The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion for dry skin
Granactive Retinoid
Retinol
Glycerin
Ethyl Linoleate
Hydroxypinacolone RetinoateAverage
- HighDry Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for dry skin; other serums fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry skin: flakiness, tightness, dehydration, fine lines, and wrinkles. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works
Lovi Assistant explains
- Offers moderate skin treatment for your dry skin, as Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate and Retinol help minimize fine lines and wrinkles, while Glycerin and Caprylic Capric Triglyceride provide essential hydration and emollient benefits.
- The inclusion of Bisabolol and Tasmannia Lanceolata Leaf Extract further supports soothing and calming effects, making it generally well-tolerated for your dry skin.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of beneficial soothing components.
How to apply
- Apply this serum PM, starting 3×/week and working up to daily use as your skin adjusts.
- Place the serum after cleansing and toner, but right before your moisturizer.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin and let it absorb for a minute.
- Apply the serum on slightly damp skin to help lock in extra moisture.
- Avoid the eye area and do a patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.5Overall rating based on 1.5k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users find this product to be an excellent beginner-friendly retinoid, particularly for sensitive and acne-prone skin, due to its gentle, non-irritating formula. It is frequently noted for improving skin texture, brightness, and fine lines over time. Some users observe that results may be slower or less dramatic compared to stronger retinol treatments, and a few mention a short shelf life and packaging concerns.
Highlights
Gentle, non-irritating Mostly Mentioned
- “Did not irritate my sensitive skin.”
- “One of the easiest retinoids I've tried... doesn't sting.”
- “Perfect for beginners with sensitive, oily and acne prone skin.”
- “No harsh peeling or burning feeling.”
Improves texture Often Mentioned
- “Felt a change in the texture of my skin from the very first use.”
- “Skin looks brighter, pores appear tidier.”
- “Leaves my skin feeling plump the next day and a lot smoother.”
- “My skin is smoother and less wrinkled.”
Lightweight consistency Sometimes Noted
- “Absorbs well and is much less oily than retinol in squalane.”
- “Lightweight, milky texture disappears in seconds.”
- “Applies as lightly as an emulsion and doesn't feel rich.”
- “Glides on and vanishes, so layering... is effortless.”
Reduces acne Sometimes Noted
- “Helps prevent and fight acne breakouts.”
- “Noticed a visible change in dark spots.”
- “Less breakouts when using this serum.”
- “Helped with pigmentation texture issues.”
Short shelf life Sometimes Noted
- “Once opened, this formula should be refrigerated and used within a three-month period.”
- “Hard to use up within the recommended timeframe.”
- “Potency gradually decreasing over time.”
- “Expires in 3 months.”
Packaging issues Rarely Noted
- “Formula is very runny so fiddly to handle.”
- “Dropper picks up a bit too much product.”
- “Annoyed with dropper bottles... product is slightly exposed to air.”
Slow results Rarely Noted
- “Don't expect quick, dramatic results, as this seems to be a gentle formula.”
- “Needs patience for deeper lines.”
- “Dramatic wrinkle reduction takes time.”
- “Not as effective as retinol in terms of results.”
Unpleasant scent Rarely Noted
- “Smells like vitamins.”
- “Has an interesting smell to it.”
- “Not a fan of fragrance or scent of this product.”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.co.uk, sephora.com.au, theordinary.com, influenster.com, retinol.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion work for dry skin?
This treatment works moderately well for your dry skin, as its retinoids help smooth fine lines while glycerin and caprylic capric triglyceride provide hydration. Soothing ingredients like bisabolol make it generally well-tolerated, though other products fit this skin type better. A dry skin treatment needs rich hydrating ingredients, ceramides, niacinamide, or peptides to deeply nourish and support the skin barrier.
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for dry skin?
Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate and retinol help smooth fine lines, while glycerin and caprylic capric triglyceride provide essential hydration for your dry skin. To fit dry skin even better, a product of this type needs intensive barrier-supporting ingredients like ceramides, niacinamide, or peptides alongside deep hydrators.
What does Granactive Retinoid do for dry skin?
Granactive retinoid helps smooth fine lines and improve skin texture, but it may cause dryness or flaking on dry skin. To work well for dry skin, this type of product needs added soothing and moisturizing ingredients to keep the skin comfortable and soft.
Dermatology, 1999International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2026
What does Retinol do for dry skin?
Retinol is a poor fit for dry skin because it frequently causes scaling, stinging, and dryness. To care for dry skin properly, a product needs gentle, hydrating ingredients like ceramides, glycerin, and hyaluronic acid to lock in moisture and keep the skin barrier calm and smooth.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2019Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for dry skin?
This treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before your moisturizer. Dry skin of this type needs added ingredients like glycerin and heavy moisturizing oils to stay soft and prevent flaking.
Can I use this serum with vitamin C, and in what order?
You can use this serum with vitamin C by applying vitamin C in the morning and this treatment at night, or by alternating the nights you use each ingredient to prevent potential irritation on dry skin. Dry skin typically needs a product with richer nourishing oils and deep hydrators like ceramides or hyaluronic acid to fully support the skin barrier.
How often should I use this serum?
This treatment works well for your dry skin in the evening. A product of this type needs extra hydrating ingredients and soothing plant extracts to keep dry skin comfortable and calm.
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?
