The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion

Name: The Ordinary - Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion
Brand: The Ordinary

Something wrong? Edit here

Can it work? Irritants Ingredient concentrations Sources Similar products Q&A Where to buy

WORKS FOR

Anti-aging
Anti-oxidation
Exfoliation
Evens skin tone
Anti-blemish
Moisturizing
+3 more

KEY INGREDIENTS

retinol
hydroxypinacolone retinoate
bisabolol
caprylic/capric triglyceride
cetearyl alcohol
cetyl palmitate
ethyl linoleate
glycerin
+5 more

PROMISES
FULFILLED

93 /100

IRRITANCY

MEDIUM

Compare

Where to buy?

In stock $17.00

BUY

Price as of 5/20/2022 13:17 GMT. More info

Beauty Bay

In stock Check price on site

BUY

Links might be affiliated. Read disclaimer

Formula review

See a mistake?

Promise

What does the product description say?

"The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% High Strength Vitamin and Mineral Blemish Formula 30ml"

Lookfantastic

WIMJ summary

This product can help reduce breakouts and clogged pores because it contains the following ingredient: hydroxypinacolone retinoate, retinol. These ingredients is used for treating acne and can have a noticeable effect.

In addition, this product contains ethyl linoleate. It can help in reducing blemishes, even though it is less effective.

Ingredient	Effectiveness	Concentration	Irritancy
retinol	HIGH
ethyl linoleate	HIGH
hydroxypinacolone retinoate	HIGH

See a mistake?

Promise

What does the product description say?

"Both forms of retinoid used avoid the irritation associated with retinoids (including retinol) use while delivering better visible results against signs of aging."

Sephora Hong Kong

WIMJ summary

This product can help reduce and prevent fine lines and wrinkles, improve skin elasticity and firmness because it contains hydroxypinacolone retinoate, retinol.

Keep in mind that it typically takes at least 6 weeks to notice any results because the changes that are needed to improve fine lines and elasticity happen in the deeper layers of the skin. No topical anti-aging product can “erase” wrinkles or fully reverse signs of aging.

Ingredient	Effectiveness	Concentration	Irritancy
hydroxypinacolone retinoate	HIGH
retinol	HIGH

See a mistake?

Promise

What does the product description say?

"An advanced retinoid which, unlike others, doesn't need to be converted into the active form of Vitamin A in the skin, making it better at treating dark spots and wrinkles than other retinoids."

Beauty Bay

WIMJ summary

This product can help reduce hypepigmentation and even out the skin tone because it contains the following effective ingredients: hydroxypinacolone retinoate, retinol.

The following ingredient (ingredients) in this product might be helpful, but there is no evidence to confirm that it actually can help even out the skin tone: ethyl linoleate.

Keep in mind that you would need to apply any topical skincare targetted at hypigmentation consistently for a couple of months to get a result. No topical skincare product can help get rid of hyperpigmentation (including post-acne marks and age spots) instantly.

Ingredient	Effectiveness	Concentration	Irritancy
hydroxypinacolone retinoate	HIGH
retinol	HIGH
ethyl linoleate	LOW

See a mistake?

WIMJ summary

This product can help exfoliate the skin. In other words, it helps break down the bonds between dead cells on the surface of the skin and speed up the skin turnover. Skin often appears softer and brighter after exfoliation, but overdoing it can result in disrupted skin barrier. The following ingredient is doing the exfoliating job in this product: retinol.

Ingredient	Effectiveness	Concentration	Irritancy
retinol	HIGH
hydroxypinacolone retinoate	MEDIUM

See a mistake?

Promise

What does the product description say?

"Hydroxypinacolone Reinoate ."

Beauty Bay

WIMJ summary

This product can help improve hydration of the skin with the two types of ingredients.

The first type is called “humectants”:
these ingredients help attract water. When humectants are on the surface of the skin, they “pull in” the moisture from the outside environment, or from within deeper layers of the skin. The following ingredients in this product do the job: glycerin.

This product also contains ingredients called “occlusives”. They help reduce the speed with which our skin loses moisture to the outside environment. These ingredients also help soften the upper layer of the skin, so it feels less tight and nicer to the touch. The following ingredients in this product do the job: ethyl linoleate, cetearyl alcohol.

Ingredient	Effectiveness	Concentration	Irritancy
ethyl linoleate	HIGH
glycerin	HIGH
cetyl palmitate	MEDIUM

See a mistake?

WIMJ summary

This product contains antioxidants (retinol) that can help neutralize free radicals in skin. By doing so, they can lessen the damage the skin gets from the UV light (sun).

