What Are Growth Factors in Skincare—And Are They Worth the Hype?

Curious about growth factors in skincare? Learn the science behind how they work, the pros and cons, and whether The Ordinary’s GF 15% Solution is worth the hype.

Goodbye peptides! So long, retinol! There’s a new anti-aging miracle worker in town (or so the skincare world would have us believe).

Enter: growth factors, an ingredient that’s been quietly gaining popularity for the last couple of years, but usually in the form of high-end serums and creams with price tags well north of $100. At the time, the science didn’t justify the splurge, especially when there were plenty of other proven anti-aging ingredients available for less.

So, what changed? Well, now, mass brands like The Ordinary and The INKEY List have entered the growth factor game with incredibly affordable product options. I figured it was finally time to give this ingredient a proper look. What exactly are growth factors, and do they live up to the hype? I dove into the science—and tested out The Ordinary’s serum—to find out.

What Are Growth Factors?

Imagine that your skin has tiny little messengers running around, telling it when to heal, grow, and bounce back. That’s basically what growth factors are—natural proteins your body makes to help with repair and regeneration. As we get older, our skin doesn’t make as many of them, which is why things start to look a little less…bouncy. That’s where growth factor skincare steps in to give your skin a gentle nudge to act like its younger self.

Where Do Growth Factors Come From?

The good news is that scientists have found ways to replicate these proteins from different sources and include them in skincare, the not-so-good news is that research around these cosmetic growth factors is pretty limited.

Growth factors in skincare are usually derived from:

• Human stem cells Often ethically sourced from bone marrow, adipose tissue, or skin. These are biologically similar to our own, but they tend to come with a hefty price tag and moral ambiguity around the ethics of sourcing.

• Snail mucin Yes, really—everyone’s favorite Korean staple actually contains natural growth factors. Snail secretion is rich in glycoproteins and has been shown to aid skin repair, which is why it’s so popular in K-beauty.

• Bioengineered plant sources like barley, rice, or soy. These are a more sustainable and ethical option, and brands like The Ordinary use this route, but the research around their efficacy is much more limited compared to animal-derived growth factors.

• Synthetic peptides that mimic the activity of real growth factors. These lab-designed molecules aim to stimulate similar pathways in the skin, without using actual growth factors.

Each source has its pros and cons—plant-based and synthetic options avoid ethical concerns, while human-derived ones may have a closer match to our skin’s own biology.

So What Do Growth Factors Do for Your Skin?

Let me reiterate: Compared to gold-standard ingredients like retinoids or peptides, the research on growth factors is still relatively new and limited—especially when it comes to how well they work when applied topically. But that doesn’t mean they’re not worth exploring.

If you’re in this for the long haul, growth factors may help support real, visible improvements in your skin. While we’re still waiting on more definitive studies, early research—and some anecdotal evidence—suggests they could be a helpful tool to:

• Stimulate collagen and elastin production

• Improve skin firmness and bounce

• Help fade fine lines and wrinkles

• Speed up wound healing (including post-procedure)

If you’re dealing with fine lines, signs of aging, or your skin just feels like it’s lost a step, growth factors may help bring that resilience back.

An Honest Review of The Ordinary GF 15% Solution

The Ordinary’s GF solution combines 3 types of plant-derived growth factors into a 15% solution that claims to help minimize and repair visible skin damage.

First Impressions

As someone who hates spending interminable minutes pressing heavy products into my skin, I was immediately obsessed with the texture of this growth factor solution.

The serum itself is colorless and fragrance-free, with a water-like consistency that’ll make you question if you’re even applying anything on to your face. The lightweight, non-sticky texture was perfect for my oily/combination, acne-prone skin and absorbs in instantly, making it easy to layer with other products.

How to Use

While this should theoretically fit easily into any routine, day and/or night, The Ordinary recommends not using it alongside exfoliating acids or vitamin C. They don’t specify why this is the case, and I’ve not heard other growth factor serums providing this recommendation, so I can only assume there’s some ingredient in there that may cause irritation when used together with vitamin C or exfoliating acids.

In any case, that meant I couldn’t use this product in my morning routine, where I also use vitamin C. So I only ended up incorporating it into my night time routine, instead of the recommended twice daily. Whether this impacted the results, I can’t say.

Results After 2 Weeks

Usually, I’d give a product at least a month before declaring any results, but The Ordinary themselves make some remarkable claims about this product, including: Immediate improvement in the look of rough skin, visible wrinkle repair in just 1 week, and visible skin regeneration in just 2 weeks.

Those are some big claims. But did The Ordinary GF15% Solution live up to them?

Well, yes and no. There is definitely an instant hydrating and smoothing effect from using this product, which I really like. Plus, it does actually feel soothing on the skin, so I can imagine it being a great option for those who’ve damaged their skin or just undergone any in-clinic procedures and are looking for damage repairing products.

However, when it comes to the anti-aging claims, 2 weeks in, I can’t say I see a huge improvement in fine lines and wrinkles. I’ll admit that I already had a retinoid and peptides in my routine before I started using growth factors, so maybe the difference was never going to be remarkable in my case. Plus the 2-week timeline was…optimistic, to say the least. Maybe longer term usage is required to see these anti-aging results. Either way, I didn’t see the visible results they promised in this area.

Final Verdict: Are Growth Factors Worth the Hype?

Like with most “miracle ingredients”, it’s important to take the hype with a giant fistful of salt. There just isn’t enough evidence on the efficacy of growth factors right now, and my experience with them—albeit limited to a plant-derived version—hasn’t convinced me to ditch my retinoids or peptides quite yet.

Pros:
✅ Instant hydrating and smoothing effect
✅ Support for skin repair and overall skin health
✅ Better texture and overall tone

Cons:
❌ Lack of proven research around their efficacy and whether our skin can absorb them (especially for the plant-derived versions)
❌ Clinically tested formulations come with a hefty price tag
❌ Effects on fine lines and wrinkles aren’t dramatic, anti-aging results likely take a long time to take effect (if at all)

As someone who’s investing in the long-term health of my skin, I did see enough to at least use up the whole bottle, but as for a repurchase or even trying one of the more expensive formulas? I’m not sure yet.

If you’ve tried one of the ultra luxury growth factor products from Allies of Skin, SkinMedica, or any other boujie brand, I’d love to hear your experience in the comments below.

About The Skinimalist

Hi, I’m Mal, a 30-something recovering skincare addict, and this is my blog. A space where I attempt to de-influence you from chasing trends and buying more skincare products you may not need.

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