Retinol Night Renewal Serum contains this as ingredient number 13.
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate is used to help stabilize a product.
It is a chelating agent, meaning it helps prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This prevents unwanted reactions in products. Metal ions can come into a product via the water ingredient. They are found in trace amounts and are not known to be harmful.
The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion contains this as ingredient number 27.
Boost Lab Retinol Night Renewal Serum contains this as ingredient number 14.
Ethylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.
You might see Ethylhexylglycerin often paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol. Ethylhexylglycerin has been found to increase the effectiveness of these other preservatives.
The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion contains this as ingredient number 31.
Boost Lab Retinol Night Renewal Serum contains this as ingredient number 17.
Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent germ and 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.
The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion contains this as ingredient number 32.
Boost Lab Retinol Night Renewal Serum contains this as ingredient number 16.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion 33 ingredients
Boost Lab Retinol Night Renewal Serum 17 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion 33 ingredients
Boost Lab Retinol Night Renewal Serum 17 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion 33 ingredients
AshN.
(Used from 2019-2022) This was my very first introduction to using retinoids in my evening routine. With this product I felt that my skin texture...
(Used from 2019-2022) This was my very first introduction to using retinoids in my evening routine. With this product I felt that my skin texture and complexion was smoother and brighter. Very gentle formulation, so I felt no irritation at any point. As with most of The Ordinary's products, they make for a great budget buy. Only moved on from this product because I felt that my face was getting too used to it, and I stopped noticing large changes in improvement. Definitely would recommend for beginners looking to add a gentle retinoid to their routine.
Boost Lab Retinol Night Renewal Serum 17 ingredients
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