Ingredient	Effectiveness	Concentration	Irritancy
retinol	HIGH
bisabolol	LOW

Potential irritants

IRRITANCY

MEDIUM

Ingredient	Irritancy	Skin Benefit
ethyl linoleate
retinol
hydroxypinacolone retinoate

Ingredients by volume

Ingredient	Estimated concentration
water Plain old water	45% - 55%
ethyl linoleate Helps reduce acne and blemishes. Helps to soften the upper layer of the skin and reduce inflammation. Might be helpful in reducing hyperpigmentation and evening out the skin tone, but evidence of effectiveness in skin are lacking	6.1% - 7.5%
propanediol Acts as a solvent for other ingredients. Speeds up the absorption of other ingredients into the skin	4.1% - 5%
glycerin One of the best moisturizing ingredients. Naturally present in skin. It attracts water to the upper layer of the skin working as a humectant	3.1% - 3.8%
cetearyl isononanoate An emollient that softens the skin and helps prevent moisture loss.	2.5% - 3%
bisabolol An active component of chamomile plant that historically has been used to calm down irritated skin. A recent study shows that bisabolol indeed can have some anti-inflammatory effect on skin, even though conclusive data is lacking. Bisabolol has a sweet floral scent and can be added to products for its aromatic properties	1.9% - 2.3%
retinol Two steps removed from the active form of vitamin A - retinoic acid. Once converted to the retinoic acid in the skin, retinol is proven to be effective against all signs of aging. It improves skin cell turnover, helps fight blemishes and clogged pores, can regulate excess oil production and even skin tone. It can, however, be quite irritating	1.6% - 2%
hydroxypinacolone retinoate A derivative of the most potent form of vitamin A, retinoic acid. The ingredient can be sold under name Granactive Retinoid. Note that if a skincare brand discloses the concentration of Granactive Retinoid in a product, the concentration refers to a diluted form of Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate: 1% of Granactive Retinoid corresponds to 0.1% of Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate. Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate (HPR) is a unique derivative of retinoic acid because it can directly work in the skin and does not require additional conversion steps. According to studies done by the manufacturer on models of human skin (not real people), this derivative is more effective than other cosmetic versions of retinoids (such as retinol, retinaldehyde, and retinyl palmitate), and, at the same time, causes less irritation. It has been also demonstrated to be more stable than retinol which makes formulating with easier and increases the chances that a product with it will maintain its effectiveness after opening. The packaging should still ideally be air-tight. HPR is available over the counter in the EU, UK, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, but is only with a prescription in Canada.	0.1% - 0.15%
tasmannia lanceolata fruit/leaf extract	1.1% - 1.4%
dimethyl isosorbide Used to dissolve other ingredients in a product and can enhance their ability to penetrate the skin	0.95% - 1.2%
inulin lauryl carbamate	0.7% - 1.05%
glyceryl stearate An emollient that softens the skin and forms a protective layer on its surface. Helps water and oil mix together	0.65% - 0.95%
ceteareth-12 Helps water and oil mix together	0.55% - 0.8%
ceteareth-20 Helps oil and water mix together. Has some emollient properties	0.55% - 0.85%
cetearyl alcohol A non-drying alcohol. Works as an emollient. Helps water and oil mix together and creates a nice product texture	0.5% - 0.75%
carrageenan Helps thicken the product formula and create a nice product formulation	0.45% - 0.65%
acacia senegal gum Helps mask the small of other ingredients and improve the product texture	0.45% - 0.65%
caprylic/capric triglyceride A good mix of fatty acids that forms a protective layer on the skin. Improves the shelf life of products. Derived from coconut and glycerin	0.45% - 0.65%
cetyl palmitate An emollient that helps soften the skin and is used to improve product texture and stability	0.3% - 0.55%
sucrose laurate Helps oil and water mix together. Can be used as a cleansing agent	0.3% - 0.5%
polysorbate 20 Helps oil and water mix together	0.25% - 0.45%
behentrimonium chloride	0.05% - 0.1%
disodium edta Stabilizes the product formulation	0.15% - 0.3%
dehydroacetic acid A preservative	0.1% - 0.25%
benzoic acid A preservative	0.15% - 0.3%
ethylhexylglycerin A preservative	0.1% - 0.2%
phenoxyethanol A preservative. It helps prevent bacterial growth in cosmetic products	0.15% - 0.25%
chlorphenesin A preservative	0.1% - 0.15%
Show more