✶

The Ordinary Buffet vs The Ordinary granact… — Which Is Better? | Gracie

Products
Ingredients
Brands
K-Beauty
How We Score

Gracie
/Compare
/The Ordinary Buffet
/vs
/The Ordinary granactive retinoid 2% emulsion

The Ordinary Buffet vs The Ordinary granactive retinoid 2% emulsion

Head to head

✶

The Ordinary

Buffet

serumbudget

8.8

Buy at Amazon

Compare

Best Moisturisers
Best Serums
Best Cleansers
Best SPF

Ingredients

Niacinamide
Retinol
Hyaluronic Acid
Salicylic Acid

K-Beauty

K-Beauty Hub
K-Beauty Moisturisers
K-Beauty Serums
K-Beauty Sunscreens

About

Methodology
About Us
All Brands
All Products

Gracie

Honest skincare intel. No jargon, no gatekeeping — just the ingredients decoded.

The Ordinary

granactive retinoid 2% emulsion

serum

6.6

Buy at Amazon

Score comparison

The Ordinary Buffet takes this one, winning 2 of 5 attributes.

The Ordinary wins 2

Tied 3

The Ordinary wins 0

8.8The Ordinary

+2.2vs

6.6The Ordinary

Attribute battle

Hydration Efficacy

The Ordinary WINS

8.7

4.6

The Ordinary

Irritation Risk

TIE

9.5

The Ordinary

Active Ingredient Strength

The Ordinary WINS

8.4

2.0

The Ordinary

Ingredient Transparency

TIE

8.5

The Ordinary

Formulation Safety

TIE

9.0

The Ordinary

Ingredient face-off

15% overlap

48The Ordinary

7Shared

24The Ordinary

Only in The Ordinary Buffet

41 unique

Aqua (Water)Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 Pentapeptide-18 Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer Sodium Hyaluronate Allantoin Glycine+31 more

Shared ingredients

7 in common

Glycerin Acacia Senegal Gum Xanthan Gum Polysorbate 20 Ethylhexylglycerin Phenoxyethanol Chlorphenesin

Only in The Ordinary granactive retinoid 2% emulsion

17 unique

Ingredients/ Ingrédients: Aqua (Water)Ethyl Linoleate. Propanediol Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride. Dimethyl Isosorbide Cetearyl Isononanoate Bisabolol. Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate. Retinol Tasmannia Lanceolata Fruit/Leaf Extract Inulin Lauryl Carbamate Glyceryl Stearate Ceteareth - 12. Ceteareth-20

Why The Ordinary Buffet comes out ahead

Where The Ordinary Buffet really shines is active ingredient strength, scoring 8.4 compared to The Ordinary granactive retinoid 2% emulsion's 2.0. Its formula features Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, and Allantoin in high positions, signalling meaningful concentrations.

Hydration Efficacy is another area of separation. The Ordinary Buffet scores 8.7 here versus 4.6 for The Ordinary granactive retinoid 2% emulsion. That difference comes down to how each formula is built — the ingredient list tells the story.

The Ordinary Buffet brings Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, and Allantoin as actives, while the Ordinary granactive retinoid 2% emulsion relies on Tasmannia Lanceolata Fruit/Leaf Extract. Both approaches have merit, but the positioning and supporting ingredients make the difference.

Best for your skin type

The Ordinary Buffet is better if you have

Sensitive skin — the low-irritation formula keeps things gentle
Dry or dehydrated skin that craves moisture, thanks to Glycerin
Targeting specific concerns like aging or uneven tone — Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 does the heavy lifting

The Ordinary granactive retinoid 2% emulsion is better if you have

Sensitive skin — the low-irritation formula keeps things gentle
Anyone who prefers clean, well-vetted formulations

Value comparison

The Ordinary Buffet comes in at budget pricing with a 8.8 score, which is solid value at that tier.

Our verdict

✶ Our verdict

+2.2 lead

The Ordinary Buffet wins this comparison with a meaningfully stronger ingredient profile and overall score.

✶

8.8The Ordinary

6.6The Ordinary

Frequently asked questions

Which is better: The Ordinary Buffet or The Ordinary granactive retinoid 2% emulsion?

Based on ingredient analysis, The Ordinary Buffet scores higher overall. See the full score breakdown above for details on each attribute.

Do The Ordinary Buffet and The Ordinary granactive retinoid 2% emulsion share ingredients?

Yes, they share common ingredients. Check the ingredient face-off section above for a detailed comparison.

What's the main difference between The Ordinary Buffet and The Ordinary granactive retinoid 2% emulsion?

The key differences are in their active ingredients and formulation approach. Check the attribute battle above for a detailed breakdown.

Full analysis: The Ordinary Buffet→Full analysis: The Ordinary granactive retinoid 2% emulsion→

We may earn a commission from purchases made through our links, at no extra cost to you. This helps us keep Gracie free and independent.

Some links on this site are affiliate links. We may earn a commission from purchases made through our links, at no extra cost to you. This helps us keep Gracie free and independent.

Cetearyl Alcohol

Carrageenan

+7 more