PDRN Has Quickly Taken Over Skin Care

Dobos also believes that rushing to jump on the PDRN bandwagon could be detrimental to the ingredient’s long-term reputation. “Frankly, we’ve all seen CBD in cosmetics. We weren’t sure about the benefits, but it sounded really interesting. This is another case of hype, but there’s not enough evidence for me to believe it,” she explains.

The same goes for topical exosomes, another mainstay of the regenerative skin care movement. Like PDRN, it is touted for its ability to rejuvenate the skin. And like PDRN, the big claims about exosomes are much bigger than the actual science.

Does regenerative skin care work?

The lack of data on PDRN and exosomes doesn’t mean regenerative skin care is a total hoax. Decades before PDRN and exosomes became routine, researchers were accumulating data on several ingredients that were proven to enhance skin function more efficiently. But at the time, these ingredients were not labeled as “regeneration” or “longevity” promoters.

Chemists and dermatologists we spoke to favored vitamin C and peptides, which stimulate the skin’s own collagen production. Nianisinamide, which regulates cellular melanin production. And retinoids… for everything really. Retinoids, also known as vitamin A derivatives, are one of a family of ingredients backed by decades of research that have been shown to induce collagen production and help create younger-looking skin in the long run.

You’ll probably find at least one of these other ingredients listed alongside PDRN in the formula breakdown. “This is the basic mechanics of skin care,” says Romanowski. It combines ingredients that “help marketers tell a story” with ingredients that actually “offer benefits like petroleum, mineral oil, and glycerin that no one wants to talk about.”

These ingredients may not have that new, weird glow, but they do have staying power. On the other hand, PDRN’s popularity “will probably wane in a year or two unless we get really good data and a way to stabilize it,” Dobos said.

But it won’t be easy or cheap, Mu says. “Formulators will need to use lower molecular weight PDRN and combine it with optimized delivery systems, and the sourcing of DNA fragments will be of paramount importance. Extraction quality, purity level, uniform fragment size distribution, all these considerations will lead to an increase in the cost of the ingredient.”

It’s more likely that PDRN will be replaced by the next weird thing, Romanovsky speculates, that will likely come from the world of biotechnology. “That’s what our industry is about,” he says. “Sometimes new ingredients can have a lasting impact, but most of what we use today is essentially the same as what we used in the ’90s. The technology hasn’t changed.” that many. “

However, it is packaged differently and has new and trendy ingredients added to it. “The beauty industry is a lot like the fashion industry: it’s always in need of new things,” Romanowski continues. “But at the end of the day, it comes down to pants and a shirt.”

Shop PDRN Product Recommendations

Here we introduce some of the products that utilize PDRN. While we can’t say for certain whether PDRN does any of the heavy lifting, each product contains ingredients that have proven benefits.

PDRN + Glycerin. While the exact benefits of PDRN may be unclear, this hydrogel mask is amazing. feel wonderful. “Hydrogel masks are water and a gelling agent that when mixed together and poured into a mold form a jelly-like mask that evaporates on the skin and leaves a very pleasant, cooling sensation,” Lam says. This pink version won’t disappoint. “It feels really good when you put it on overnight,” Lam adds, adding that while moisturizing ingredients like glycerin moisturize the skin, she suspects that PDRN is floating in the mask, “a bit like fruit in Jell-O.”

Rejuran

dual effect ampoule

PDRN + Ceramide. This K-Beauty Serum is Mou’s favorite. Mou likes that the brand’s clinical trials suggest the formula may repair the skin’s barrier and support collagen synthesis. It’s manufactured by Rejuran, “a biopharmaceutical company with a strong presence in Korean skin care,” she points out.