Retinoids = Results

Retinoids are derivatives of Vitamin A, and they’re some of the most effective active ingredients in skincare because of their ability to bond with the skin’s retinoid receptors and kickstart cellular regeneration.

There are many different types of Vitamin A derivatives out there, including retinoids, retinol, retinal, and retinyl palmitate. Though all these different derivatives work by bonding to the skin’s retinoid receptors, they vary widely in performance, strength and side effects.

That’s because in order to be effective on the skin, these derivatives need to convert to retinoic acid — the bioavailable form of Vitamin A that your skin actually uses. Each derivative type has a different number of conversion steps, and every additional step weakens the product’s potency. The more conversion steps, the less effective when it comes to Vitamin A.  

Additionally, in certain forms of Vitamin A derivatives like retinol or trentinoin, the trade-off for higher potency can often mean a higher incidence of side effects like inflammation, redness, discomfort and sensitivity.

Enter our favorite retinoid and the star ingredient of our Aqua A Serum — hydroxypinacolone retinoate. 

Hydroxypinacolone Reinoate, also known as HPR or Granactive Retinoid is a next-generation form of Vitamin A that delivers high performance with ultra low irritation potential. That’s because HPR is an ester form of retinoic acid, so it can bind directly to the skin’s retinoid receptors without conversion or loss of potency. 

Oil-based HPR is also much gentler on the skin than retinoic acid, making it  less likely to cause irritation and super friendly on sensitive skin. 

Thanks to its bioavailability, HPR is also much more stable than other forms of Vitamin A and has been shown to remain effective in the skin for up to 15 hours!