What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Propanediol
Solvent
Coco-Caprylate
Emollient
Dimethyl Isosorbide
SolventPolyglyceryl-6 Distearate
Emulsifying
Cellulose Acetate Butyrate
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate
Skin Conditioning
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Retinal
Skin Conditioning
Lactococcus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Plankton Extract
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningJojoba Esters
Emollient
Lecithin
Emollient
Pullulan
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTricaprylin
Perfuming
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Sodium Chloride
MaskingLactic Acid
Buffering
Citric Acid
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Propanediol, Coco-Caprylate, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, Cellulose Acetate Butyrate, Cetyl Alcohol, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, Retinol, Retinal, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Plankton Extract, Ceramide Ng, Tocopherol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Jojoba Esters, Lecithin, Pullulan, Sclerotium Gum, Xanthan Gum, Tricaprylin, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Caprylyl Glycol, Silica, Sodium Chloride, Lactic Acid, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
It helps thicken a product's formula and makes it easier to spread by dissolving clumping compounds.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. It is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid. In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Be sure to patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinThis 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 RetinoatePhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent 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.
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. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
