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THE ORDINARY | GRANACTIVE RETINOID 2% IN SQUALANEThis review was originally part of my blog article titled, A Complete $100 Skincare Routine with The Inkey List, The Ordinary, Benton & More! You can catch the full piece here. — Okay, so who doesn’t have a love-hate relationship with Retinol, aka Vitamin A? It’s a rather complicated ingredient with multiple forms in varying strengths. If you’ve tried prescription strength Tretinoin or Retin-A, you know the affects are immediate —with signs of drying, sensitivity and redness. No pain, no gain, right? The experience isn’t for everyone. And a prescription-strength retinoid is not possible in a hundred-dollar routine. But skin can really benefit from Vitamin A, and from its multitude of benefits. According to the experts on the Paula Choice Research team,
So, Retinol is a must. The trick was finding one that was both well-formulated and inexpensive. We looked at options from all over the map and decided that one I’d had a great experience with just happened to be democratically priced, too. It’s the Granactive Retinoid 2% in Squalane from The Ordinary. Deciem actually offers six options — three conventional Retinol serums and three more potent Retinoids. I’ve used The Ordinary’s Retinol 0.2% in Squalane and both of the brand’s Granactive Retinoids in Squalane, in strengths of 2% and 5%. I have experienced little, if any, irritation at the 2% level and only moderate dryness around my mouth at the 5% strength. Of course, I love the fact that the formulas are in a Squalane base (it’s the #1 ingredient) which gives skin extra nourishment and moisture. I also love the high level of Bisabolol in the two Granactive Retinoids. Bisabolol is the active component of chamomile that helps to soothe skin and ameliorate any potential irritation. At just under ten bucks, you can’t go wrong with either option. SHOP THE BLOG: Purchase The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% in Squalane for $9.60 here. Purchase The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 5% in Squalane for $13.90 here. The Ingredient List of The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% in Squalane:
Overall Rating:
Product Type: Serum Size: 1 oz Price: $9.80 Cost Per Ounce: $9.80 Where To Buy: Click Here # Of Ingredients: 33 Interesting Ingredients: Caprylic, Benzoic Acid, Bisabolol
Overall Opinion:The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid is a really great retinol serum that will help plump the skin and help prevent further aging from happening. This retinol serum is thin and watery in consistency, and when it’s applied to the skin, it’s absorbed very quickly. Because the product is absorbed quickly by the skin and it dries fast, I found it was easiest to apply half the face at a time. I did one drop on one side, rubbed it in, and then did the other side. The product becomes a bit sticky as it dries, but after about 10 seconds, it goes away and leaves your face feeling super soft and hydrated. I was shocked at how quickly I started to see results with this product. After using it for a few nights, I woke up with brighter, glowing skin. I didn’t notice immediate differences in my wrinkles but I was impressed that my skin was looking good so fast. After using this product for a longer period of time, my fine lines and wrinkles started to fade and plump up. I also started to notice my dark marks and textured areas became lighter and smoother, and my face was overall looking nice. The only reason I didn’t give this product 5 stars was because some of the darker lines around my mouth didn’t change much. Overall, The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid is a great retinol serum that I will be using often to give my skin a better overall appearance and to target and correct my fine lines and wrinkles. Detailed Opinion:Texture/Feel The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid has a very thin and watery consistency when it’s first applied to the skin. As you rub it into the skin, it becomes a bit tackier and stickier but also feels soft at the same time. Application The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid is really easy to apply with the dropper applicator and you only need a few drops to cover the entire face. I would suggest applying to have of the face and rubbing that in, and doing the other half, followed by the neck because this product dries pretty quickly. Drying Time The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid takes about 10 seconds to dry. It becomes a bit tacky as it dries down, but once it’s dry, it leaves your skin feeling nice and soft. Smell The smell of The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid is basically non-existent; if anything, it just kind of smells like an unscented lotion. Short Term Results After using The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid for a short period of time, I noticed my face was hydrated and kind of had a natural glow to it. I didn’t notice any immediate differences in my fine lines and wrinkles, but overall my skin looked nice. Longer Term Results Over a longer period of time, The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid had a lot of really positive effects on my skin. I definitely noticed it started to fill in my fine lines and plump up some of my wrinkles. It also really helped with hyperpigmentation on my face and I was noticing less breakouts when using this serum. Ingredients Analysis The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid is filled with a bunch of interesting ingredients including: caprylic, benzoic acid, and bisabolol. Caprylic or capric triglyceride is derived from coconut oil and is used to replenish the skin. It helps with resurfacing of the skin and helps the skin retain moisture and hydration. Benzoic acid helps to fight off free radicals from the skin and helps maintain the skins PH as well as retain moisture. Lastly, bisabolol is used to help enhance the appearance of damaged skin by restoring moisture and stimulating the skin’s healing process. It also works to help other products penetrate deeper into the skin. These three ingredients should work well to help keep the skin moisturized as well as fight aging and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Price The cost of The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid is $9.80 for 1 oz of product. This is a pretty inexpensive price for a retinol serum, especially because this one works super well! Guarantee They have a 365-day money back guarantee. Where To Buy To buy The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid, click here. The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid: Summary
The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid Review What does the ordinary Granactive retinoid 2% do?This treatment visibly reduces the signs of aging without irritation. It diminishes the look of wrinkles and fine lines, brightens dark spots and hyperpigmentation, and smooths and refines the skin's texture.
Does Granactive retinoid really work?In fact, it's been shown that granactive retinoid has about the same efficacy as Tretinoin (one of the strongest forms of retinoids). Less side effects – Even though granactive retinoids are very strong and effective, they have less side effects than retinoids with similar strengths.
Can Granactive retinoid be used daily?You can incorporate granactive retinoid into your daily skincare routine with the correct formulation and delivery method. If you have very sensitive skin, consult your dermatologist about ingredient combinations to avoid.
How strong is Granactive retinoid compared to retinol?Granactive Retinoid shows up to 10x more stability than retinol in DMI especially when comparing the 50% residual content.
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