Dobos also thinks the rush to jump on the PDRN bandwagon could be detrimental to the ingredient’s long-term reputation. “We saw it with CBD in cosmetics, too, frankly; we just weren’t sure of the benefits of it, but it sounded really interesting. This is another case where there’s a lot of hype, but not enough substantiation for me to put my faith in it,” she explains.
The same could be said for topical exosomes, the other darling of the regenerative skin-care movement: Like PDRN, they are being hyped for their ability to make skin act younger. And like PDRN, the massive claims about exosomes are much bigger than the actual science.
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Does any regenerative skin care work?
Just because there’s a lack of data on PDRN and exosomes, that doesn’t mean regenerative skin care is a complete hoax—far from it. Decades before PDRN and exosomes were the elements du jour, researchers were amassing data on a handful of ingredients that have since been well-proven to help skin function more efficiently. But back then, those ingredients weren’t labeled as “regenerative” or “longevity” drivers.
The chemists and dermatologists we spoke with like vitamin C and peptides for boosting skin’s own collagen production; nianiacinamide for regulating cells’ melanin production; and retinoids for…everything, really. Retinoids, a.k.a. vitamin A derivatives, are one family of ingredients backed by decades of research showing they can trigger collagen production and help create skin that looks younger in the long run.
You’ll probably find at least one of these other ingredients listed alongside PDRN in formula breakdowns. “That’s essentially how skin care works,” says Romanowski; the ingredients that “help the marketing people tell a story” get combined with the ones that are actually “providing the benefits—your petroleum, your mineral oils, your glycerins that nobody wants to talk about.”
These ingredients may not have the shine of being new and strange, but they do have staying power. The popularity of PDRN, meanwhile, “will probably fade in a year to two, unless we get some really good data and ways of stabilizing it,” says Dobos.
But that won’t be easy, or cheap, says Mou: “Formulators would have to work with smaller molecular-weight PDRN, pair it with an optimized delivery system, and the sourcing of the DNA fragments would be of utmost importance. Extraction quality, purity level, uniform fragment size distribution—all of these considerations lead to an increase in the cost of the ingredient.”
It’s more likely that PDRN will be replaced by the next oddball thing, which will probably come from the biotech world, guesses Romanowski. “That’s where our industry is going,” he says. “Sometimes new ingredients have a lasting impact, but most of the stuff that you’re using now is essentially the same as you were using in the ’90s. The technology hasn’t changed that much.”
It does, however, get packaged differently and spruced up with the latest trendy ingredient. “The beauty industry is very much like the fashion industry, where they always need something new,” Romanowski continues. “But at the end of the day, it’s still pants and shirts.”
Shop our PDRN product picks
Here are some of our picks for PDRN-spiked products. We can’t say for sure if PDRN is doing any heavy lifting, but each product includes ingredients that have proven benefits.
Medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Gel Mask
Medicube
PDRN Pink Collagen Gel Mask
PDRN + Glycerin. The exact benefits of PDRN may be unclear, but goodness, does this hydrogel mask feel amazing. “Hydrogel masks are water and a gelling agent that get mixed together, poured into a mold, and turn into a jelly that’ll evaporate on your skin and feel really nice and cooling,” says Lam. This pink version doesn’t disappoint. “You wear it overnight and it feels great,” adds Lam, who guesses that PDRN might be suspended in the mask—“a bit like fruit in Jell-O”—while hydrating ingredients such as glycerin make the skin dewy.
Rejuran Dual Effect Ampoule
Rejuran
Dual Effect Ampoule
PDRN + Ceramides. This K-beauty serum is a favorite of Mou’s, who likes that the brand’s clinical testing suggests the formula may help repair the skin barrier and support collagen synthesis. It is made by Rejuran, “a biopharmaceutical company that has a strong presence in Korean skin care,” she notes.
