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The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 5% in Squalane Versus Kiehl's Micro-Dose Anti-Aging Retinol Serum with Ceramides and Peptide

The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 5% in Squalane Versus Kiehl's Micro-Dose Anti-Aging Retinol Serum with Ceramides and Peptide This anti-aging serum is formulated around Squalane and Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin tex

By Peptide Skincare & Beauty Editorial TeamPublished

The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 5% in Squalane Versus Kiehl's Micro-Dose Anti-Aging Retinol Serum with Ceramides and Peptide

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Squalane and Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Ceramide NP to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Squalane

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Bisabolol

Dimethyl Isosorbide

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate

Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract

Hydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone

Squalane, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Bisabolol, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Hydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone

Water

Glycerin

Butylene Glycol

Pentylene Glycol

Niacinamide

Cetyl Alcohol

Isohexadecane

Isononyl Isononanoate

Diisopropyl Sebacate

2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol

4-T-Butylcyclohexanol

Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester

Adenosine

Ceramide NP

Hydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine

Lauroyl Lysine

Octyldodecanol

Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate

Sodium Chloride

Sodium Hyaluronate

Sodium Hydroxide

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Retinol

Tocopherol

Dicaprylyl Ether

Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate

Behenyl Alcohol

Caprylyl Glycol

Carbomer

Cetearyl Alcohol

Cetearyl Glucoside

Glycine Soja Oil

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Hydroxyethylcellulose

Lecithin

Phenethyl Alcohol

Poloxamer 188

Polycaprolactone

Sorbitan Laurate

Steareth-100

CI 40800

Chlorphenesin

Phenoxyethanol

Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Cetyl Alcohol, Isohexadecane, Isononyl Isononanoate, Diisopropyl Sebacate, 2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol, 4-T-Butylcyclohexanol, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Adenosine, Ceramide NP, Hydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine, Lauroyl Lysine, Octyldodecanol, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Retinol, Tocopherol, Dicaprylyl Ether, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Behenyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Glycine Soja Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Lecithin, Phenethyl Alcohol, Poloxamer 188, Polycaprolactone, Sorbitan Laurate, Steareth-100, CI 40800, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol

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The reference edit

Ingredients, questions
& further reading.

Connected source records selected through this article’s public topic index.

01

Formula cabinet

Ingredients & structured notes

Ingredient index

Ingredients Explained

  1. 01These ingredients are found in both products.
  2. 02Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
  3. 03Glycine Soja Oil is a plant-derived oil from soybean seeds. Like other oils, it is rich in essential fatty acids (mostly linoleic and oleic) that support skin hydration and barrier function.
  4. 04The fatty acids are able to integrate into the lipid matrix of the stratum corneum to help soften skin and reduce water loss.
  5. 05On top of that, soybean oil is rich in vitamins like vitamin E, a potent antioxidant.
  6. 06Research on soybean's active components also point to anti-inflammatory, collagen-stimulating, antioxidant activity, and protection against UV-induced oxidative damage.
  7. 07Most of this research applies to the broader soybean plant and not just the oil fraction alone.
  8. 08This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe due to the oleic acid content.
  9. 09Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
  10. 10It 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.
  11. 11On 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.
  12. 12Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
  13. 13You'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.
  14. 14Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
  15. 15Safety-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.
  16. 16Adverse 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.
  17. 17Retinol is one of the most studied anti-aging ingredients in skincare (and for good reason!).
  18. 18It's a form of vitamin A that your skin converts into Retinoic Acid, the active molecule that actually does the work in your cells.
  19. 19That conversion happens in two steps: your skin first turns Retinol into Retinaldehyde (also called Retinal), then turns Retinaldehyde into Retinoic Acid.
  20. 20Retinol is converted to biologically active retinoic acid via retinaldehyde by dehydrogenases in a two-step oxidation process.
Source · skinsort.com ⟶
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