Deciem Review Series - The Ordinary - Advanced Retinoid 2% (Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion) - First Impressions
Welcome back to my blog, or if this is your first visit, welcome! Today I'll be continuing my series of reviews on products from Deciem's justifiably popular and budget friendly brand, The Ordinary. This review is for their Advanced Retinoid 2% (which is now known as Granactive Retinoid 2%), part of the first wave of retinoid treatments that was released by The Ordinary. There is now a more extensive range of retinoids available and in a later post, I'll be reviewing the Retinol 0.5% in Squalane, which is in my current rotation of products.
This product, as with the entire range of retinoids offered by The Ordinary, is used to target the signs of ageing. It's one of the pricier offerings, though it's a relative term, as it comes in at a very modest AU$17.90 for 30ml of product! As with all products from this category, this is used in the PM only, and it can increase skin sensitivity to sun exposure, so sunscreen during the day is a must (but isn't it always?). Retinoid products are quite well known for being irritating when you begin using them, the claim for this product is anti-ageing without the irritation usually experienced with similar products.
As I've noted in previous reviews, I have oily/dehydrated, acne-prone, somewhat sensitive and more mature skin. It's also worth noting that I had been using Retinol products prior to trialling this one, so I do have some basis for comparison. My previous Retinol product was a Retinol A 1% cream, which I found quite strong and tingly on application, though experienced no peeling or flaking.
Being a product that's sensitive to light, this is packaged in a dark glass bottle, as opposed to the frosted glass that's used for some of the others. I'd still highly recommend storing this somewhere that is dark and cool to protect it, though. It uses a dropper, as with the other product in this style of packaging, and is a creamy liquid, slightly yellow in colour.
Application is comfortable and a little goes a long way; you only need a couple of drops to do your entire face. I experienced absolutely no irritation using this product, which is fantastic. As stated previously though, I do have some experience with using Retinol products, so YMMV. I haven't noticed any issues when using this in a multi-step skincare routine, which is great - no pilling! This is quite a moisturising emulsion, so if you prefer something lighter, one of the new squalane based retinoid products might be more to your liking.
Overall, I found this to be a very gentle retinoid product, I think it would be a great way to introduce this kind of product to your regimen, if you haven't used them before and are concerned about irritation to the skin. In my opinion, a great product at an amazing price point.
As I've noted in previous reviews, I have oily/dehydrated, acne-prone, somewhat sensitive and more mature skin. It's also worth noting that I had been using Retinol products prior to trialling this one, so I do have some basis for comparison. My previous Retinol product was a Retinol A 1% cream, which I found quite strong and tingly on application, though experienced no peeling or flaking.
Being a product that's sensitive to light, this is packaged in a dark glass bottle, as opposed to the frosted glass that's used for some of the others. I'd still highly recommend storing this somewhere that is dark and cool to protect it, though. It uses a dropper, as with the other product in this style of packaging, and is a creamy liquid, slightly yellow in colour.
Application is comfortable and a little goes a long way; you only need a couple of drops to do your entire face. I experienced absolutely no irritation using this product, which is fantastic. As stated previously though, I do have some experience with using Retinol products, so YMMV. I haven't noticed any issues when using this in a multi-step skincare routine, which is great - no pilling! This is quite a moisturising emulsion, so if you prefer something lighter, one of the new squalane based retinoid products might be more to your liking.
Overall, I found this to be a very gentle retinoid product, I think it would be a great way to introduce this kind of product to your regimen, if you haven't used them before and are concerned about irritation to the skin. In my opinion, a great product at an amazing price point.
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