HPR

What is it?

A retinoid ester that binds retinoic acid receptors without requiring metabolic conversion, marketed as a lower-irritation alternative to retinol, particularly for sensitive or Asian skin.

What does it do?

According to PubMed, a 2026 clinical study found a serum combining retinol, hydroxypinacolone retinoate (HPR), peptides and silybin significantly improved wrinkles, elasticity, hydration, barrier function and pigmentation in an 8-week trial in middle-aged Chinese women with mild photoaging, with excellent tolerability (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jocd.70627). A separate clinical study found a combination of HPR and retinyl propionate (ratio 5:9) improved skin wrinkles, smoothness, TEWL and elasticity over 8 weeks in 42 Chinese women with little to no adverse effect, compared to a markedly higher adverse-effect rate for retinol alone at the same concentration in a 33-subject patch test (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jocd.15662).

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