what is pdrn skincare?
pdrn (polydeoxyribonucleotide) is a chain of short dna fragments. korean clinics made it famous as an injectable; in skincare it goes into essences and serums for skin that looks rested, plumper and glassier. most pdrn comes from salmon. kimjie's comes from ginseng, so it is vegan.
- full name: polydeoxyribonucleotide. on a label: sodium dna.
- sources: salmon (most common) or plants such as ginseng.
- in skincare: a daily serum or essence on clean, damp skin.
- feel: watery, fast, no greasy film. works under makeup.
- pairs with niacinamide, ceramides, retinol and sunscreen.
what is pdrn?
pdrn stands for polydeoxyribonucleotide. strip the jargon and it is a chain of short dna fragments, the building blocks every living thing is made of. on an ingredient list it usually shows up as sodium dna.
it became famous in korea, where clinics have used pdrn injections for years. the results people saw there, skin that looked rested and plump, made it the ingredient everyone wanted in a bottle. in 2026 it is one of the fastest-growing ingredients in skincare.
what does pdrn do on skin?
in skincare, pdrn is there for how skin looks and feels: fresher, plumper-looking, more even, more awake. it sits in a light water layer that floods the skin first, so the glow reads as water, not oil.
the research on pdrn is serious. reviews of its pharmacology and of its use in tissue repair go back years, and newer lab work looks at topical pdrn and at pdrn from plants, including ginseng root. that is the reason to believe. the reason to buy is simpler: tired skin looks awake.
- dullness lifts first. more glow, less grey, from the first week.
- texture follows. skin looks smoother, and makeup stops catching on dry patches.
- it stays light. no tack, no film, nothing to wait for before the next step.
where does pdrn come from?
| salmon pdrn | ginseng pdrn (kimjie) | |
|---|---|---|
| source | salmon or trout milt | panax ginseng root |
| vegan | no | yes |
| where it is used | clinics and skincare | skincare |
| on the label | sodium dna | sodium dna, panax ginseng root extract |
most pdrn on the shelf is salmon-derived. plant pdrn is newer and growing fast. read the full comparison in vegan pdrn vs salmon pdrn, or why kimjie chose the root in ginseng pdrn.
is topical pdrn the same as a pdrn injection?
no, and it does not need to be. an injection is a clinic treatment. a serum is a daily step you do in your bathroom in ten seconds. the point of topical pdrn is the everyday result: skin that looks rested, a softer feel and a glassy finish that holds up under makeup. more on that in does topical pdrn actually work?
essence, serum or cream: which pdrn product should you buy?
pdrn comes in every format. the format decides how it feels.
- essence: the thinnest, close to water. a prep step before the rest.
- serum: where the actives work hardest. a light, milky one goes first on damp skin and disappears. best if you hate layers.
- cream: seals everything in. best for very dry skin, at night.
if you only want one pdrn step, make it a light serum. it is the layer everything else sits on.
how do you use pdrn skincare?
- cleanse, and leave the skin a little damp.
- two pumps of serum in the palm. warm it for a second.
- press it in, outward. do not rub. ten seconds and it is gone.
- then serum or retinol, cream, and in the morning sunscreen and makeup.
morning and night. the full routine, with timings, is in the ritual.
what can you combine pdrn with?
almost everything. pdrn works well next to niacinamide (brighter-looking skin), ceramides (a comfortable, cushioned feel), retinol (put the serum on first) and sunscreen. there are no known clashes in a normal routine. curious how it compares to other buzz ingredients? read pdrn vs peptides.
what is in kimjie's pdrn serum?
pdrn glow serum is built around ginseng-derived pdrn, with niacinamide, five ceramides (np, ns, as, eop and ap), squalane, panthenol and adenosine. fragrance-free, no essential oils, no drying alcohol, vegan. 30 ml lasts about four weeks at two pumps, morning and night. the full list is on ingredients.
sources
- Squadrito F, Bitto A, Irrera N, et al. Pharmacological activity and clinical use of PDRN. Frontiers in Pharmacology. 2017;8:224. doi:10.3389/fphar.2017.00224
- Colangelo MT, Galli C, Guizzardi S. The effects of polydeoxyribonucleotide on wound healing and tissue regeneration: a systematic review of the literature. Regenerative Medicine. 2020. PubMed 32757710
- Lee KS, Lee S, Wang H, et al. Analysis of skin regeneration and barrier-improvement efficacy of polydeoxyribonucleotide isolated from Panax ginseng (C.A. Mey.) adventitious root. Molecules. 2023;28(21):7240. doi:10.3390/molecules28217240
- Kim HJ, Lee JW, Kim S. Plant-derived polynucleotides/polydeoxyribonucleotides in skin biomaterials: delivery platforms and bioactivity attribution. Journal of Functional Biomaterials. 2026;17:351. doi:10.3390/jfb17070351
- Ye R, Wang Q, Du L, et al. Topical medium-length PDRN enhances dermal extracellular matrix repair in photodamaged skin via PI3K-Akt/TGF-β-regulated pathways. PLoS One. 2026;21:e0350905. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0350905
questions
polydeoxyribonucleotide: a chain of short dna fragments. on an ingredient list it usually appears as sodium dna.
not always. salmon is the most common source, but pdrn can also come from plants. kimjie uses ginseng-derived pdrn, so nothing in it comes from a fish.
no. an injection places pdrn under the skin in a clinic. a serum works on the surface every day, for skin that looks fresher, smoother and more awake.
the glow and the softer feel show up from the first use. smoother-looking texture and makeup sitting cleaner build over the first weeks of daily use.
yes. pdrn serum is made for morning and night, two pumps on damp skin.
anyone with tired-looking, dull or dry-feeling skin, and anyone who wants hydration without a heavy or sticky layer.
