Cited skincare — peer-reviewed evidence, no upsell.Hy
Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate
Hydroxypinacolone RetinoateActive
Retinoid ester that binds retinoic-acid receptors directly. Better tolerated than retinol; less evidence than tretinoin.
What it does
Hydroxypinacolone retinoate (HPR) is a retinoic acid ester. Unlike retinol, which the skin converts in two enzymatic steps, HPR binds retinoid receptors directly. The result is retinoid-like activity with a gentler tolerance profile. Marketed as 'Granactive Retinoid' in The Ordinary's lineup. The evidence base is thinner than for tretinoin or retinol, but tolerance reports are consistently better. Pregnancy contraindication treats HPR like other retinoids out of caution despite the limited absorption data.
The evidence, graded
strongAll topical retinoids — tretinoin, adapalene, retinol, retinaldehyde, retinyl palmitate, and hydroxypinacolone retinoate — are not recommended during pregnancy. Direct human data exist mainly for the prescription retinoids (tretinoin, adapalene); the caution extends to the others as a precautionary class-effect. Data on inadvertent exposure reassure but aren't strong enough to recommend any retinoid in pregnancy.Kaplan 2015 · British Journal of Dermatology ↗ Graded per the methodology: strong · moderate · emerging · expert consensus. A weak source on a strong claim gets the weaker label.
Also known as
hpr, granactive retinoid
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