Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% in Squalane versus Minimalist Granactive Retinoid 02% .
Last updated on December 09, 2023. Published on December 01, 2022
Overview
What they are
These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe . They have a total of 3 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain retinoid
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, anti aging, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing, dark spots and better texture
Free From
They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances, 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.
Facial Treatment
Facial treatments are specially designed to treat a skin concern. Acne treatments and anti-aging products are common examples of facial treatments.
Serum
Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.
Price
Ingredient Info
The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% in Squalane 10 ingredients
Minimalist Granactive Retinoid 02% 38 ingredients
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 🎉
Contains Oils
Ingredients in this product that are types of oil:
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 🎉
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% in Squalane 10 ingredients
Minimalist Granactive Retinoid 02% 38 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
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This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Notable Ingredients
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient 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:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient 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% in Squalane 10 ingredients
Minimalist Granactive Retinoid 02% 38 ingredients
Water • Dimethyl Isosorbide • Ethoxydiglycol • Coco-Caprylate/Caprate • Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride • Propanediol • Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate • Tocopheryl Acetate • Arachidyl Alcohol • Behenyl Alcohol • Arachidyl Glucoside • Sodium Hyaluronate • Lysine • Histidine • Arginine • Aspartic Acid • Threonine • Serine • Glutamic Acid • Proline • Glycine • Alanine • Valine • Methionine • Isoleucine • Leucine • Tyrosine • Phenylalanine • Cysteine • 1,2-Hexanediol • Phenoxyethanol • Pullulan • Ethylhexylglycerin • Xanthan Gum • Hydroxyethylcellulose • Sclerotium Gum • Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate • Lecithin
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.
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% in Squalane contains this as ingredient number 4.
Minimalist Granactive Retinoid 02% contains this as ingredient number 5.
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% in Squalane contains this as ingredient number 5.
Minimalist Granactive Retinoid 02% contains this as ingredient number 2.
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% in Squalane contains this as ingredient number 7.
Minimalist Granactive Retinoid 02% contains this as ingredient number 7.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% in Squalane 10 ingredients
Minimalist Granactive Retinoid 02% 38 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% in Squalane 10 ingredients
Minimalist Granactive Retinoid 02% 38 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
Minimalist Granactive Retinoid 02% 38 ingredients
Alternatives
Our Dupe Finder has found 1 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% in Squalane.
See 1 alternativesOur Dupe Finder has found 31 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Minimalist Granactive Retinoid 02%.
See 31 alternatives