This product is unlikely to clog pores, cause breakouts, or lead to purging on dry skin, as its gentle formula lacks harsh ingredients and includes soothing components. A product of this type needs richer hydrators and barrier-protecting ingredients to fully care for dry skin.
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, which soften the skin.
What the research says
Topical application of an emollient emulsion containing 15.0% caprylic/capric triglyceride doubled the amount of urocanic acid isomers and increased skin hydration with reduced transepidermal water loss in healthy subjects, though it did not prevent ultraviolet-induced urocanic acid isomerization.
Life, 2023A single application of a moisturizing fluid containing hyaluronic acid 1%, glycerin 5%, and Centella asiatica stem cells extract significantly increased skin hydration by 29% and reduced transepidermal water loss at 24 hours compared to baseline and an untreated control site in twenty healthy women.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Hydroxypinacolone retinoate and retinyl propionate at a 5:9 weight ratio synergistically enhanced antiaging gene expressions in vitro and improved skin wrinkles, smoothness, transepidermal water loss, and elasticity in 42 Chinese urban women over an 8-week period without adverse reactions compared to retinol.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2023A topical serum containing hydroxypinacolone retinoate and peptides used twice daily for 16 weeks achieved parity or statistically significantly better improvement in facial aging parameters compared to a single fractional CO2 laser treatment in women with moderate global photodamage.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Combined probiotic supplementation and topical azelaic acid with hydroxypinacolone retinoate reduced non-inflammatory lesions from 11.5 to 7.3 and decreased microscopic acne features measured by reflectance confocal microscopy and dynamic optical coherence tomography in 20 patients over 12 weeks.
Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2023A new topical gel formulation reduced total acne lesions by 80% and GAGS scores by 78% after 8 weeks in 22 female patients with mild facial acne without impairing skin barrier function or causing side effects.
Giornale Italiano Di Dermatologia E Venereologia, 2020Topical 0.4% retinol significantly increased epidermal thickness, dermal vascularity, and extracellular matrix production by stimulating keratinocyte proliferation, endothelial cell proliferation, and fibroblast activation in naturally aged human skin compared to vehicle.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2017Topical bakuchiol 0.5% applied twice daily compared with retinol 0.5% applied daily significantly decreased wrinkle surface area and hyperpigmentation with no statistical difference between the compounds in 44 patients over 12 weeks, while retinol users reported more facial skin scaling and stinging.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2019Silicone particles encapsulating retinol increased its half-life by 9-fold and yielded 12-23% lower skin irritation in human subjects compared to Microsponge particles while maintaining biological activity.
Journal of Controlled Release, 2018The emollient V0034CR significantly reduced TEWL compared to vehicle and vehicle plus glycerol, and significantly increased corneometry scores compared to vehicle and vehicle plus petrolatum in healthy volunteers with dry skin, demonstrating combined barrier function improvement from petrolatum and hydration improvement from glycerol.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Ten days of treatment with a cream containing 20% glycerin significantly increased skin hydration measured by corneometer values in 17 healthy volunteers compared to a placebo cream, but showed no influence on transepidermal water loss or skin sensitivity to an irritating surfactant.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2001Niacinamide/glycerin body moisturizers provided better rapid and prolonged improvement of cosmetic xerosis through functional improvement of stratum corneum barrier function compared to no treatment and conventional moisturizers in female subjects.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2012Topical application of linoleic acid achieved an almost 25% reduction in the overall size of follicular casts and microcomedones over a 1-month treatment period in patients with mild acne compared to no change at placebo-treated sites.
Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 1998A lotion containing triethyl citrate and ethyl linoleate reduced Leeds grading, total, inflammatory, and noninflammatory lesion counts, and sebum production compared with a placebo in patients with mild to moderate acne.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2007Liposomal formulation of linoleic acid significantly enhances its skin whitening effect compared to non-liposomal forms in UV-stimulated guinea pig and human skin.
Biological & Pharmaceutical Bulletin, 2004A fixed combination of hydroxypinacolone retinoate, retinol glycospheres, and papain glycospheres in aqueous gel applied once daily for 12 weeks achieved a 41% mean reduction in GAGS score and a 40.8% mean reduction in total lesions, with 15.3% of patients experiencing mild to moderate local side effects, in 94 evaluable patients with comedonal-papular, mild to moderate acne of the face.
Giornale Italiano Di Dermatologia E Venereologia, 2015A 12-month maintenance treatment with a combination of hydroxypinacolone retinoate and retinol glycospheres resulted in a relapse rate of 15.38% in 39 patients with moderate facial acne following oral isotretinoin therapy.
Giornale Italiano Di Dermatologia E Venereologia, 2017Cotreatment with vitamin C and retinol derivatives (RP/HPR) at a 40:3 weight ratio inhibited UV-induced aging-associated gene transcription and SASP release while improving skin recovery in women.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Ethyl Linoleate, Propanediol, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Bisabolol, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, Retinol, Tasmannia Lanceolata Leaf Extract Fruit, Inulin Lauryl Carbamate, Glyceryl Stearate, Ceteareth-12, Ceteareth-20, Cetearyl Alcohol, Chondrus Crispus, Xanthan Gum, Acacia Senegal Gum, Cetyl Palmitate, Sucrose Laurate, Polysorbate 20, Isoceteth-20, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract Rosemary Leaf Extract, Hydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone, Behentrimonium Chloride, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Disodium Edta, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzoic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin
Behind this fit score
Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
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Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
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Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
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Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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