This anti-aging serum is formulated around Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate and Retinol to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.
This anti-aging serum is formulated around Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate and Tocopheryl Acetate to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.
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.
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that 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. Just 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.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
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 EthylhexylglycerinHydroxypinacolone 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 RetinoatePhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolWater. 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
