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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% in Squalane versus The INKEY List Retinol Anti-Aging Serum .

Last updated on December 09, 2023. Published on April 02, 2021

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, dry skin, 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 or sulfates

What's Inside

They both contain oils

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 Canadian Brand Canada
Serum British Brand United Kingdom

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

Shop

Buy Granactive Retinoid 2% in Squalane

Starts at $11.70
Shop

Buy Retinol Anti-Aging Serum

Starts at $15.00

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Notable Ingredients

Retinoid

Benefits

Hydrating (2)
Good For Oily Skin
Reduces Irritation
Skin Texture
Reduces Large Pores
Anti-Aging
Dark Spots
Scar Healing
Acne Fighting

Concerns

Drying
Irritating

Notable Ingredients

Retinoid (2)
Vitamin C
Vitamin E (2)
Hyaluronic Acid
Peptides (2)

Benefits

Hydrating (3)
Good For Oily Skin (2)
Redness Reducing
Skin Texture (4)
Reduces Large Pores (2)
Anti-Aging (5)
Dark Spots (3)
Scar Healing (4)
Acne Fighting (2)
Brightening (5)

Concerns

Drying (2)
Irritating (4)
Eczema
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Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

1
What it does: Emollient, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

Squalane is an emollient that helps the skin hold onto moisture. It's an oily liquid that occurs naturally in certain types of fish and plant oils.

Because squalane boosts hydration in the skin, it also comes with plenty of benefits: it is an antioxidant and can help fight free radicals and skin damage. Squalane is also found to have a detoxifying effect when applied.

Squalane comes from squalene, which occurs naturally within the sebum of our skin. It is one of the oils our skin produces to keep itself hydrated. Squalane is the hydrogenated version of squalene and has a longer shelf life.

Research shows that squalane is non-irritating (even at 100% concentration).

In general, it's a fantastic ingredient. It does a great job at hydrating the skin, and it's suitable for those with sensitive skin.

The source of squalane may impact malassezia / fungal acne. This is because olive oil derived squalane can contain impurities such as fatty acids and plant waxes. Sugarcane derived squalane is recommended for anyone with malassezia concerns.

Is squalane vegan? This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.

Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.

Read more about squalene with an "e".

Learn more about Squalane

The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% in Squalane contains this as ingredient number 1.

The INKEY List Retinol Anti-Aging Serum contains this as ingredient number 11.

2
What it does: Solvent
Community Rating: Disliked

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 Isosorbide

The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% in Squalane contains this as ingredient number 5.

The INKEY List Retinol Anti-Aging Serum contains this as ingredient number 12.

3
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate is a form of retinoid. It can be good for be good for oily skin. It can help to improve skin texture, reduce large pores, reduce the effects of aging, reduce the visibility of dark spots, heal scars, and fight acne. It can be bad for dry skin and cause irritation.

The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% in Squalane contains this as ingredient number 7.

The INKEY List Retinol Anti-Aging Serum contains this as ingredient number 22.

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.

40% are loved or liked
30% have mixed ratings
20% are disliked or very disliked
10% have no rating yet
55% are loved or liked
10% have mixed ratings
35% are disliked or very disliked
0% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

When to use

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Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% in Squalane 10 ingredients

3.0 /5
from 1 review

The INKEY List Retinol Anti-Aging Serum 31 ingredients

3.3 /5
from 4 reviews
YousifShamoon's Avatar'
Apr 15, 2023

not doing anything?
i've been using this for 2-3 weeks and i see no difference. i know you're supposed to wait 6 weeks and see but i'm using this every single night and i'm not even purging in the slightest. i had a breakout before i...

not doing anything?
i've been using this for 2-3 weeks and i see no difference. i know you're supposed to wait 6 weeks and see but i'm using this every single night and i'm not even purging in the slightest. i had a breakout before i started using this and the breakout is still there which also shows that the product is doing nothing. i will finish the product to see if anything happens but my assumption is that it's too weak and my skin can take more, since my skin was used to benzyl peroxide twice a day since i was using effaclar duo+ for 3-4 months.

Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 1 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% in Squalane.

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Our Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to The INKEY List Retinol Anti-Aging Serum.

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