If you used retinol, which is a vitamin A derivative, before, you have probably experienced the common side effects of it. Like redness, irritation, or even peeling skin.
It’s ok to have a love hate relationship with Retinol. It is meant to treat everything from acne to fine lines and hyperpigmentation. But what if I told you there is a next gen vitamin A derivative that offers the same benefits without the side effects?
It exists! And it’s called Granactive Retinoid.
Welcome to another episode of Skincare Secrets…
Before I tell you all about this super skin-friendly ingredient, I want to tell you a short story of how I came across Granactive Retinoid and why I started looking for a retinol alternative…
I started formulating a retinol serum for Open Formula 18 months ago. Retinol is such a classic that I thought we could not start a line of clinical skincare without it. But after a dozen iteration, I was faced with a dilemma. My approach to formulating skincare is to push the concentrations of the functional ingredients as high as I can safely so they can actually deliver benefits. And not just make marketing claims to sell stuff.
As we kept increasing the concentration of retinol in this serum, I was giving it to my core group of skincare enthusiasts to try it out. And when we went beyond a certain concentration, which wasn't very high number of people who noticed irritation significantly increased. It’s “expected” because that’s how retinol works - through inflammation actually. But it’s not a great experience. And yes, you can start low, and gradually build up a tolerance. But you know patience is in short supply nowadays.
And not to bore you with skincare formulation too much… but retinol is not very stable and when exposed to light, it oxidizes easily. So it goes bad. And can actually hurt your skin instead of helping it.
So I started searching for alternatives. And that’s how Granactive Retinoid actually popped on my radar.
Before we get to it, let’s talk about why people love retinol. It is commonly used in anti-aging formulas because it can increase skin cell activity to stimulate collagen and increase exfoliation. These are essential in the process of fighting and reversing the signs of aging.
What do they hate about retinol? The side effects. You must start in low concentrations to allow your skin to get used to it. And you don’t know what your skin’s reaction is going to be.
Because the nature of retinol is to cause inflammation in order to speed up the exfoliation process to get rid of dead skin cells. So you can see flaking, redness, irritation. You can feel a stinging sensation that can last long after your original application. Retinol is suggested for nighttime use because it can make your skin extremely sun sensitive.
With all these side effects, why would we still use retinol? Because it works. I don’t know of another cosmetic ingredient that has more research published on it documenting its efficacy. It can be used to effectively treat things like acne, wrinkles, and dark spots. But the side effects...
Lucky for us, science and skincare technology keeps improving. Science is taking ingredients and finding ways to make them better and limit the negative effects they can have on our skin.
One of those ingredients is Granactive Retinol, think of it as a cousin to retinol. Scientifically speaking, it belongs to a group of chemical compounds that contain natural and synthetic derivatives of Vitamin A. It is a cosmetic grade ester of all-trans retinoic acid.
Granactive retinol is a more advanced retinoid alternative. Most retinoids need to be broken down over and over into more active forms before they start signaling the skin cells to carry out their anti-aging duties. Granactive Retinoid doesn’t need to be broken down to become active.
It binds with retinoid receptors which turn on and off different cell functions. These functions speed up the exfoliation process of forcing dead skin cells to be removed and stimulation of skin proteins such as collagen and keratin to make the skin plump and firm. All of this with no to minimal side effects!
But what results can you expect with Granactive Retinol?
It has been found to fill and soften fine lines and wrinkles. It can increase skin elasticity for firmer and smoother skin. It helps to lighten dark spots for a more even skin tone. It helps to keep the skin clear and healthy. It has been dermatologically tested and found to be less irritating than retinol.
Granactive Retinoid helps renew skin plumpness. It stimulates skin cell proliferation, which helps restore thickness to skin that has become thinner over time. It also promotes cell turnover, which translates into improves skin ...
09/13/19 • 8 min
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