This New Ampoule Has a Special Ingredient That Boosts Collagen and Minimises the Appearance of Pores
Dr Yumiko Kadota is an Australian-trained medical doctor with 14 years of clinical experience. She owns a cosmetic skin clinic in Sydney, performing treatments such as injectables, lasers, and chemical peels. She was born in Tokyo and loves using Japanese and Korean skin care in particular. You can find her on @dryumikokadota or @sydneyfacedoctor
Salmon sperm facial in a bottle? Yep it's a thing and Innisfree has just launched its Retinol Green Tea PDRN skin booster ampoule, which is a vegan-friendly version.
But first of all, what is an ampoule?
In K-Beauty, you can think of an ampoule as a super-serum!
They have a host of potent, active ingredients, which are often at higher concentrations compared to serums.
This latest offering from Innisfree has PDRN as its star ingredient. As a cosmetic physician who performs PDRN and related treatments in my clinic, let me give you a rundown on what it is and why this is the new buzziest skincare ingredient you need to know about...
What Is PDRN in Skincare?
In the past eighteen months you may have seen salmon sperm facials do the rounds on your socials thanks to Jennifer Anniston, as well as the injectable form, Rejuran.
The two are slightly different – the injections involve polynucleotides, whereas the facials use polydeoxyribonucleotides (PDRN).
Both are derived from DNA fragments, and claim to have the following benefits:
- Calms inflammation.
- Repairs damaged skin cells.
- Increases hydration.
- Builds collagen and elastin, therefore improving skin texture and elasticity.
What Is the Innisfree Retinol Green Tea PDRN Skin Booster Ampoule?
Innisfree has a plant-based version of PDRN, using their own green tea, which undergoes a fermentation process.
This really is where Korean Beauty shines.
If you, like me, love the effect of fermented ingredients, you are in for a treat!
The ferment used in this product is lactobacillus ferment lysate.
My mini INNISFREE Retinol Green Tea PDRN Skin Booster Ampoule review:
I really loved the texture of this ampoule – it’s lightweight yet hydrating.
Its low molecular weight means that it is readily absorbed into the skin, so there’s no heavy feeling sitting on top.
The other thing I liked about this ampoule is that it is pretty much unfragranced.
It has a slight green tea scent, but it’s barely discernible.
What Other Ingredients Are in It?
As its name suggests, the Innisfree Retinol Green Tea PDRN Skinbooster Ampoule also has retinoids, which enhance the skin-firming effects of PDRN.
It has a mixture of retinol and hydroxy pinacolone retinoate (an effective but gentler retinoid).
Retinoids are helpful for hyperpigmentation and blemish-prone skin too.
As someone who has used retinoids for a long time, I was able to use this product daily straight away.
The product does have allantoin and other soothing ingredients which makes it less irritating than other retinoid products.
However, for those with sensitive skin I would suggest using it just one night a week to start with, and then slowly increase the frequency.
You can even do a “retinol sandwich” which means using a gentle moisturiser first, then the ampoule, followed by another layer of moisturiser.
Remember that retinoids make your skin more sensitive to the sun, so it’s even more important to be wearing sunscreen daily!
This Innisfree PDRN ampoule has ingredients like glycerin, squalane, urea, and hyaluronic acid to moisturise the skin.
It also has niacinamide, which is a great all-rounder with benefits like brightening and reducing the appearance of pores.
Adenosine is another ingredient that deserves mention – it is a nucleoside which not only helps with collagen synthesis, but also helps to calm redness and irritation.
How to Use Innisfree Retinol Green Tea PDRN.
I would use this ampoule as part of your nighttime routine.
Because this ampoule is packed with so many active ingredients, I didn’t feel the need to use other serums with it.
I’ve made the mistake of over-doing my actives in the past, which can compromise the skin barrier, so I would suggest using this as your only active at night.
As a general rule, it’s best to start one new product at a time so that you can see how your skin responds to it.
Green Tea PDRN in a night routine:
Double Cleanse: first cleanse with a cleansing balm or oil to remove sunscreen (and make up if you wear it) as well as daily grime, followed up with a water-based face wash.
- A hydrating toner or mist.
- Retinol Green Tea PDRN Ampoule.
- Moisturiser.
- Eye cream (if you use one).
Now if you want a whole Innisfree routine, Adore Beauty also has this limited editionINNISFREE Retinol Green Tea PDRN Skin Booster Ampoule Set which inlcludes the Retinol Cica Repair Ampoule and Retinol Cica Barrier Defense Cream.
Final Verdict...
If you use actives like Vitamin C, I would suggest using Vitamin C in your morning routine and the Retinol Green Tea PDRN ampoule at night. Using both can be too irritating.
Similarly, if you use exfoliating acids, you may wish to use them on your non-ampoule nights so that you’re not exposing your skin to too many strong ingredients at once.
This product is suitable for those in their late twenties upwards.
If you’ve been thinking about what you can incorporate into your routine to maintain your skin firmness, as well as improve skin texture and hydration, this ampoule packs a punch!
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